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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Acquittal of Mashatile’s VIP officers by police causes outcry TimesLIVE reports that civil rights group Action Society is seeking a review of internal accountability at the SA Police Service (SAPS) after eight VIP protection unit officers were cleared of wrongdoing at a disciplinary hearing earlier this week. The officers, filmed assaulting civilians on the N1 highway in July 2023, were members of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s protection detail. They remain out on bail in their separate criminal trial. Action Society spokesperson Juanita du Preez called for a “full and transparent review” of the police inquiry because it could “send a dangerous message to both the public and the police: that state-sponsored brutality will be tolerated and even protected”. DA MP Ian Cameron, who chairs the parliamentary portfolio committee on police, also condemned the outcome. Ulrich Roux, legal representative for three of the civilians, said his clients were disappointed with the outcome but have not been deterred from pursuing criminal and civil charges. Lesiba Thobakgale of the SA Policing Union, which represented the officers at the internal inquiry, asserted that they were subjected to the appropriate disciplinary process and the chairperson acquitted them after assessing all the information presented. He said it would be unfair for public pressure to determine the outcome of internal processes. But, the DA said it did not accept the outcome, and had submitted a Promotion of Access to Information Act application to obtain the record, decision and reasons for the acquittal. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Modiegi Mashamaite at BusinessLive. Read too, DA slams internal SAPS hearing cleared VIP officers in highway assault, at IOL News
Tragic accident at Randfontein housing construction site IOL News reports that the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements expressed its sorrow on Thursday over the tragic incident earlier this week at the Montrose Mega City Development site in Randfontein, which resulted in one fatality. The department said preliminary information indicated that the deceased was involved in unauthorised illegal activities at the site when a portion of a staircase structure collapsed and fell on him. The building itself did not collapse, but slabs that were part of the staircase gave way due to tampering with the building's steel reinforcements. The matter has been reported to the police, and a formal investigation is under way. The department also advised that they were negotiating with the landowner to determine the best approach for taking over the project, which remained a key priority in delivering sustainable human settlements. But according to the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng, the government chose an incompetent company instead of hiring a competent developer, and the company has failed to deliver and was now holding this R11 billion project to ransom. The DA's Evert Du Plessis said they had long warned that if housing projects were left abandoned, they would be illegally occupied and damaged by those with criminal intent. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Koketso Phasha at IOL News Survey reveals that over half of SA employees struggle with work-related mental health The Star reports that SA workplaces are becoming breeding grounds for mental health crises, with more than half of employees reporting that work-related stress, pressure, or toxic management has led to a formal diagnosis of mental health disorders. According to a new survey by corporate wellness provider MindMatters SA, 56% of SA employees say they have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, burnout, or other mental health conditions as a direct result of their working environment. The findings highlight an alarming deterioration in workplace mental wellness, driven by poor leadership, unrealistic expectations, job insecurity, and insufficient support structures. “Workplaces are supposed to be sources of purpose and productivity, but for many South Africans, they have become a major source of psychological harm. This report should be a wake-up call for employers,” said clinical psychologist and advisor to the study Dr Naledi Marumo. The survey, conducted in April 2025 and involving over 2,000 working professionals across sectors, revealed that 62% of respondents blamed their immediate managers for their mental health decline. Nearly 70% said they regularly felt overwhelmed by workload or experienced high levels of stress at work, with little to no support from leadership. Only 27% of workers felt comfortable discussing mental health challenges with their employers with others feared being labelled as weak, unprofessional, or unreliable. The survey revealed that over 40% of employees had taken mental health-related sick leave in the past year, and 31% had considered quitting their jobs entirely to protect their mental wellbeing. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sifiso Mahlangu at The Star. Read too, Employee burnout and mental health issues are quietly costing SA businesses billions, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). And also, Legal lessons for SA employers about stressed, depressed workers, at Fin24 (subscription or trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Lottery workers march in Pretoria over wages and working conditions GroundUp reports that about 100 employees of the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) marched on Wednesday from their offices to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTI&C) in Pretoria complaining about wages and working conditions and the “modernisation” of the NLC. Protesters from the Public Servants Association (PSA) were joined by a few members of the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw). The workers handed over a memorandum at the DTI&C offices. They called for the removal of the NLC board, an end to “selective accountability”, and higher increases during wage negotiations. The protest followed weeks of picketing by employees after wage negotiations for the 2025/2026 financial year deadlocked. The PSA is demanding an 8.5% increase and the NLC is offering 6.5%. Last year the union and the NLC were unable to come to an agreement, and the PSA has accused management of unilaterally implementing a cost of living adjustment while the wage negotiations were unresolved. Mashudu Muhanelwa, chairperson for the PSA at the NLC, said that workers wanted DTI&C Minister Parks Tau to intervene regarding their issues with the NLC. He complained about the appointment of consultants, a lack of worker performance bonuses, lack of transparency and a decline in governance standards. NLC Commissioner Jodi Schultz said the focus of the march on 2024/25 issues while the current wage negotiations were underway “does not advance constructive collective bargaining”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ihsaan Haffejee at GroundUp
Police thwart extortion attempt at Limpopo mine, resulting in a death and arrests IOL News reports that a violent extortion attempt at a mine in Limpopo ended in bloodshed when police shot and killed a suspect and arrested several others linked to criminal activity. On 6 May, five men were apprehended following a brazen extortion scheme at a mine in the Driekop Policing area. Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the suspects blocked 22 mine trucks and demanded cash before allowing them to operate. A service provider at the mine was also threatened by the suspects and ordered to hand over money he had received. When police officers from Operation Vala Umgodi arrived at the scene they were met with gunfire. “The suspects noticed the police and fired shots at the direction of the police. Police retaliated, and one suspect, aged 27, was shot at,” Ledwaba said. The man was later certified dead by emergency services. During the arrests, officers seized a firearm with four live rounds and five cellphones. The police operation continued later in the day with patrols at illegal mining sites in Leeufontein Village under the Marble Hall Policing area. Seven additional suspects were arrested for violations of immigration laws. The arrested suspects will appear before the local Magistrate’s Court soon. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Wendy Dondolo at IOL News Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Tshwane waste management workers left idling due to lack of resources and play ludo instead IOL News reports that more than 50 City of Tshwane workers at a waste management depot in Region 3 report for work every morning only to be left idling due to a lack of resources and vehicles. They pass the time playing games like ludo and dice outside the offices. This was discovered by the Member of Mayoral Committee for Agriculture and Environment Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, during an oversight visit at the facility this week. Workers, shown in a social media video, told Ramabodu that they lacked necessary tools and about 50 of them often had no work to do despite receiving monthly salaries. “This is because of the management. The management must bring trucks because workers want to go to work,” one of the workers said. Ramabodu informed the workers that while there would not be disciplinary action taken against them, playing games like ludo during work hours needed to stop. During his oversight visit, he addressed around 200 workers. He reported that the visit had been beneficial as it revealed several issues such as the poor working environment for the workers, including unfit toilet and shower facilities. He has also taken up the concerns of workers on issues of overtime and management. Ramabodu highlighted that despite spending on tenders, the municipality had not been able to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) for its workers. “Our workers have only one set of overalls which is totally unacceptable and we are going to follow up on that. A worker must have a PPE that will last so that that worker can be able to provide services,” he said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rapula Moatshe at IOL News
KZN grade R teachers accuse MEC Hlomuka of lying over salary payments Daily News reports that frustrated Grade R teachers in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have spoken out against the province's Education MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, after he claimed that all outstanding salaries for Grade R educators have been settled. The teachers have vehemently denied this statement and have accused the MEC of misleading the public. During a media briefing on Wednesday, convened by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, Hlomuka announced that the department had finally cleared all outstanding payments for Grade R teachers, whose salaries were supposed to have been settled by April. He stated that the issue was due to the failure to renew contracts for Grade 1 teachers before the financial year ended, which had delayed payments. However, several Grade R teachers refuted the MEC’s claims. Among those who voiced their discontent was a Grade R teacher from Durban, who stated: “The MEC lied. Many of us, including myself, have not received a cent. This is mistreatment at its worst. The Premier needs to step in and hold the department accountable." The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) and the National Teachers Union (Natu), have also called for accountability and for Ntuli to sack Mahlambi amid the litany of crises besetting the education department in KZN. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lungani Zungu at Daily News Satawu demands immediate payment for Northwest Transport Investments workers IOL News reports that the cash-strapped Northwest Transport Investments (NTI) is set to receive a subsidy payment from the Gauteng provincial government and the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) wants the entity to immediately pay workers. According to the union, some workers have not been paid their salaries for close to a year despite the court ruling against the former business rescue practitioner (BRP), Thomas Samons. NTI is a public and state-owned enterprise under the North West provincial government. It operates as a public transport entity, particularly focused on public transport within and outside the province. Samons was appointed in July 2022, after NTI experienced financial challenges. The Pretoria High Court removed Samons as the BRP following a legal battle in November last year and also rejected his appeal in March. Reportedly, Samons has since lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court of Appeal. Gauteng Department of Road and Transport spokesperson, Lesiba Mpya, said the department’s monitoring service provider was in the process of finalising claims to confirm the actual amount to be paid after penalties have been imposed. “Therefore we are, however, not able at this stage to confirm the total amount,” he said. North West Community Safety and Transport Management spokesperson, Charles Matlou, said the money would be used to pay workers and creditors, adding that indeed some workers were not paid for some months while others received half of their salaries. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Manyane Manyane at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Ekurhuleni mayor slams suspended EMPD officers for allegedly intimidating colleagues who report for work The Citizen reports that according to City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, some Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers are allegedly threatening colleagues who report for work. Xhakaza addressed the media on Thursday following the municipality’s decision to take disciplinary action against 389 EMPD officers involved in the illegal strike that took place on 19 March. The protest, which stemmed from disputes over pay and the reduction of overtime hours, resulted in major roads across Gauteng being blocked. The officers involved have since been suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings. “Let me be clear that this is not a blanket dismissal. Each case will be reviewed individually, with due consideration of each officer’s involvement,” the mayor indicated. He also addressed reports of intimidation aimed at officers who continued to report for duty. The threats, allegedly made by some of the suspended officers, have prompted the city to escalate the matter to the SA Police Service (Saps) and the Hawks. “There is nobody who must intimidate others when they report for duty. You can’t have WhatsApp voice notes circulating around, heckling those who are reporting to work that they must [wear] a bulletproof. We want to issue a warning to those engaging in such conduct. Intimidation will not be tolerated and legal action will follow,” Xhakaza stated. He also raised concern over alleged widespread abuse of overtime within the EMPD. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Molefe Seeletsa at The Citizen
37% of audited Gauteng accounting officers fail lifestyle audits, deemed ‘high risk’ News24 reports that municipal ethics officers in Gauteng do not prioritise integrity management when performing their duties. This was one of the findings of a 90-page report by the Gauteng Ethics Advisory Council (GEAC), which was released on Thursday. The GEAC is an independent civil society-led body led by chartered accountant Terence Nombembe. Its biennial report is a review of ethical governance within the provincial government. Most of the complaints to Gauteng departments were for appointment irregularities, maladministration, corruption, procurement irregularities, and unethical behaviour. The education and health departments faced the highest fraud and maladministration complaints. Remarkably, a lifestyle audit of people in key roles, particularly in supply chain management and finance, resulted in 37% of the audited accounting officers being categorised as “high risk” or failing the assessment. The audits were performed on 19 officials in positions considered “high risk” for fraud, including CEOs, heads of department, and directors-general. They were performed by the Special Investing Unit on 30 August. Of the 19 officials subjected to lifestyle audits, 16% were considered medium risk, and 47% were deemed low risk. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi had “communicated with the affected accounting officers, instructing them to address and rectify the identified issues promptly to avoid potential disciplinary action”, the report indicated. The report called for stricter vetting, rotating managers, and better cooperation with oversight bodies to tackle systemic issues. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Alex Patrick at News24 (subscription or trial registration required). Read too, Majority of Gauteng government officials have been vetted by SSA, at TimesLIVE Premium (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
‘Mutually destructive’ versions test Mengo’s credibility at judge’s sexual harassment tribunal hearing TimesLIVE Premium reports that the Judicial Conduct Tribunal investigating the sexual harassment allegations against Eastern Cape judge president Selby Mbenenge heard on Thursday that the versions of former JSC official Kutlwano Moretlwe and judges’ secretary Andiswa Mengo were “mutually destructive” in some aspects. Any dent to Mengo’s credibility could be used to boost Mbenenge’s defence. “It’s either you are not telling the tribunal the truth or Ms Mengo did not tell the tribunal the truth,” suggested Mbenenge’s counsel, Muzi Sikhakhane SC, to Moretlwe. Moretlwe was the person who assisted Mengo when she travelled from the Eastern Cape to Gauteng to lay the complaint. She told the tribunal that she sat with Mengo and typed while Mengo told her story. Moretlwe’s version supported Mengo’s insofar as the role of former chief justice Raymond Zondo was concerned. Moretlwe told the tribunal on Wednesday that Zondo had asked Mengo to redo the complaint because it had been misplaced, as Mengo had testified. But their versions diverged in other respects. Most significant was a dispute about whether Mengo had her own laptop when she travelled to Johannesburg – and therefore whether Mengo had an electronic version of her original complaint when she rewrote it after Zondo’s request. The significance of all this was that, in January, Sikhakhane had grilled Mengo at length about her claim that she had rewritten the complaint from scratch, without having obtained a copy from Moretlwe. On Thursday, Moretlwe said Mengo must have had an electronic version. Evidence continues on Friday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Franny Rabkin at TimesLIVE Premium (subscriber access only). Read too, Mengo told colleague a ‘father figure’ was abusing her, judicial tribunal hears, at GroundUp Leaked explicit videos prove North West teacher did have sexual relations with learner The Star reports that a teacher from Golf View Secondary School in Mahikeng, North West, has been dismissed after being found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a pupil. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) fired Modise Mokomele on 5 May following an arbitration hearing where explicit videos and photos were presented as evidence. The scandal surfaced when a video allegedly showing Mokomele engaged in a sexual act with the pupil, identified as Learner B, began circulating among students at the school. Witnesses testified during the ELRC hearing, confirming that the footage was widely shared. Learner B had reportedly confided in another pupil about her relationship with Mokomele after their first-term tests in 2024. Despite being warned about the risks, Learner B continued the relationship. A teacher at the school, Lesego Mosweu, testified that she was shocked after receiving the explicit content via WhatsApp and immediately reported it to the principal, Daniel Manone. Although Mokomele denied the allegations, both Manone and Mosweu identified him in the video, and ELRC arbitrator Monde Boyce deemed his denials unconvincing. Boyce concluded that Mokomele was unsuitable to work with children and ordered that his name be placed on the Department of Social Development’s Child Protection Register. During the hearing, Boyce voiced concern about the increasing frequency of teacher misconduct involving pupils, noting that such cases have almost reached crisis levels. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sifiso Mahlangu at The Star
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