In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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PIC appoints former Development Bank head Patrick Dlamini as its new CEO News24 Business reports that Patrick Dlamini, the former head of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), has been named chief executive of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). Dlamini will now oversee the state-owned asset manager, which has almost R3 trillion in assets under management. The 55-year-old headed up the DBSA for just over a decade until March 2023. The appointment has been confirmed by Cabinet. Dlamini’s five-year term will start on the first of next month. He takes over from Abel Sithole, who has reached retirement age. PIC chair, Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo described Dlamini as a turnaround specialist, saying he was expected to bring his expertise to the challenges confronting the PIC, especially in its struggling unlisted portfolio, which has underperformed for years. Of the 53 active unlisted investments made by the PIC for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and the Compensation Fund, 22 are now in the turnaround unit. Some of the worst-performing investments include hundreds of millions of rand in private education group Educor and chicken producer Daybreak. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jan Cronje at News24 Business (subscription or trial registration required) New PIC CEO mandated to clean up R100bn unlisted portfolio BL Premium reports that the new CEO of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), Patrick Dlamini, has been mandated by the board to clean up the state-owned investment manager’s controversial multibillion-rand unlisted portfolio. Dlamini will replace retiring CEO Abel Sithole in June, putting him at the helm of the largest investor in SA’s equities market. The PIC manages close to R3-trillion in assets, some R2.6-trillion of which belongs to the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), with the remainder from the Compensation Fund, the Unemployment Insurance Fund and other clients. Of this, 95% is invested in listed markets, and 5% in unlisted investments. In 2020, Sithole assumed the CEO role to stabilise the institution after leadership turmoil and allegations of mismanagement, which culminated in the establishment of a commission of inquiry chaired by retired judge Lex Mpati. One of the steps the board subsequently took was to separate the roles of CEO and chief investment officer – roles that were combined under former boss Dan Matjila to the detriment of investment decision-making processes, according to the Mpati inquiry. One of the other changes that followed the Mpati commission saw the inclusion of workers’ representatives on the PIC board. In April, the PIC told MPs that more than 40% of its unlisted portfolio was in distress after a sustained period of underperformance. The entity, which reports to the finance minister, has injected about R100bn in more than 150 private-owned companies over the years. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kabelo Khumalo at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Robbers kill JMPD officer, steal his gun and patrol car in 'heinous’ act SowetanLive reports that a 33-year-old Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officer was shot and killed on Wednesday evening while responding to a robbery in Vlakfontei. JMPD commissioner Patrick Jaca said Mokoena and a colleague received a description of a vehicle used in a robbery. “The officers successfully located the vehicle and initiated a stop. While the driver initially failed to comply, the officers were able to bring the vehicle to a halt. As Officer Mokoena approached the driver’s side of the suspect vehicle – which contained five occupants – he was met with gunfire from within. Both officers immediately took cover. Tragically, the suspects pursued Officer Mokoena to a nearby residence where he was fatally shot. Following this heinous act, the suspects stole Officer Mokoena’s official JMPD firearm and the marked JMPD patrol vehicle, which was idling at the scene,” Jaca reported. He added that the JMPD received information that a resident was also shot and killed in the same area and seemingly that incident might be linked to the same individuals involved in the attack on Mokoena Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nandi Ntini at SowetanLive. Read too, JMPD officer dies after being shot nine times by suspected robbers, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required) Sama calls for better working conditions for junior doctors after death of medical intern at work TimesLIVE reports that the SA Medical Association (Sama) has called for urgent reform in the treatment of junior doctors, warning that unsafe working conditions were putting young health-care workers and patients at risk. This followed the death of Alulutho Mazwi, a medical intern in the paediatrics department at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in eThekwini, who died at work on Monday. He had reportedly recently received a diabetes diagnosis and had significant health challenges. According to the Public Servants Association (PSA), Mazwi had allegedly been forced by a supervisor “to work while critically ill”. Sama spokesperson Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa said junior doctors were among the most vulnerable in the country’s health-care system and were often expected to work under immense pressure, frequently for extended hours without adequate rest or support. “As medical graduates in training, interns are meant to be guided, mentored and supervised. Yet in many facilities, interns are treated as fully fledged staff members, often carrying the weight of the system on their shoulders, with little regard for their developmental needs or wellbeing. This dangerous practice is both unethical and unsustainable. It puts patients at risk and places immense pressure on young doctors who are still learning and growing in the profession,” Mzukwa lamented. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nivashni Nair at TimesLIVE. Read too, Shattered family mourns intern doctor who died at KZN hospital, at News24 (subscription/trial registration required) Sickly cop wins court battle against SAPS to have salary, medical aid restored Sunday World reports that a sickly police officer from Newcastle SA Police Service (SAPS) in northern KwaZulu-Natal has won a legal battle to have his salary and Polmed medical cover fully restored. Warrant officer Venesh Ganesh had to take his employer to the Labour Court in Durban on an urgent basis after his salary was stopped while he was on an approved sick leave. After an agreement between all parties, the court certified an order that the SAPS should restore his salary and medical aid with Polmed, the medical aid scheme for police officers in the country. A few years ago Ganesh was involved in a car accident while on duty. “The injury to my lower back was sustained as a result of an incident involving a moving vehicle. This happened while I was acting within the course and scope of my official duties as a member of the SAPS,” Ganesh indicated in court papers. Following the initial injury, the condition progressively deteriorated over time. Later, Ganesh applied for early retirement based on his worsening medical condition, but that was declined by SAPS management based on a medical report compiled by an internal practitioner. However, Ganesh contended that the report was flawed and he applied for sick leave, which was granted. It was during his leave days that he found that his medical aid and salary had been stopped. That was done without informing him. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sihle Mavuso at Sunday World Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Over 8,000 SA healthcare jobs lost after US Pepfar aid cut The Citizen reports that Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi confirmed on Thursday that more than 8,000 healthcare workers in SA lost their jobs following the withdrawal of United States (US) funding for HIV/Aids programmes. The job losses came as a direct result of US President Donald Trump’s January 2025 announcement of withdrawal of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) funding for SA’s HIV/Aids and TB programmes. At a media update, Motsoaledi addressed the impact of the funding cuts while countering claims that the country’s HIV response had collapsed. Despite the significant job losses, the health minister emphasised that the vast majority of the HIV/Aids workforce remained intact and operational across affected districts. “In these 27 districts, there were 271,606 people who are working on the HIV/Aids programmes every day. 15,539 of these were funded by Pepfar, of which, yes, we can confirm today, unfortunately, 8,061 are out of their jobs,” Motsoaledi indicated. He went on to report: “The remaining 7,478 people are still employed because they are funded through Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, at least until September this year. So they are still on the job and doing their work as they were normally doing.” Motsoaledi emphasised that despite the recent funding cuts from Pepfar, SA still maintained a substantial HIV/Aids workforce, with 263,354 healthcare workers continuing to deliver critical services in previously Pepfar-funded districts. He said those citizens previously supported under Pepfar had been absorbed into public clinics and continued to receive uninterrupted treatment. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Enkosi Selane at The Citizen. Read too, Motsoaledi lashes media, says SA’s HIV/Aids programmes are not collapsing, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) No concrete plan to deal with loss of 8,000 health jobs after US funding cuts, Motsoaledi admits TimesLIVE reports that amid growing concern over the fate of 8,000 health workers recently left unemployed by health funding cuts on the part of the US government, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi confirmed that no concrete plan currently existed to address their situation. On Thursday Motsoaledi provided an update on the progress made to mitigate the effects of withdrawal of US funding on SA’s HIV/Aids and TB programmes. He said about 15,539 people had been funded by Pepfar (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), of whom over 8,000 had since lost their jobs. Motsoaledi admitted the government was still scrambling to secure alternative funding, with no commitments yet secured beyond one limited contribution. He indicated: “You said, what is the plan for the 8,000 people who have lost their jobs? I wish we had a plan at the present moment. All we can do is present our plans to funders. I've given you a long list of funders we have met. There's not a single one who said we want to help. There's not a single one who came to the party – either private funders or governments around the world. There's not a single one at the moment.” The only confirmed financial support so far has come from the Global Fund, which has pledged R1bn, but this funding is strictly earmarked for antiretroviral (ARV) treatments and not to sustain jobs. “I’m not going to stand here and claim that we’ve got any plan for the 8,000 people, beyond just speaking to potential funders and to our own Treasury, which still has not responded,” Motsoaledi said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shonisani Tshikalange at TimesLIVE
Sandu urges unhappy soldiers who had been in the DRC to take legal route to address pay dispute TimesLIVE reports that the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) is concerned that some SANDF members who were deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are threatening unlawful action to protest about allowances payable to them. The union said it had received several complaints from SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members who had part of the SADC mission to the DRC. “It is with concern that Sandu has noted certain individuals deployed in the DRC threatening on social media unlawful actions to protest the issue. Under no circumstances will Sandu support any unlawful action to protest/raise payment concerns,” the union warned. It pointed out that the SANDF had acknowledged the complaints and had undertaken to investigate disparities in payments. Sandu urged its members to register their concerns on the union channel (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) in order for the union to have the facts to act upon them in a legal and orderly way. Meanwhile, the DA has written to Defence Minister Angie Motshekga, requesting a detailed breakdown of the Sadc-funded allowances for troops, including how the payments were structured and where the remaining funds were being held. The political party said it was concerning that soldiers deployed to the DRC reportedly received only R34,000 a month, despite Sadc allocating R108,000 per soldier. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE
Higher Education Minister withdraws recent Seta chairperson appointments, with immediate effect News24 reports that Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has withdrawn the recent appointments of chairpersons to sector education and training authorities (Seta) boards, with immediate effect. This followed mixed reactions over the appointments, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) addressing a complaint to the Higher Education and Training Portfolio Committee. The party cited a list showing that Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe’s son, Buyambo Mantashe, and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s political allies would chair key Seta boards. Nkabane said she had decided to recalibrate the appointment process following broader consultations with sector stakeholders and their counsel. She said on Thursday evening: “I have taken the decision to withdraw previous appointments in response to public concerns. Further, I take this decision in the interest of good governance, transparency to ensure accountability of the appointment process. In this regard I will reopen the process by issuing a Government Gazette calling for nominations for a limited run of seven days.” She added that a new independent panel would be established to process the nominations and recommend candidates. “This process will put emphasis on merit, competencies and relevant experiences – with balanced representations in terms of race, gender, youth and persons with disabilities,” Nkabane explained. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jenna Verster & Soyiso Maliti at News24
DA takes legal action against Joburg over ‘unlawful’ acting appointments to senior management posts City Press reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally served the City of Johannesburg with legal papers demanding an immediate end to what it describes as the municipality’s ongoing and unlawful appointment of individuals to senior management positions in an acting capacity. The party accuses the City of breaching national and local governance legislation by repeatedly extending acting appointments beyond the legally permitted three-month period without the required approval from the provincial MEC. In a formal legal letter dated 13 May 2025 and addressed to Gauteng co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Jacob Mamabolo, City of Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero, City of Johannesburg speaker Nobuhle Mthembu, and seven people currently occupying certain senior manager posts, including the city manager, the DA’s legal representatives demanded that the city immediately cease what it calls “the ongoing violation of the Municipal Systems Act” and the municipal regulations on minimum competency levels. The DA says it raised the matter through council structures and attempted oversight engagement, all of which allegedly failed to elicit any response from the administration. The party now views the city’s conduct as “irrational, unreasonable and inconsistent with the Constitution and the Systems Act”. The DA’s demands include the ending of all acting appointments that exceed the three-month period without MEC authorisation and refraining from making future appointments that contravene the law. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Yamkeleka Manjeya at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Gauteng teacher fired for telling pupil he stinks and other misconduct charges News24 reports that some of the allegations that landed a Gauteng teacher in hot water included calling a pupil “stinky” and hitting another one on the head and squeezing her breast, which resulted in the ancestral shells she was wearing breaking. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) fired Jacobe Modise, a teacher at Himalaya Secondary School in Laudium, Pretoria, on 7 May after finding him guilty of eight misconduct charges. Nine pupils testified during the protracted hearings over 17 days between March 2023 and February 2025. “Having considered that he was entrusted with the care of children and that it was expected of him to act with the utmost good faith towards learners, I find that dismissal is the only appropriate sanction,” said ELRC arbitrator Themba Manganyi. A pupil, referred to as “BM1” in the transcript of the proceedings, testified that Modise told him he was “stinking, not bathing and had a big head” when he discovered he did not do his homework. Initially, the pupil did not report the insults, but he eventually told his mother, who reported them to the school. Modise’s lawyer, Maranti Kgomo, said her client was disappointed with the award because it “has a lot of flaws and contradictions”. “He has instructed us to proceed with reviewing the award in the Labour Court, which we will be doing within 30 days. He insists he’s not guilty of any of the eight charges,” she advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Popcru calls for transparency and justice in respect of alleged rape at police academy The Citizen reports that the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has voiced its outrage over the alleged sexual assault of a female trainee at the SA Police Service (SAPS) training academy in Tshwane. According to the union, the trainer at the academy was arrested and removed from his post following the allegation of rape. Popcru expressed deep concern in a statement on Thursday, describing this as a “serious betrayal of trust.” It stated: “Popcru unequivocally condemns any form of Gender-Based Violence and Child Abuse (GBVC), especially when perpetrated by those entrusted with the training and development of future law enforcement officers.” The union called on SAPS to conduct a “full, transparent, and independent investigation” into the matter. But, Popcru emphasised that while this incident was deeply disturbing, it should not tarnish the reputation of all SAPS trainers. “There are countless committed, disciplined trainers across the country who continue to serve with integrity,” Popcru asserted. The union also called for immediate support for the affected trainee through the SAPS Employee Health and Wellness Programme (EHW), including access to psychosocial counselling and trauma support. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Oratile Mashilo at The Citizen
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