In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Urgent court action by two business organisations aims to halt employment equity quotas Moneyweb reports that Sakeliga and the National Employers Association of SA (Neasa) filed an urgent Gauteng High Court application this week challenging race and gender targets under the Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEAA), which became law in January 2025. The Act sets hiring quotas for 18 economic sectors, from agriculture and mining to transport and construction. “The application challenges the legality and constitutionality of the newly introduced employment equity framework, which introduces rigid race and gender quotas across 18 economic sectors on the top four occupational levels,” according to a statement by the business organisations. These quotas, formally published in April 2025, require employers with 50 or more employees to restructure their entire workforce to reflect the national gender and racial demographics of the country, or face dire consequences. The challenge involves two steps: The first asks the court for a judicial review of the “procedurally flawed” manner in which the minister went about setting the quotas. The second part, yet to be launched, attacks the constitutionality of the quotas under the relevant parts of the Employment Equity Act (EEA). Neasa and Sakeliga argue that Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth skirted the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (Paja) by not applying the relevant sections of the EEA in arriving at the race quotas. The EEAA has received pushback from business, the DA and trade union Solidarity. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ciaran Ryan at Moneyweb. See too, Sakeliga, Neasa lodge legal challenge against Employment Equity quotas, at Engineering News
Criminal charges imminent over deadly George building collapse News24 reports that Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has indicated that criminal charges are on the cards for those responsible for the George building collapse that claimed the lives of 34 construction workers on 6 May 2024. Macpherson briefed the media ahead of his budget vote speech in Parliament on Wednesday. He said he had received the final report by the Engineering Council of SA (ECSA) into the deadly incident. The long-awaited report was commissioned through the Council for the Built Environment and, according to the Minister, it outlines a damning picture of preventable errors, regulatory failures, and professional negligence. “From what I’ve seen, I think that criminal charges are obviously required and I think that criminality does exist,” Macpherson commented. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Marvin Charles at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Hawks receive board of inquiry report on Kommetjie submarine tragedy, but family still in the dark Daily Maverick reports that the SA Navy has handed the Hawks a copy of the board of inquiry report into the 2023 submarine accident that claimed the lives of three submariners. Lieutenant Commander Gillian Hector, executive officer on the SAS ’Manthatisi, and two colleagues, Master Warrant Officer William Mathipa and Warrant Officer Class 1 Mmokwapa Mojela, were killed in the accident off Kommetjie, Cape Town, in September 2023. Romero Hector, the widower of Gillian Hector, said on Wednesday that while he welcomed the handing over to the Hawks of the report, he still did not have a copy. Hector pointed out that the fact that the report had been given to the Hawks did not mean that he would get to see it. He said he would continue his pursuit of a copy to take the next steps in a civil claim relating to the death of his wife. Last month, he undertook a gruelling bike ride from Cape Town to the Valley of Desolation outside Graaff-Reinet to bring attention to his efforts to obtain justice for his wife, Mojela and Mathipa. Navy spokesperson Commander Theo Mabina confirmed that the board of inquiry report into the tragedy was officially handed to the Hawks during a meeting at Naval Headquarters in Pretoria on 8 July. He indicated: “The engagements were meant to assist the Hawks with their ongoing investigations into the tragic incident wherein the SA Navy lost three of its submariners following a vertical transfer exercise between SAS ’Manthatisi and a SA Air Force Maritime Lynx helicopter in September 2023.” Chris Hattingh, Democratic Alliance spokesperson for Defence and Military Veterans, said he too had been trying to get a copy of the report, but welcomed the handover to the Hawks. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Estelle Ellis at Daily Maverick Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Government’s chrome ore export tax plan threatens 25,000 jobs in SA BusinessTech reports that the SA government’s latest policy plans to revive the country’s struggling ferrochrome industry have sparked concerns from the Minerals Council SA (MCSA), which has warned that the move could threaten an industry responsible for around 25,000 jobs. In June, it was announced that the Cabinet had approved the introduction of a permit system for chrome ore exporters via the International Trade Administration Commission of SA (Itac), and had begun work on a chrome ore export tax. But the MCSA said it would strongly oppose any suggestion to impose export quotas or restrictions on legally mined chrome. Its strongest objection was reserved for the idea of a chrome export tax. According to council, this idea has surfaced multiple times and has always been rejected after detailed consultations and studies. “Each time, research unequivocally demonstrated why such taxes would not achieve the Government’s aims of sustaining the ferrochrome industry and the preservation of jobs. Instead, they would have a negative impact on chrome producers and the significant contribution this industry makes to both South Africa’s economy and the jobs it sustains and grows,” the council stated The MCSA indicated that it would urgently engage with the ministries of Electricity and Energy, Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Trade, Industry and Competition, and National Treasury. This would be done to seek clarity on the proposals and push for an approach that balanced beneficiation goals with economic sustainability and job preservation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malcolm Libera at BusinessTech
Treasury to review pay of executives and board members at all public entities News24 reports that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says the Treasury plans to review the remuneration of executives and board members of all public entities to develop a standardised pay framework based on the mandates, areas of influence, and complexity. The review will be one of three new planned spending reviews. The second is an audit of ghost workers, and the third is a review of infrastructure conditional grants that will assess why provinces and municipalities underspend, why projects are not delivered in time and within budget, and, where relevant, why the quality of what is delivered is poor. Godongwana announced the new spending reviews in Parliament on Tuesday. The remuneration costs of government agencies have been a concern in the Treasury for at least a decade, with boards appointed by ministers appointing executives at exorbitant salaries. Among the agencies that have particularly been singled out for attention due to excessive remuneration are the Road Management Traffic Agency, where CEO Makhosini Msibi earned R10.1 million in 2023, and the SA Civil Aviation Authority, where CEO Poppy Khoza earned R7.4 million. Since 1994, the number of agencies has proliferated to 148 as certain regulatory and investment functions were split out of departments into standalone agencies, all with their own boards and administrative infrastructure. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Solidarity takes first formal steps against Bidvest’s racial bursary programme Maroela Media reports that on Wednesday, trade union Solidarity initiated formal steps in a bid to halt Bidvest’s bursary programme, which excludes white children in the low-income category. In a letter to Bidvest, Solidarity demanded that it should amend the programme before 25 July so that no employee was excluded from the programme. Bidvest has a bursary programme for school-going children from Grade 4 to Grade 12. Full-time employees can apply for the programme if they earn less than R15,300 per month before deductions. The bursary covers school fees and other expenses. However, white employees who also fall below the threshold are excluded. In the letter, Dr Dirk Hermann, CEO of Solidarity, said the programme was morally unjust and did not comply with constitutional international requirements and the Employment Equity Act. According to Solidarity, employee benefits in low-income categories cannot be allocated according to race. “A white employee earning less than R15,300 has precisely the same challenges with their children as a black employee. Both incomes create huge challenges in creating excellent educational opportunities for their children. What Bidvest is doing for black children is noble, but what they are doing to white children is racist,” Hermann pointed out. “The programme goes beyond the constitutional intent of any empowerment law. The intent could never have been to discriminate against children of parents who earn a low income,” Hermann stated. Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard by Elisma van der Watt at Maroela Media
Thousands of underqualified Grade R teachers face job uncertainty News24 reports that a total of 7,294 Grade R practitioners teaching at public schools are underqualified, according to the Department of Basic Education (DBE). This number includes 1,937 underqualified teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, 1,416 in the Western Cape, and 1,001 in the Eastern Cape. The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, which was enacted in December, make Grade R compulsory. Briefing MPs on Tuesday, the DBE stated that 6,957 of the 7,294 identified Grade R practitioners had an NQF [National Qualifications Framework] level 4 or 5 qualification and that 337 did not have NQF level 4 qualifications. The minimum qualification for appointment for a new teacher is a Bachelor of Education (B Ed) degree, which is an NQF level 7 qualification. The presentation stated that the 337 practitioners who did not have an NQF level 4 qualification and those not willing to study towards a NQF level 6 “will be terminated from employment because they do not meet the requirements to teach in schools”. An opportunity will be given to the 6,957 to enrol for an NQF level 6 or 7 qualification (diploma or BEd in Foundation Phase). At least 3,372 of the 6,957 have already indicated they are willing to study. A collective agreement addressing the measures to deal with unqualified and underqualified Grade R practitioners has been drafted, and labour is still considering it. Basil Manuel of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa) said the issue “is not about how many people are qualified and unqualified but rather how we are going to help the unqualified people”. He added: “We’ve got to look at other models where we can continue to employ them given that they have been looking after our children for many, many years, even if we’ve got to look at a model that makes them teacher assistants.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Lifestyle audits extended to 400 ‘high-risk’ public works officials, says Macpherson BusinessLive reports that Department of Public Works (DPW) Minister Dean Macpherson says his department is extending the conduct of lifestyle audits on “400 high-risk officials” this year after completing audits of 48 senior managers in the 2022/23 financial year. On Wednesday, he said: “On lifestyle audits, in 2022/23 we completed audits on 48 senior managers. We have now launched a wider process, focusing on 400 high-risk officials across finance, ICT, procurement, leases and projects. The first batch of 69 audits began in March and will be finalised by September. The next batch will follow from October 2025 to March 2026, and the remainder by March 2027. These audits are being conducted independently, in partnership with the Special Investigating Unit, and include asset verification.” A full report on the first batch of lifestyle audits in the DPW will be ready soon. Macpherson told MPs the clampdown on the “ghost workers phenomenon” in his department had yielded results. In May, Macpherson directed all staff are required to physically present themselves at designated offices as part of a headcount verification process. The initiative, which will be rolled out nationally, seeks to identify individuals drawing salaries without performing any work — a long-standing problem in the public sector. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thabo Mokone at BusinessLive
Two KZN security guards who staged CIT heist sentenced to 15 years in prison TimesLIVE reports that two KwaZulu-Natal security guards Phakamani Myaka, 37, and Muzikayifani Khoza, 40, have been sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for fraud after they staged a cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery. Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Simphiwe Mhlongo reported that five security guards were transporting cash to the pension pay point at Mpolweni Reserve in Ndwedwe on 11 October 2021. They claimed that while on route they were accosted by suspects, who disarmed them and robbed them of an undisclosed amount of cash. The cash van was set alight and the "suspects" fled the scene. A case of CIT robbery was reported at Ndwedwe police station. Preliminary investigations revealed the robbery was staged and all the security guards were involved. An amount of R60,000 was recovered from them and they were arrested. They appeared in court and were released on bail. Two of the accused died in separate incidents while out on bail. Myaka and Khoza were sentenced on Tuesday. It is not known what happened to the fifth guard. Myaka was further sentenced to three years' imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice. His sentence will run concurrently. The two were declared unfit to possess a firearm. Read the original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE Hawks officials and others accused of theft from shop at Dragon City released on bail of R3,000 each The Citizen reports that six individuals, including three officers from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), have been released on R3,000 bail each following their arrests on charges stemming from an alleged theft during a police operation at Dragon City. The case involves three members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit in Gauteng, one officer from the Gauteng Highway Patrol, and two civilians who were allegedly working as accomplices in the corruption scheme. The corruption allegations stem from a police operation conducted at Dragon City, where officers allegedly abused their authority for personal gain. The arrests were executed following a complaint lodged by a shop owner at Dragon City. According to the allegations, during what was supposed to be a legitimate police operation, the officers confiscated a substantial sum of money. The officials allegedly forced the business to close and detained several employees. The shop owner, who was not present during the raid, later discovered what had transpired and reported the matter to authorities. The complaint triggered an investigation that led investigators to trace the accused officers to Newtown, Johannesburg. The case was postponed to 29 August for further investigations. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Enkosi Selane at The Citizen
Mbenenge battles to explain message, denies explicit image claim BL Premium reports that Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge struggled to explain to the Judicial Conduct Tribunal (JCT) on Wednesday what a deleted message he sent to a judge’s secretary entailed, which she contends was a picture of his private parts. Mbenenge took the stand at the JCT for cross-examination by evidence leader advocate Salome Scheepers. The tribunal is investigating a complaint of sexual harassment made by judges’ secretary Andiswa Mengo, who has accused the judge of sexually harassing her in their engagements on WhatsApp from June 2021 to 2022 and physically. Mengo has insisted the judge president sent her a picture of male private parts multiple times which she deleted it. He also deleted their messages and encouraged her to do the same. Scheepers took Mbenenge through a conversation he had with Mengo on 20 June 2021. Mbenenge on the day asked Mengo whether they could be intimate. She said no. He tyhen sent her two messages, which were subsequently deleted, to which Mengo replied saying, “Jeso” (Jesus). She earlier told the tribunal one of the deleted messages was a picture of a male private part. Responding to her “Jesus” comment, Mbenenge wrote: “Why put it this way? Looks delicious?” Thereafter he sent her a text saying “yours please”. Scheepers asked Mbenenge what he had sent to Mengo. “I can only speculate. Based on what I am seeing here, I could have sent something similar to what I previously sent. I do not want to say I remember distinctly what I sent,” Mbenenge replied. “When I say ‘why put it this way, it looks delicious’ it is because it could have been a picture of a couple that was engaging [in] cuddling or a sensual picture. But not my private part,” he stated. When asked about what he meant by “yours please”, he said: “‘Yours please’, is ‘send your picture of what you would’. All I can say is that I sent something that I looked [regarded] as being juicy. When I said ‘yours please’, I was saying ‘your picture’ within the context of the conversation.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sinesipho Schrieber at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Judge claims his actions were persuasive, but evidence leader argues it was harassment Mail & Guardian reports that on Wednesday, evidence leader Salome Scheepers began her cross-examination of Eastern Cape judge president Selby Mbenenge, who has been accused of sexual harassment by former court secretary Andiswa Mengo. She argued, by focusing on an 8 June 2021 incident in which Mbenenge asked for Mengo’s phone number at her desk when he was visiting a fellow judge, that it was inappropriate for him to initiate a relationship with the court secretary of another judge. The evidence leader said he initiated a conversation with Mengo in a way that abusers often do — from a professional or neutral point — only to turn it sexual later. Mbenenge countered that he had asked for her number as a “social being”, rather than it being inappropriate workplace behaviour. Mengo has testified that Mbenenge engaged in unwanted sexual advances; sent pornographic material, including photos of his private parts; requested half-naked photos and exposed himself to her at his chambers. The seven month-long tribunal has seen the contested meaning of WhatsApp text messages forming a key part of the evidence — with the complainant stating they showed persistent harassment while defence argued that they illustrated mutual interest between consenting adults. The tribunal is set to conclude on Thursday. Afterwards the Judicial Conduct Tribunal will make recommendations to the Judicial Service Commission as to whether Mbenenge is guilty of misconduct. The sexual harassment charge could lead to impeachment, if the commission makes further recommendations to the National Assembly. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nkateko Joseph Mabasa at Mail & Guardian Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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