This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Microsoft invests R5.4bn more in SA 'to help build a future' for young people TimesLIVE reports that Microsoft plans to spend R5.4bn by the end of 2027 to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure in SA. This investment will be in addition to the R20.4bn that the company spent over the past three years to establish enterprise-grade datacentres in Joburg and Cape Town. The new investment will enable a wide range of organisations, from start-ups to large multinationals and government entities, to access the cloud and AI solutions to improve operational efficiency and productivity, optimise the delivery of services and drive innovation across the SA. Brad Smith, vice-chair and president of Microsoft, indicated: “This latest investment is part of our broader focus in helping South Africans build a future where technology drives prosperity and young workers have the skills they need to thrive.” Earlier this year, Microsoft committed to training a million South Africans by 2026, equipping companies, the government and young people with the knowledge and tools to create AI solutions to address local challenges with home-grown solutions, while contributing to the nation’s AI workforce and ecosystem. To help job seekers validate their technology proficiency to employers, Microsoft will expand its digital skills initiative over the next 12 months by paying for 50,000 people to be “Microsoft Certified” in high-demand skills like AI, data science, cybersecurity analysis and cloud solution architecture. Last year, more than 150,000 people were trained in digital and AI skills, 95,000 were certified and 1,800 secured employment opportunities through Microsoft’s Skills for Jobs programme. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE. Read too, Microsoft invests R5bn to turn SA into AI economy, at ITWeb. And also, Microsoft announces R5.4bn in new investment for SA, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Services recommence at Fort Napier Mortuary following work stoppage over poor working conditions The Witness reports that the recommencement of services at the Fort Napier Mortuary in Pietermaritzburg has led bereaved families to question why violence seems to be the only language the government understands. This comes after families of recently-deceased loved ones barricaded the entrance to the Fort Napier Mortuary and Hospital on Thursday, demanding the release of their relatives’ bodies. The staff had refused to work due to poor working conditions. Allegedly, staff members were being forced to work in an environment that was unpleasant, unsafe, and detrimental to their well-being. Factors contributing to this included extreme temperatures, poor ventilation, inadequate equipment, unreasonable workloads, long hours, and poor management practices. These conditions are said to have negatively impacted their health, productivity, and morale. Air conditioners have reportedly not been working since last year, and workers have been relying on fans, which have now broken down. The recommencement of the post-mortem processes followed the introduction of three new fans to the mortuary. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntombizethu Ngcobo at The Witness Guard killed after another attempt on life of owner of Middelburg security company Middelburg Observer reports that Fotoboy ‘Fofo’ Makua, the owner of FOTO Security, was at his home in Extension 1, Mhluzi, Middelburg, when several gunmen opened fire at roughly 21:30 on Wednesday night. Fofo was at home with his family at the time. It is believed that he went outside to address some of his security guards, and after they left, four suspects approached and opened fire on Fofo. He took cover behind his vehicle, which took a hail of bullets. He managed to make his way into his house but was followed by one of the gunmen, who pressed his weapon against Fofo’s head. The gun jammed, resulting in the gunman fleeing and Fofo seeking help from neighbours. Two hours after the attempt, a security guard from FOTO Security was shot to death not far from Fofo’s home. The guard was shot at about 23:20 in Mavuso Crescent in Extension 1 and was found lying in the street. This was the second attempt on Fofo’s life, with a previous murder attempt having been made on 12 August last year. According to previous reports, Fofo was admitted into ICU after a brutal assault with a panga left him with severe head injuries. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sjani Campher at Middelburg Observer
CFE alarmed by ‘Irresponsible and heavy-handed’ treason allegations against AfriForum, Solidarity News24 reports that the Campaign for Freedom of Expression (CFE) says the invocation of the crime of treason with reference to Afrikaans lobby groups, AfriForum and Solidarity, is "improper and irresponsible". In a statement on Thursday, the non-profit organisation emphasised that the actions of these groups, even if contentious, did not warrant criminal prosecution under existing law. CFE's statement was in response to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu's assertion in the National Assembly on Tuesday that police took the treason investigation into AfriForum "very seriously". The CFE responded as follows: "There can be no serious thought that the crime of treason, involving the use or threat of violence in order to overthrow the government, coerce it, threaten its existence or security, or force a change in constitutional structure can have any application to AfriForum and Solidarity's recent engagements in the US and public pronouncements. Statements such as these from law enforcement and public officials speak to a heavy-handedness entirely inconsistent with our Constitution and its values." On Monday, Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya confirmed that the directorate was working on a treason investigation after four complaints had been laid. He did not mention the organisation concerned. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Noxolo Sibiya at News24 (subscription or trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Mineworkers’ union Amcu concerned at increase in mine deaths so far this year TimesLIVE reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) says it is saddened by the deaths of two mineworkers who succumbed to injuries last weekend. The union reported that the incidents occurred at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Khuseleka shaft in Rustenburg on Saturday and at Zondereinde Platinum Mine in Thabazimbi on Sunday. “Our sincere condolences go out to the families and loved ones of our fallen comrades,” said Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa. According to Amcu, these fatal incidents marked the tenth and eleventh deaths recorded in the SA mining industry this year, compared with five during the same period in 2024. It said the figures indicated a concerning regression in mine safety. The union indicated that the deaths occurred at a time when it has requested the minister of mineral and petroleum resources, Gwede Mantashe, to intervene at one of the country’s most dangerous mines. The union has also called for an amendment to the Mine Health and Safety Act to hold mine bosses personally liable for repeatable accidents. “We need serious intervention by increasing enforcement by the regulator as well as also tightening legislation and the wheels of justice to ensure that those responsible are brought to book,” Mathunjwa said. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE
Solidarity’s 2025 bank charges report shows competitiveness driving lower costs for all customers BL Premium reports that according to the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), banks are now more affordable, and their pricing structures are “more aligned” as the overall competitiveness of the sector has improved since the beginning of 2025. This is across all four transaction profiles. The 2025 Bank Charges Report released on Thursday found that banks were becoming more competitive, making it easier for consumers to determine exactly what they would pay for transactions. The report focused on the Big Five lenders, namely Absa, FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank and Capitec, and included TymeBank and Bank Zero in the online category. Absa was ranked the cheapest bank in the low-income or basic needs category this year. Theuns du Buisson, economic researcher at the SRI, said the report showed a significant change in the manner in which instant transfers were made between the accounts of different banks. The PayShap transfer feature allowed free transfers to almost all banks for transactions valued at less than R100 if the customer has a ShapID. For the middle class, the study was conducted based on customer profiles with 25 transactions per month, focusing on accounts marketed to people with appropriate incomes and more sophisticated banking needs. The SRI report found that this market was highly competitive, with banks offering various incentives such as loyalty programmes and associated credit cards. “Capitec is the cheapest at R107.50 [a month] but for only R2.50 more Nedbank’s MiGoals Plus account offers significantly more added value and is regarded as the most cost-effective option in this segment,” Du Buisson indicated. In the higher middle class banking segment, for which 30 transactions per month were considered, added value and reward programmes played a bigger role than pure costs. The report found Nedbank’s MiGoals Premium account to be the most cost-effective at R240 a month, with FNB’s Fusion Premier and Absa’s Ultimate Plus strong competitors. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Noxolo Majavu at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Access the full SRI 2025 Bank Charges Report here
Detective shortage leads to 1.9 million outstanding case dockets The Citizen reports that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has revealed that at least 1.9 million case dockets remain outstanding amid a severe detective shortage in SA. Responding to questions from MPs at the Nieuwmeester Dome in Cape Town on Wednesday, Mchunu addressed concern over the backlog of criminal cases being handled by the SA Police Service (Saps). He acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that the backlog had reached an unmanageable level. “There are 1.9 million dockets that are outstanding, which we have decided to projectise because there’s no way you can treat that as a normal situation. It’s totally abnormal,” the minister stated. He explained that resolving the backlog would take at least two years, as the National Treasury lacked the necessary funds to assist. “We looking elsewhere to get resources to deal with that backlog,” Mchunu indicated. Detectives were overwhelmed, each handling an excessive number of cases, he lamented. However, the minister confirmed that 4,500 new recruits have joined the detective division and expressed the hope that this ongoing recruitment would bring back some of the former detectives and prevent a number of them from leaving. Mchunu pointed to several factors contributing to the detective crisis, including salary disparities between detectives and uniformed police officers. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Molefe Seeletsa at The Citizen. Read too, Scrambling Saps turns to private sector over staggering case backlog, at Cape Times
Thirty Mpumalanga health department interns frustrated by months of unpaid stipends City Press reports that the Mpumalanga Department of Health (DOH) is investigating a situation involving 30 graduate interns who were recruited but then left in limbo. Despite reporting for duty in the Nkangala, Gert Sibande and Ehlanzeni districts for more than three months, they have not received their promised monthly stipends of R6,500. Their repeated attempts to get answers from the DOH have been in vain, causing stress, frustration, dashed dreams and mounting travel costs. Last September, the department launched a six-month graduate internship programme in the risk/security and information and communication technology department. Unemployed graduates, between the ages of 18 and 35 and with appropriate qualifications, were invited to apply. Successful candidates signed contracts in October and reported to their respective sites in November. Eleven interns were placed in seven Ehlanzeni health facilities, 10 in six Nkangala facilities and nine in five Gert Sibande facilities. An intern in Gert Sibande said she had been thrilled to be selected for the internship and could not wait to start, however, it had now all turned into a nightmare. The DOH said on Wednesday that, as a result of the enquiry by City Press, it had launched an investigation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sipho Mabena at City Press (subscription or trial registration required)
Samwu criticises Ekurhuleni’s decision to reduce overtime and acting allowances by 50% SABC News reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) in Ekurhuleni is concerned that the city’s decision to reduce overtime and acting allowances by 50% could lead to the collapse of service delivery systems. The city has attributed its decision to budget constraints. The union has criticised the action saying it is a political manoeuvre aimed at benefitting “tenderpreneurs” ahead of the next local government elections. “We are told that there is no money to pay the workers and for services that need to be rendered effectively and efficiently. However, no one seems to know where the money has gone to and workers must, as a result, be the ones made to suffer the consequences. Because really, we cannot liken this to a leaking pipe anymore. As municipal workers we are refusing, and we are saying consequence management must take place,” Samwu’s regional chairperson Chris Mavunda stated. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at SABC News
Eskom security supervisor is eighth member of Tutuka copper cable theft syndicate to be arrested IOL News reports that the Hawks have dealt a significant blow to copper cable theft at Eskom with the arrest of a security supervisor at Tutuka power station. This marks the eighth arrest in respect of a syndicate that infiltrated the facility's management structure. His arrest on Wednesday brings the total number of suspects in the case to eight, including Eskom Tutuka Power Station principal inspector Refilwe Motloung, her brother, and her brother-in-law, who were arrested in October 2024. The case began on 30 September 2024 when a provincial traffic officer on duty at the Kinross weighbridge stopped a bakkie loaded with copper cables. The officer chased the vehicle and, in the process, the driver lost control, and the vehicle overturned. The Hawks’ Secunda Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit was called to the scene, where they arrested three males transporting the cables. A multidisciplinary team including Crime Intelligence, SAPS Visible Policing, Eskom Security, and Fidelity Security, launched a broader investigation, which led them to a farm where an Eskom truck had dropped off a consignment of copper cables. The operation then shifted to Tutuka from where the cables were allegedly stolen. The latest suspect, a 40-year-old security supervisor, was taken into custody on Wednesday and was expected to appear in the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Wendy Dondolo at IOL News. Read too, Eskom supervisor implicated in copper cable theft syndicate, at Sunday World Lawyer probed for allegedly falsifying Labour Court judgment in a dismissal over misuse of bursary funds TimesLIVE Premium reports that a lawyer is being investigated by the Legal Practice Council (LPC) and the police for allegedly falsifying a Labour Court judgment. Mzomhle Tshaka, a legal investment principal, is accused of fabricating the judgment, purportedly issued by Judge Robert Lagrange, in a dispute involving a former Astron Energy employee dismissed over the misuse of a bursary payment. An investigation by the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has found the judgment and a related leave to appeal application to be fake. Thembile Mabhaso, the former employee who sought Tshaka's assistance to challenge his dismissal, reported the latter for the alleged fabrication. Mabhaso, who had worked for Astron Energy, was dismissed in January 2020 after a disciplinary hearing. The company accused him of “misappropriation or unauthorised use of company funds” after he received a bursary for an MSc in project management from UCT. Mabhaso appealed his dismissal, but the ruling was upheld in May 2020 and he lost his R83,500 a month job as an operating standards specialist. Instead of filing a review application within the required six weeks, he lodged it three years later, blaming Tshaka for misleading him with a fake judgment. After the Labour Court ruled against Mabhaso, he lodged an application for leave to appeal, which is still pending. This week, police confirmed they were investigating a fraud case, while the LPC said they were investigating Mabhaso’s complaint. On his LinkedIn profile, Tshaka describes himself as a “trained and experienced attorney specialising in all aspects of corporate finance, M&A, energy and petroleum”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Philani Nombembe & Kim Swartz at TimesLIVE Premium (subscriber access only)
Six Khayelitsha police officers accused of defrauding SAPS with false expenses claims granted R8,000 bail each EWN reports that six Khayelitsha police officers accused of defrauding the SA Police Service (SAPS) have been granted bail of R8,000 each. The group appeared in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. The state alleges that the group committed fraud to the extent of R26,000 between March and December 2022, while on police investigation missions in the Eastern Cape. Allegedly, the members submitted fraudulent invoices to the Khayelitsha police station's finance department in respect of accommodation at a B&B in Komani and another in Mthatha. The court heard that because of inflated invoices as submitted, each of the accused benefited financially over 10 months. According to the state, one of the accused, Voly Mlotshwa, pocketed the most money at almost R12,000. Vuyani Phinzi allegedly got more than R8,000, while Siphamandla Dyani received R2,200. Phumlani Mamnkeli and Siphosethu Madubela are alleged to have pocketed R1,000 each, while Sibongiseni Zihlangu benefitted R800. The group has been released under strict bail conditions and will be back in court on 5 June. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Ntuthuzelo Nene at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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