In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Wage strike looms at FlySafair BL Premium reports that according to trade union Solidarity, a strike at airline FlySafair could commence in a few days after wage talks that began three months ago deadlocked. The union is demanding a three-year wage deal for increases of 10.5% in year one and consumer price inflation (CPI) plus 4.5% and CPI plus 4% in the outer years of the agreement. Solidarity deputy general secretary Helgard Cronje said the airline was offering a 5.7% increase in the first year and CPI plus 1.5% in the second and third years. Cronje said FlySafair’s offer had been rejected by the vast majority of the union’s members. “The rejection is not only due to the content of the offer; it is especially due to the extremely tense relationship between the pilots and FlySafair’s management. The relationship is at an absolute low,” Cronje indicated. The union was left disgruntled after FlySafair introduced a new rostering system that Solidarity said had a “significant negative impact on pilots’ quality of life”. The roster dispute, said Cronje, was a separate matter that could trigger another possible strike “after the strike over the salary increase has ended”. Another obstacle in the salary negotiations is the company’s new policy on leave and days off. Solidarity and FlySafair will finalise the strike rules on Thursday, under the guidance of the CCMA. “The first strike regarding the salary dispute could then commence a few days later,” Cronje said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Strike warning at South Africa’s biggest domestic airline, at Daily Investor FlySafair ‘proactively rearranging’ some flights from next Tuesday News24 reports that FlySafair is “proactively rearranging” some of its flights from next Tuesday onwards, ahead of a potential strike by two-thirds of its pilots. FlySafair’sKirby Gordon confirmed that the airline was adjusting a small number of scheduled flights to prepare for potential disruptions. “The impact is not very big, a small percentage of our scheduled flights, and hopefully giving people advanced notice. Customers whose flight times have been affected will be contacted using the contact details provided at the time of booking,” he advised. On Wednesday, trade union Solidarity, which represents around two-thirds of the airline’s pilots, said that a large majority of its members had voted against Safair’s final wage offer after three months of negotiation. Solidarity’s Helgard Cronjé indicated that a strike was likely next week, with the details still being finalised. Meanwhile, Christopher Shabangu of the SA Cabin Crew and Alliance (Sacca) said that FlySafair cabin crew members were looking to avoid a strike, despite comments from Solidarity that a dispute was possible. Sacca represents more than half of FlySafair’s cabin crew members. Shabangu said that wage negotiations had progressed well and that the union hoped that the negotiations would be completed by the end of the month. The union has tabled a 15% wage increase for the 2025/26 financial year, among other adjustments. Shabangu also confirmed that the union had not been approached by Solidarity to participate with them in strike action . Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Na'ilah Ebrahim & William Brederode at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Driver injured in cash-in-transit heist in Bisley near Pietermaritzburg The Witness reports that a cash-in-transit (CIT) driver was shot and an armoured vehicle bombed during a brazen heist at the intersection of Oribi and Murray Roads, near the entrance to Bisley Nature Reserve, just before 5:45 pm on Wednesday evening. The driver sustained gunshot wounds to the leg and hand during the armed ambush. Emergency services responded swiftly, and the injured man was taken to hospital for further treatment. A white Isuzu bakkie, believed to have been used in the robbery, was found burning at the scene. Preliminary reports suggest that approximately 12 suspects were involved in the attack. “There was active gunfire reported during the incident,” said AET Rapid Response. The incident caused a stir in the area, with residents describing hearing multiple gunshots and seeing smoke billowing from the burning vehicle. The area remained cordoned off for several hours while forensic investigators combed the scene for evidence. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Witness Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Tshwane city manager blocks Samwu's planned march on Thursday to demand his removal IOL News reports that the regional SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has accused Tshwane City Manager Johann Mettler of blocking a planned march aimed at demanding his removal from office. The march, scheduled for Thursday, was meant to highlight workers’ worsening conditions since Mettler's appointment in 2022, among other issues. Regional Samwu secretary Donald Monakhisi condemned the city's refusal to grant permission for the march, calling it an attack on workers' rights. “We note with great concern and disappointment the city's refusal to grant us permission for the planned march,” he said. The march was called off after Mettler wrote a letter dated 10 July 2025 to Monakhisi, in which he expressed concern about a planned march, saying no request or approval had been granted by the city to its employees to participate. Mettler justified the refusal by citing the SA Local Government Bargaining Council's main collective agreement, which allowed shop stewards to meet with members for specific periods but did not provide for marches. He also cited a Labour Court interdict granted on 18 September 2023, restricting Samwu from embarking on unlawful protest action. “Any city employee who participates in the march will be contravening the court order and may face dismissal,” he said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rapula Moatshe at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Ramaphosa defends Mchunu after Mkhwanazi’s claims, saying firing would be ‘unfair’ IOL News reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday pushed back against growing calls for him to fire Police Minister Senzo Mchunu following explosive allegations by KZN police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, saying it would be unfair and set a dangerous precedent. Speaking at the Presidency’s budget vote for the 2025/2026 financial year, Ramaphosa stressed the importance of due processes. He confirmed that a commission of inquiry, announced on Sunday, would probe allegations raised by Mkhwanazi. “Lt Gen Mkhwanazi alleged that the Minister of Police had interfered with sensitive police investigations and colluded with business people, including a murder accused, to disband the Political Killings Task Team based in KwaZulu-Natal. These allegations are serious. They are also untested,” Ramaphosa indicated. In explosive allegations, Mkhwanazi accused Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, the deputy national commissioner for crime detection who has also been placed on leave, of colluding with Mchunu and Brown Mogotsi in an alleged plot to disband the KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team that had been at the centre of recent law enforcement efforts. According to Mkhwanazi, Mchunu disbanded the unit in March, effectively withdrawing 121 active dockets, many of which were linked to politically motivated killings. Opposition parties have slammed the inquiry and have called for Mchunu’s immediate removal. But, Ramaphosa rejected the calls. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Simon Majadibodu at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Trump’s tariffs put 100,000 jobs in SA at risk, warns Reserve Bank’s Lesetja Kganyago Reuters reports that SA Reserve Bank (SARB) governor Lesetja Kganyago warned on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on SA could cause about 100,000 job losses, with the agriculture and automotive sectors likely to be hardest-hit. Kganyago indicated that the effect of the 30% tariff, which SA faces from 1 August, could cause significant damage to specific industries. “The impact in agriculture could actually be quite devastating because agriculture employs a lot of low-skilled workers, and here the impact is on citrus fruit, table grapes and wines,” Kganyago said. He stated that statistics showing SA car exports to the US slumped more than 80% in the wake of import tariffs imposed on cars by the Trump administration in April were very concerning. “If we do not find alternative measures, the impact on jobs could be around 100,000, so that is what we actually face,” the governor said. Farmer groups have also warned of the adverse effect of the tariffs on producers of citrus, macadamia nuts, grapes, wine, fruit juices and ostrich leather. In the citrus sector alone the tariffs have put 35,000 jobs in jeopardy and threaten to devastate towns such as Citrusdal in the Western Cape that are heavily dependent on exports to the US. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sfundo Parakozov & Nelson Banya at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Compensation Fund claims statistics disputed BL Premium reports that in a written response to parliamentarian questions, Department of Employment & Labour (DEL) Minister Nomakhosazana Meth told MPs that the Compensation Fund (CF) had received 235,845 invoices valued at R893m in the first quarter of 2025/26, of which 210,890 had been finalised to the value of R815m. Of the remainder, 7,142 had been assessed and deemed non-payable, and 31,886 claims were being finalised. According to the Minister, while the fund endeavoured to pay 87% of claims within 30 working days, and the remainder within three months, it did not have the capacity to handle the volume of invoices it received. The fund, which falls under the administration of the DEL and covers medical expenses for injuries sustained at work, had 29,799 claims older than 90 days, worth R68m, she indicated. But, DA MP Michael Bagraim questioned the figures provided by the Minister. Given the volume of complaints he had received from individuals who had been forced to resubmit paperwork because the fund maintained it had no record of their claims, the data was implausible, he said. “How can you give statistics if you don’t have a record of the complaint in the first place,” he asked. “We know the systems aren’t working ... Those statistics just cannot be the truth because no matter who you speak to, they tell you about [the] nightmares that they have with the compensation fund,” he said. The CF’s performance could be improved relatively quickly if it brought in a private sector provider, such as medical scheme administrator, said Bagraim. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn by scrolling down at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Six found guilty in Compensation Fund payment scam The Citizen reports that a syndicate known as the ‘Capitec Group’ has pleaded guilty to assisting a scam that involved redirecting payments from the Compensation Fund (CF) into personal bank accounts. ‘Capitec Group’ has no affiliation with Capitec Bank South Africa. The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court found six accused guilty of contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act for assisting another person to benefit from the proceeds of unlawful activities. The six accused pleaded guilty on Tuesday. Dubbed the ‘Capitec Group’, the accused were part of what is believed to be a syndicate that embezzled funds from the CF, which is a public entity under the administration of the Department of Employment and Labour. The CF provides cover for workers who sustain injuries and/or contract illnesses at work. The syndicate made misrepresentations to the CF, which gave rise to the fund making payments to entities purporting to be medical aid providers supposedly to the benefit of legitimate claimants. As a result, the fund deposited money into the bank accounts of the medical service providers, using the bank account details recorded in the fund’s system. Investigations further revealed that the suspects owned the bank accounts used to receive the payments and that these medical service providers were not registered in accordance with the regulations. The matter was postponed to 3 November 2025 for sentencing. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chulumanco Mahamba at The Citizen
MPs question labour minister’s stats on UIF maternity benefit payments BL Premium reports that Freedom Front Plus (FF+) MP Heloise Denner has poured cold water over Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Nomakhosazana Meth’s assertion that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has only 2,626 outstanding claims for maternity benefits. According to Denner, she has been inundated with complaints from women who have not been paid timeously. The DEL oversees the UIF, which provides financial support to qualifying employees when they are unemployed or on maternity leave. Pregnant workers are entitled to at least four months of maternity leave and can claim maternity benefits from the UIF if their salaries are not paid in full during this period. In response to questions posed in parliament by Denner, the Minister said there were no outstanding maternity benefit claims for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years. The backlog was primarily due to the submission of incomplete applications and employers incorrectly declaring employees as “active” when they went on maternity leave, said the minister. But, Denner reacted: “Nearly 90% of those who complain to me tell me that they’ve been asked repeatedly to resubmit the same documentation.” Many women waited up to two years for their maternity benefits to be paid, she claimed. DA MP Michael Bagraim said he too had received numerous complaints from women struggling to obtain their maternity benefits from the UIF and a two-year wait was not uncommon. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
MPs told of ‘ghost’ magistrates The Citizen reports that MPs heard this week how some magistrates have absconded work while continuing to earn their salaries for years. On Wednesday, the Magistrates Commission presented updates to the National Council of Provinces’ (NCOP) Select Committee on Security and Justice. Secretary of the Magistrates Commission, Maristhane Justice Finger, reported on the status of several cases. Regarding Kimberly Magistrate’s Court Natasha Naude, Finger explained that she had been on sick leave since March 2022 – just six months into her appointment. “She began not coming to work, reasons being that she is suffering from stress related to separation from her children, who are in Cape Town, where she’s from,” Finger told the committee. According to the commission, Naude exhausted her sick and vacation leave. The magistrate submitted medical report detailing her diagnosis with major depressive disorder, which she attributed to personal circumstances in Kimberly and not her ability to perform her duties. She also requested for a transfer to the Western Cape and applied for vacancies in various courts in Paarl and Cape Town, but was not shortlisted. “The commission, having considered of these medical reports, came to the conclusion that she is incapacitated due to ill-health,” Finger said on Wednesday. Finger maintained that the commission had complied with all necessary procedures and based its recommendation to declare Naude incapacitated on the information at its disposal. He reiterated that she had not returned to work. Following the discussions, MPs endorsed the commission’s recommendation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Molefe Seeletsa at The Citizen
Airports security lapses prompt Acsa to suspend security chief Business Report writes that the Airports Company SA (Acsa) has temporarily suspended its Group Executive for Enterprise Security and Compliance (GE:ESC), Mzwandile Petros, amid growing concerns over potential misconduct linked to a R1 billion tender for Smart Security screening equipment. The suspension, announced last weekend, followed allegations suggesting manipulation of the X-ray screening contract, which allegedly left the OR Tambo International Airport vulnerable without a tactical response team. According to sources, Petros was instrumental in the decision made in March to terminate the contracts of all security providers. This was intended in a bid to insource Acsa’s security requirements by July, which failed due to lack of capacity and a proper due diligence. "The South African Civil Aviation Authority had to intervene and stop the process as Acsa was not compliant and did not understand how the screener certification process works. They were issued a R1.5 million fine for non-compliance. Regarding the failed insourcing at KSIA airport, Fidelity was called urgently back to rescue the situation." the sources indicated. “The day-to-day functions of Acsa will not be affected by this decision. In the interim, Mary-Ann Joubert, has been appointed to act as GE:ESC to ensure continuity and maintain operational stability," Acsa said. Internal strife at Acsa has escalated in recent months, with late 2024 reports revealing allegations of executive misconduct and nepotism. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Banele Ginindza at Business Report Suspended PIC executive denies R3m bribery claims, demands apology News24 reports that Thabiso Moshikara, the suspended acting head of the Public Investment Corporation’s Unlisted Investments portfolio, has vehemently rejected allegations that he solicited a R3-million bribe from a businessperson funded by the state’s asset manager. On Wednesday, the PIC’s chairperson, Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo, announced Moshikara’s suspension in the National Assembly. Moshikara’s suspension followed a report on Monday, which revealed that the police had launched a criminal investigation into allegations that the executive had demanded a R3-million bribe from Ralebala Mampeule. Mampeule owns Levoca 804, a company that received R693 million in funding from the PIC to acquire a 19.5% stake in Metrofibre Networx, an internet fibre services provider. In a statement, Moshikara’s lawyer Eric Mabuza said Mampeule made the bribery allegations “for the sole purpose of pressuring Mr Moshikara to salvage his failing transaction with the PIC, a demand which Mr Moshikara considers a grave assault on his responsibilities and fiduciary duties to the PIC”. He claimed that the National Prosecuting Authority had refused to prosecute the case “because the allegations were without merit and baseless”. Mabuza added: “Our client has already sent a letter of demand to Mr Mampeule to retract and apologise for his false, malicious, and defamatory allegations within 24 hours of receipt of the letter. Failing which, our client will institute legal proceedings against him.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jan Gerber & Sipho Masondo at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
In first adjustment since 2015, Prasa Rail to hike Metrorail fares in August TimesLIVE reports that after holding fares steady for the past 10 years, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has announced that fare adjustments will be implemented across the Metrorail network on 1 August. This will mark the first increase since 2015. Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda said single tickets would increase by R2.50, while return tickets would increase by between R5.50 and R6 depending on the zone or distance travelled. “Even with this fare adjustment, Prasa Rail fares remain the most affordable across all modes of transport. We are committed to providing affordable, safe and efficient commuter services,” said Prasa Rail CEO Nwabisa Gqamane-Ntiyane. The additional revenue will fund critical operational needs, including energy and maintenance costs, as well as enhanced safety and security measures at stations and on trains. Prasa Rail also announced the reintroduction of weekly and monthly tickets, offering bigger discounts. “Prasa Rail’s off-peak discounts remain in place, offering even more affordable fares for those travelling between 9am and 2pm, with fares discounted by 50%-40% during this period. Commuters can find detailed information about the new fares, seasonal tickets, and station-specific details by visiting their nearest Metrorail station,” Makanda indicated. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Shonisani Tshikalange at BusinessLive
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