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 Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Trump’s tariffs will kill SA motor industry growth, economist Dawie Roodt warns BusinessLive reports that economist Dawie Roodt warned on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump’s decision to slap 30% tariffs on vehicles, components, tyres and parts exported from SA to the US would “kill any possible economic growth in our country”. According to Trump, the new tariffs, set to take effect on 1 August, were necessary because SA exported more to the US than it imported, which is a claim local experts reject. “Trump’s figures are not based on actual figures, but everyone will feel the impact because it will hinder any economic growth. These tariffs take away any competitive edge SA had in competing with the global market,” Roodt told the Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa), which has more than 72,000 members in the motor retail industry. According to Roodt, small firms had already stopped manufacturing because it was not feasible to continue with the new export tariffs, or due to reduced demand from US clients. “We can now accept that Agoa [the African Growth and Opportunity Act] is dead. Under Agoa, more than 1,800 SA products and goods, including vehicles, components and parts, were exported to the US duty-free,” Roodt said. Misa CEO Martlé Keyter reported that the union was experiencing an increase in employers closing their doors. Tiekie Mocke of Misa’s legal department said: “The negative impact on exports forced an employer within the retail motor industry to cut a five-day work week to four days, effectively leaving employees out of pocket by at least one week’s income per month.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard at BusinessLive. Read too, Trump imposes 30% tariffs on all SA goods, at Moneyweb Ramaphosa can still prevent major job losses due to Trump tariffs if he takes urgent action, says Solidarity According to trade union Solidarity, SA can still escape the pain that the US’s 30% trade tariff will bring upon its economy, provided President Cyril Ramaphosa takes urgent action. “There is still room for negotiation until 1 August, but the problem is that our government and Ramaphosa are always dragging their feet on this. The Americans wanted to negotiate, so the situation could still be resolved. However, one must consider that America is also seeking a political settlement with South Africa and not just an economic settlement,” said Jaco Kleynhans, head of public relations at Solidarity. According to Theuns du Buisson, economic researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), it is telling that other countries were able to successfully negotiate to escape similar tariffs while SA is subjected to them. “If we want to maintain any competitive advantage, this must be urgently rectified. Cyril Ramaphosa must engage with the Trump administration to get out of the 30% tariff. If this tariff is applied to everything, it would also be the de facto termination of the AGOA trade agreement. Solidarity has worked hard and held many discussions over the past few years to keep South Africa part of AGOA. To see it come to nothing is sad,” Du Buisson commented. Read Solidarity’s press statement in the above regard in full at Politicsweb. . Lees ook, Trump-tariewe gaan oor ‘politiek, nie ekonomie’, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Companies need wellness programmes that support mental health, says Sadag SABC News reports that according to the SA Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), SA has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, with more than 13,000 suicides each year. Sadag’s Tracy Feinstein said companies must implement wellness programmes that addressed and supported the mental health needs of employees. “Employers should look at their employee wellness programmes as not just a tick box exercise, but as having wellness days that are driven by the needs of their employees, and to understand the early warning signs of depression and how employees can manage their anxiety with mindfulness and meditation. What are those wellness days needed for and what do the employees need when employers ask what they can do to help? It’s a mutual responsibility,” Feinstein explained. Clinical psychologist Dr Mosa Malema pointed out that mental health remained a taboo topic in many communities where stigma prevented people from seeking professional help. “Culturally, if the approach is very rigid, it can prevent people from receiving holistic care when they actually need it. A person can respond to cultural practices to a certain extent, but they might find they need more help. For example, they might need psychotherapy. Some cultural practices can prevent you from receiving care and can be problematic,” Malema noted. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at SABC News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Numsa ballots members about downing tools over Gautrain wage dispute The Citizen reports that as Gautrain celebrated its fifteenth anniversary on Tuesday, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) indicated that it would be balloting its members to determine whether it would be going ahead with a strike at the rapid rail network. This after wage increase negotiations with the Bombela Operating Company, which manages the Gautrain, reached a deadlock. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said in a statement that the union hasd been granted a certificate to strike, which meant it could give Gautrain 48 hour notice to down tools. “Our members rejected the employer’s offer of a 4.2% wage increase [for] Gautrain workers because this is not a meaningful increase. We are demanding a 7% increase across the board. While management clings to the Consumer Price Index as a benchmark, workers are living in a country where the cost of survival has skyrocketed far beyond the consumer price index (CPI),” Hlubi-Majola said. She argued that Numsa’s demand for a 7% increase was a modest, reasonable adjustment that reflected the real cost of living in SA. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lesego Seokwang at The Citizen. Lees ook, Gautrein-werkers verwerp loonaanbod, by Maroela Media
Mkhwanazi’s warning is that drug cartel, criminal syndicate infest SA law enforcement Daily Maverick reports that at the centre of a seismic battle that is further fragmenting SA’s fraught policing arena are accusations that have cropped up before, namely that some of the country’s law enforcers are in cahoots with top-tier criminals, ranging from assassins to international drug traffickers. On Sunday, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a press conference during which he made several astounding accusations about fellow officers and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Mkhwanazi effectively alleged that there was a high-level criminal syndicate operating in the country and that it extended into the SA Police Service (SAPS), the Police Ministry, Parliament, official prison structures, the judiciary and other law-enforcing authorities. Mkhwanazi’s main accusations about Mchunu were that at the end of last year, he issued a directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team, set up in 2018, to shield politically connected members of a criminal syndicate from prosecution. Mchunu hit back, labelling Mkhwanazi’s accusations “wild allegations and claims”. While some sources have brushed off Mkhwanazi’s accusations as irresponsible and nonsense, others believe he has exposed the real problems tripping up policing in SA. On Monday, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola tried reassuring the public that policing at an operational level was on track. President Ramaphosa, meanwhile, referred to the developing scandal as a “grave national security concern”. Read the full original of the extensive report in the above regard by Caryn Dolley at Daily Maverick Cosatu joins voices calling for probe into Mkhwanazi allegations SABC News reports that trade union federation, Cosatu, has joined calls for an urgent, independent commission of inquiry into allegations of corruption involving senior police officials, members of the judiciary and members of correctional services. This follows allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi implicating Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner of Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya, among others in organised crime and political interference in police investigations. Cosatu parliamentary coordinator Mathew Parks said this matter needed to dealt with quickly. “We don’t think parliament is the best option. Parliament is a political institution. It doesn’t have the capacity to deal with issues of serious allegations and criminality and so forth. Our point of view is that the best option is a commission of inquiry led by a judge, appointed by the Constitutional Court or led by a retired judge. But somebody with expertise and the experience, with the capacity to go through evidence, to ask the right questions, to hear evidence and responses and to be grounded upon what does the law say, what does it not say. And to come with a clear recommendation of a way forward. But what we need is to have this matter dealt with quickly because you can’t afford for this to be hanging in the air,” Parks opined. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at SABC News. Read too, SAHRC calls for a commission of inquiry after Mkhwanazi's revelations, at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Unemployed KZN doctors welcome 20 new posts, but call for far more The Witness reports that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane recently released for appointment 20 funded medical officer positions, so delivering on a promise she made to the group of unemployed doctors who have been protesting for jobs outside the Natalia Building or the Premier’s office for the past two weeks. While representatives for the group of unemployed doctors welcomed the move, they called for more to be done. “We know it might not be possible to give jobs to all those who are unemployed due to budget constraints that the department and province are grappling with; however, advertising just 20 posts is unacceptable as we estimate that 140 qualified doctors are unemployed in KZN,” representative Nosihle Hlophe said. She said the sit-in would continue until their call for more employment opportunities and meaningful engagement with the provincial government was answered. Hlope added that the group would be conducting a picket outside Natalia Building on Wednesday to escalate their protest and attempt to get more backing from the community. Last week to illustrate that they were ready to serve the public, the group offered free services, including consultations, weight and body mass index (BMI) checks, blood pressure screening, and diabetes screening. Simelane previously said that more posts would be advertised once the national government gave the province funds for vacancies. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prashalan Govender at The Witness
More than 7,000 grade R teachers are not qualified to teach the grade The Citizen reports that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has admitted that more than 7,000 grade R teachers across SA are not qualified to teach the grade. This revelation came during a Basic Education parliamentary committee meeting on Tuesday. According to the DBE, there are 25,944 qualified Grade R teachers in the system. However, when adding unqualified practitioners, 22% of all Grade R teachers are not suitably equipped to educate pupils in this critical foundation phase. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) recorded the highest number of unqualified Grade R teachers with 1,937, followed by the Western Cape with 1,416. The department also noted that KZN still has 198 schools without Grade R classes. In contrast, the North West had the fewest unqualified grade R teachers, just two, followed by Mpumalanga. The DBE has been conducting oversight visits as part of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act implementation and has uncovered several systemic issues. These included outdated or incomplete admissions policies at many schools. “School learner admissions policies have not yet been amended to include provisions of the amended South African Schools Act,” said the DBE. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Oratile Mashilo at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Panel’s finding of racial bias in fraud detection probes rocks medical schemes BL Premium reports that an inquiry by an independent panel has found that under the fraud detection systems used by SA’s biggest medical schemes, black practitioners face a markedly higher risk ratio for audit and sanction than their white counterparts. Discovery Health, the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) and Medscheme were cited as primary actors in a pattern described as procedurally unfair and discriminatory. But the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) has rejected the report, calling its methodology and interpretations unsound and warning that adoption could undermine industry integrity. “We believe these findings are demonstrably and fundamentally flawed and, if allowed to stand, will open the door for runaway fraud and corruption in the healthcare sector,” the BHF argued. The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) appointed the panel in 2019 after black healthcare providers alleged racial discrimination by medical schemes, and its final report was handed to health minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Monday. The findings imply risk ratios are more than six times for black anaesthetists contracted by Medscheme, and three times and three and a half times for black dental therapists at Gems and black psychiatrists at Discovery, respectively. Despite rejecting the findings, the BHF acknowledged that some providers had raised valid concerns about fairness and transparency and that member schemes had implemented reforms. According to the BHF, fraudulent claims, overservicing, abuse of benefits and improper billing practices cost SA’s medical schemes about R30bn annually. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jana Marx at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Health minister weaponising racial bias report to push NHI, says IRR, at The Citizen
Two Ashton traffic officers among three found guilty of issuing false drivers' licences in 2016 The Post reports that three persons, including two traffic officers, were convicted of corruption in the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday for their roles in a scheme involving false drivers’ licences. The accused are Karel Davids, 53, and Andile James Dondolo, 57, who are traffic officers, and Jason Naidoo, 59, a civilian. Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubio of the Hawks reported: "During 2016, information was received regarding two traffic officers at Ashton Traffic Department, who were involved in the issuing of false learners driver’s licences. The matter was investigated by the Hawks and the two officers were identified as well as the person who corrupted them, which resulted in their arrest in August 2016." After the accused were convicted, their bail was withdrawn and they were remanded in custody until their sentencing. Sentencing is expected next month. Read the original of the report in the above regard at IOL News Tshwane officials allegedly implicated in R7m transformer theft released on bail News24 reports that the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to three City of Tshwane officials accused of stealing a transformer valued at R7 million. Kleinbooy Mahlangu was granted bail of R35,000, while Thomas Baloi and Daniel Kubayi were each granted bail of R30,000. The three men face charges of theft of essential infrastructure in connection with a transformer stolen from the Claudius Substation in Laudium last year. In November, the Tshwane Metro Police Department and the police responded to a tip-off regarding a theft in progress at the substation. Upon their arrival, officers discovered cranes, trucks and a City of Tshwane-branded vehicle on site. No proof of work authorisation could be provided to the police, leading to the arrest of 11 people. However, 10 of them were later released from custody due to a lack of evidence. City of Tshwane official, Madimetja Jacob Malebane, who was arrested at the scene, was subsequently granted bail. Following the police investigation, it was determined that Mahlangu, Baloi and Kubayi allegedly fled the scene before the authorities arrived. Warrants of arrest were issued, and the three were apprehended at their respective workplaces on 1 July 2025. Another suspect, Katlego Molepo, 32, believed to be the buyer of the transformer, surrendered to the police and will face a bail hearing on 11 July. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Noxolo Sibiya at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Abuse allegations mount against former St John’s Preparatory School teacher News24 reports that a former St John’s Preparatory School teacher who was arrested earlier this year on child abuse allegations is expected to face additional charges. The 52-year-old man appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where the child abuse case was postponed to 23 September. As many as 30 additional charges – relating to around a dozen other complainants – are expected to be levelled against the man. The charges stem from incidents that allegedly took place in the North West, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. Some emanate from incidents that allegedly occurred in Joburg. The man was arrested in February in connection with the abuse of a then-12-year-old boy between 2005 and 2006. The child was not a pupil at St John’s but the crime allegedly took place at the school. The accused taught at St John’s in Joburg between 2002 and 2014. In November 2021, the school announced it had initiated an independent investigation after a former pupil confided in his parents that the teacher in question had abused him and that the investigation had brought to light further allegations against him. He has since also been accused of molesting former St John’s pupil Julio Mordoh, who died by suicide at a local psychiatric clinic in November 2022 – three weeks after giving a statement on the alleged abuse. He was 20 at the time. Mordoh’s parents are suing the accused as well as the school and the clinic at which he died for R61 million. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at News24
Judge President Mbenenge has criminal case of crimen injuria against sexual harassment accuser Mengo IOL News reports that sexual harassment complainant Andiswa Mengo was labelled to have “selective amnesia” by former Judge President Selby Mbenenge as he continued his testimony at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal on Tuesday. Mbenenge is accused of having engaged in untoward and sexually-driven Whatsapp conversations with Mengo over a period of time, which he conceded were “flirtatious” and “deeply sensual” but which he claimed were consensual conversations. Before proceedings concluded on Tuesday, Mbenenge confirmed that he had opened a criminal case of crimen injuria against Mengo, which he said showed his commitment to dispute what he was alleged to have done. On Tuesday, Mbenenge at length picked apart conversations that occurred between himself and Mengo, which he alluded to it being selectively testified on by the complainant. “A complaint which is laced up in lies, should not have seen the doors of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). A complaint founded on lies should not be entertained,” he said. Further to this, Mbenenge continued to vehemently deny that he had sent Mengo pictures of his male private parts and having then deleted them. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chevon Booysen at IOL News Mbenenge claims flirtatious texts with his accuser were sensual, not sexual Mail & Guardian reports that flirtatious text messages between Eastern Cape judge president Selby Mbenenge and junior legal professional Andiswa Mengo were at the centre of Tuesday’s session of the judicial conduct tribunal in which he faces sexual harassment charges. Mbenenge told the tribunal that the tone of the text exchanges was “sensual” rather than sexual, and emphasised that he and Mengo had not been physically intimate. Taking the stand months into the tribunal, Mbenenge insisted that he did nothing wrong in pursuing a romantic relationship with Mengo, saying he was not her supervisor and blamed a smear campaign for the harassment claims. Mengo has accused Mbenenge of sexually hounding her while she was based at the Mthatha High Court, including sending inappropriate WhatsApp messages and requesting nude photographs of her. Text messages have taken centre stage in the evidence, with digital forensic analysts and linguistic experts unpacking their subliminal meanings. The complainant says they show harassment but Mbenenge’s lawyers say the tone was neutral and standard. Gender expert Lisa Vetten has testified that because of workplace power imbalance between Mbenenge and Mengo it would have been difficult for her to outrightly reject his sexual advances. Mbenenge dismissed the suggestion that Mengo had firmly said “no” multiple times during their exchanges, stating he did not encounter a “no” when reading the transcript of the text messages. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nkateko Joseph Mabasa at Mail & Guardian. Read too, Mbenenge inquiry told of peeled bananas, a marinade, and men ‘muffing’, at Daily Maverick Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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