In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Takealot considering hiring thousands of retrenched Post Office employees TechCentral reports that the Department of Communications & Digital Technologies (DCDT) is in talks with online retailer Takealot Group, which is mulling the option of hiring thousands of retrenched SA Post Office (Sapo) employees. The announcement was made by Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani, DCDT director-general, in a presentation to MPs on Wednesday. She said that Takealot was looking to make around 18,000 new hires. “We have an agreement with Takealot in place. The agreement says Takealot will onboard the previously retrenched Sapo members; on top of that, there is still an opportunity for the recruitment of South African citizens for the delivery of parcels,” Jordan-Dyani indicated. Sapo was placed into business rescue in July 2023 and thousands of employees were retrenched. Jordan-Dyani did not specify if the agreement with Takealot applied to employees retrenched within any certain period. Even so, the 18,000 personnel figure quoted by the director-general suggests there is enough room, potentially, to accommodate all retrenched Sapo, including both those made before and after the company entered into business rescue. However, when asked about Jordan-Dyani’s claims, Takealot emphasised that the details of the initiatives were still under discussion and that no formal agreement had yet been reached. According to Takealot, the discussions are focused on finding ways to “empower communities … with a particular focus on upskilling and creating employment opportunities for former Sapo employees”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nkosinathi Ndlovu at TechCentral
Extension of Haute Cabrière restaurant in Franschhoek put on ice by labour inspectors News24 reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has issued a prohibition notice halting construction at Haute Cabrière restaurant in Franschhoek. The restaurant, which forms part of an award-winning wine estate, was undergoing an extension. Fezeka Ngalo, DEL occupational health and safety specialist for the Western Cape, shut down the site due to the lack of a health and safety file, protective gear for workers, and proper appointment documentation for subcontractors. The contractors also failed to alert the department of the construction site. Tanja von Arnim of Haute Cabrière estate commented: “As an estate, we appointed top architects, engineers, and contractors with impeccable references and experience, and were disheartened to learn that in some areas we did not comply with regulations.” The restaurant will be working with the DEL to ensure it meets requirements and can ensure the safety of all staff, contractors, and guests. Von Arnim hopes that construction work will be able to recommence next week. The restaurant remains open in the meantime. The DEL’s inspection and enforcement services are conducting blitz inspections in the Western Cape hospitality sector to ensure compliance with labour, health, and safety laws. These inspections began on Monday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Aurelia Mouton at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Private sector steps in to assist amid ‘despicable conditions’ at Joburg Master’s Office Moneyweb reports that a blown substation has once again left the Johannesburg Master’s Office in darkness for several days, increasing the backlog with the filing of deceased estates, finalising trusts, and overseeing the administration of trusts. The latest power failure was the last straw for the Johannesburg Attorneys Association (JAA), which has reached out to its membership to assist financially with the purchase of a generator. Members of JAA said in a WhatsApp chat group they had to help as the offices were cold, people have no access to the internet, and they cannot print. Katherine Gascoigne, head of the Master’s Office committee at the JAA, said the situation was intolerable. “It is despicable that people are left to work in such conditions. No wonder the staff becomes despondent. They cannot charge their phones, laptops or even switch on a kettle for coffee or tea,” Gascoigne noted. When there is a power outage, the lifts don’t operate and there is no lighting or heating. The Fiduciary Institute of SA (Fisa) has joined the initiative and called for urgent private sector support to alleviate the dire situation at the Joburg Master’s Office, which has been without power for several days. Fisa CEO Louis van Vuren described the situation as “untenable”. According to Gascoigne, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi is quite aware of the dire circumstances under which the staff are supposed to operate. The minister has been to the office and has herself been caught in a power outage while at the premises. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Amanda Visser at Moneyweb Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Numsa urges Gautrain to table a ‘meaningful’ wage offer to avoid an ‘imminent crippling strike’ BL Premium reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has called on Gautrain operator Bombela Operating Company (BOC) to table a meaningful wage offer to avoid an “imminent crippling strike” that could result in a “total shutdown of services”. BOC is a private company contracted by Bombela Concession Company (BCC) to operate and maintain the Gautrain systems. Wage talks between BOC and Numsa deadlocked on 9 June and attempts by the CCMA to break the impasse failed on Wednesday, resulting in the CCMA issuing the union with a strike certificate. The certificate was issued after Numsa demanded a 7% wage increase across the board, while BOC would not move from its 4.2% wage offer. Numsa’s other demands included a housing allowance of R1,600 (it is currently R1,300), transport allowance of R150 (R125), night shift allowance of R50 per hour (R38 per hour), and performance bonus of R15,000 (R9,600). Numsa embarked on a 17-day industrial action at Gautrain last year, which culminated in the parties settling on a one-year 6.8% wage deal in July 2024, which expired on Monday. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said workers were behind the Gautrain’s success and needed to be compensated accordingly. She said: “They need to make a meaningful offer to prevent a total shutdown of services. Numsa further calls on the Gautrain Management Authority and the Gauteng provincial government to intervene and apply pressure on the BOC management to come to the party and put a meaningful offer on the table for our members to consider.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Department of Employment & Labour allocated R4.15bn for 2025/26 BL Premium reports that Department of Employment & Labour (DEL) Minister Nomakhosazana Meth on Thursday briefed parliament on the allocation of the R4.153bn her department got from the fiscus for the 2025/26 financial year, R1.5bn of which had been set aside for wages. A huge chunk of the allocation to the department, namely R1.738bn, was earmarked for transfers and subsidies to support partnerships with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), Productivity SA, and civil society actors involved in employment activation. Meth said R694.789m would be used for goods and services; and R121m for capital assets such as financing digital infrastructure upgrades and modernisation of labour centres and satellite offices. “Major social protection interventions will be delivered through the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Compensation Fund (CF) . In 2025/26, the UIF will manage R38.4bn, with R19.02bn for direct benefits,” Meth advised. The CF has been allocated R1.6bn for pensioners and injured workers), R5bn for medical claims and R1.85bn for capacity building in respect of digitisation, medical staffing in provinces and outreach to vulnerable workers. Over R10.98bn has allocated to labour activation programmes (LAPs), targeting 240,000 placements this year and 690,000 over the medium term, half of which will be reserved for youth, women, and persons with disabilities. An additional R1.4bn has been allocated to the temporary employment relief scheme (TERS) to protect jobs in distressed companies, while R55m will fund the business turnaround programme to assist 80 companies and save 3,750 jobs. To boost efficiency, R1.13bn has been committed to digital transformation, including biometric verification and integrated claims systems. Seventeen mobile buses will extend UIF access to less serviced areas. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Parliament told hazardous, illegal mine openings shut, rehabilitation sharpened Mining Weekly reports that SA’s derelict and ownerless mine rehabilitation programme has gone beyond rehabilitation to include the closure of hazardous old shaft openings as well as apertures created by illegal mining activities. This was outlined to MPs by Mineral and Petroleum Resources Department (MPRD) Deputy Minister Phumzile Mgcina during the department’s budget vote this week. For the current 2025/26 financial year, the MPRD has been allocated R2.86-billion. In cognisance of the dangers associated with derelict and ownerless mines, the Deputy Minister pointed out that Mintek had made significant strides in addressing this pressing issue. “These efforts have not only led to improvements in environmental and health outcomes but have also provided a positive economic impact. On average, each rehabilitation site has created 60 job opportunities for local community members, contributing to local economic growth. If we are to address the legacy of derelict and ownerless mines across the country and contribute to a safer and healthier environment, much more work remains to be done, hence we welcome the additional funding for this programme during the current financial year,” Mgcina commented. She also revealed that progress had been made In partnership with the Mining Qualifications Authority in supporting aspirant artisanal and small-scale miners by empowering them with the expertise required to participate in the mining industry through the skills training programme. By the end of the previous financial year, at least 300 learners across the country had been equipped with valuable skills for a career in mining. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly. Read too, Mantashe unveils R2.86 billion budget to revive SA's mining and petroleum sectors, at IOL News Other general posting(s) relating to mining
School tutor wins battle for payment after Public Protector intervenes The Herald reports that after a year-long battle to get her husband paid, the wife of an Eastern Cape tutor turned to the Public Protector (PP) – and won. The man had worked at Tinara High School in Kariega from April to September 2021 under a 12-month contract issued by the Eastern Cape education department. He provided extra support in Afrikaans and English. But despite showing up every day and signing the attendance register, he was never paid. According to the PP report, repeated efforts by his wife to get answers from the school and the Nelson Mandela Bay district office hit a wall. After more than 12 months of silence and frustration, the wife laid a complaint with the PP in 2022. The findings were released this week as part of the PP’s quarterly report. The PP slammed the department for the delay and said the case clearly showed maladministration. “It is unacceptable that an individual who rendered a public service could go unpaid for more than a year. The state must act swiftly and within the law. People should not have to beg for what is rightfully theirs,” the report indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Brandon Nel at The Herald Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Government pensions administrator rebuffs allegations of financial mismanagement IOL Business reports that the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) has responded to key governance concerns raised in a preliminary internal audit report for the 2024/25 financial year. The GPAA is a government entity which reports to the Minister of Finance and administers funds and schemes on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF). It thus administers the pension affairs of approximately 1.7 million government employees and pensioners. The report by Abacwaningi Business Solution (ABS) found an apparent discrepancy between the reported R15.3 million irregular expenditure and the R30.8m logged in the internal register. There was also an innocuous purchase order of R67m, which ballooned into a staggering R495m lease liability, allegedly signed post-audit on 23 May 2025 but backdated to commence on 31 July 2024. The report moreover raised serious concerns regarding R11.9m in prepayments, an additional R6.8m for undelivered uniforms, and a R12m NPS system devoid of deployment evidence. The Public Service and Commercial Union of SA (PSCU) has demanded evidence of Supply Chain Management compliance and the National Treasury approval in respect of all these allegations. However, according to the GPAA, the document in question was merely a preliminary internal audit report still in progress and was illegally obtained, shared, and published, further complicating the discourse surrounding its contents and validity. “A full picture will emerge when the audit process is complete and signed off and at that point we will be in a position to comment on these matters or answer any question,” the GPAA advised. Meantime, the GPAA has issued the PSCU with a cease and desist letter from its lawyers and a demand that the union publish an unconditional retraction and an apology. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siphelele Dludla at IOL Business Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Seven top cops, including crime intelligence head, face suspension over alleged corruption Cape Argus reports that seven high-ranking police officers, including the national head of crime intelligence, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, could face suspension if Forensics for Justice succeeds in court. Khumalo and the other six top cops all appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court last Friday. They were arrested by the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). Forensics for Justice and its founder Paul O’Sullivan has also been investigating the officers for corruption, nepotism, and abuse of office since last year. He has urged National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, to suspend the officers urgently. “Our client is of the view that there is much public interest in the unacceptably high rate of crime in South Africa, especially when it is being perpetrated by five generals and two brigadiers, such as the accused persons,” O’Sullivan’s lawyers wrote to Masemola on Tuesday. O’Sullivan warned Masemola that if the officers were not suspended, he would prepare and launch an urgent high court application to obtain an order that the accused officers be suspended in the interests of the public. In his response, Masemola said he was aware of his constitutional duties in terms of the SA Police Service Act as well as the disciplinary regulations. “It must be emphasised that this matter is receiving the necessary attention it deserves and it’s a matter that involves the relationship between employer and employee in line with the Labour Relations Act as well as other relevant prescripts,” he indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Loyiso Sidimba & Manyane Manyan at Cape Argus Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Free State police close in on UIF fraud suspects, including labour department office manager The Citizen reports that Free State police on Thursday arrested a Bloemfontein Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) office manager, who is believed to be a key role player in facilitating an operation involving fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) payments. The 42 year old’s arrest followed an intense investigation by Crime Intelligence into allegations of fraud and corruption in the DEL. It formed part of a takedown operation executed in Bloemfontein, Bethlehem and Gauteng. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said: “The starting point was at the Labour House in the Bloemfontein CBD where the arrest of one of the first persons of interest took place. This comes after months of meticulous investigation into a sophisticated scam involving the fraudulent claims of [UIF] payments.” Makhele said the masterminds behind the criminal activity recruited unsuspecting individuals and used their personal information to register fictitious companies. These companies then submitted false claims to the DEL. The fraudulently obtained funds were shared among the recruiters – or runners – and, in some cases, with the person whose identity was used in the company registration. Makhele said the takedown operation, which began early on Thursday morning, marked only the beginning, with arrests continuing in various towns across the Free State and at identified locations in Gauteng. Police expect to arrest 20 suspects through the operation. The DEL may have suffered a loss of more than R1.5 million. The suspects will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on 8 July 2025. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lesego Seokwang at The Citizen. Read too, Labour Dept official among those arrested for fraudulent UIF claims, at SABC News
ICT expert unpacks meaning of emojis texted between judge president and legal secretary Sunday World reports that on Thursday, Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge called his second witness to the stand in the landmark sexual harassment probe against him. Dr Vincent Mello, an information and communication technology (ICT) expert, gave evidence on the WhatsApp exchanges between Mbenenge and judges’ secretary Andiswa Mengo, which form part of the bulk of the evidence before the probe. Mello was questioned by advocate Griffiths Madonsela, representing Mbenenge, about the use of emojis in exchanges between Mbenenge and Mengo. Mello’s analysis revealed that emojis appeared 189 times in their exchanges, with laughing emojis used 28 times. He testified that in 99% of instances, the emojis were used in line with their commonly accepted meanings. However, he highlighted that two of the 189 emojis carried sexual connotations, deviating from their typical interpretations. “There is the peach as well as the eggplant. When you go to Emojipedia, it does also make reference to saying a peach would generally represent the bum and an eggplant the male private part,” he indicated. Madonsela asked him what the winking emoji that was also used in the conversation meant. “Winking emoji with a tongue out has a keyword of [wild], epic, and party. The winking face can be described as flirtatious, a joke, or a hidden meaning. And the tone varies, including playful, affectionate, and suggestive,” Mello replied. The tribunal continues. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Coceka Magubeni at Sunday World. Read too, Mbenenge calls ICT expert as second witness in harassment probe, at SABC News Questions about credentials of emoji ‘expert’ raised at Mbenenge tribunal News24 reports that questions about the credentials of the emoji “expert” whom sexual harassment-accused Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge’s legal team called to testify at his Judicial Conduct Tribunal (JCT) took centre stage on Thursday. The tribunal stems from a complaint lodged by court secretary Andiswa Mengo and centres on what she has described as Mbenenge’s unwanted sexual advances, mainly over WhatsApp. Information, communications and technology (ICT) specialist Dr Vincent Mello testified on Thursday as the second witness for Mbenenge. The holder of a number of qualifications in ICT and a member of the Unicode Consortium – which maintains and publishes the Unicode Standard and, with it, a universal system for the regularisation of emoji usage – Mello cast doubt on the veracity of some of the messages which Mengo claimed to have received from Mbenenge. Mello also said their use of emojis generally aligned with the literal meanings ascribed to the code. Under cross-examination, however, evidence leader Salome Scheepers pointed out that she did “not see any expertise in forensic legal linguistics” on his CV. After some toing and froing, Mello conceded he had none. He also conceded that he was not an expert in the interpretation and analysis of emojis as part of written communication in legal settings. He furthermore agreed that he had not produced any peer-reviewed research or publications “on the language of emojis or the interpretation and communication”. Scheepers further quizzed Mello on how he became a member of the Unicode Consortium. He indicated he had applied and paid a small membership fee and that a member did not have to have specific expertise. The tribunal continues on Friday, with Mello still under cross-examination. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bernadette Wicks at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). Read too, Mbenenge tribunal – expert explains emoji code origin, but not human interpretation, at Daily Maverick Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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