In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Trade union Giwusa condemns strike-breaking ‘emergency deal’ between SAA and FlySafair BL Premium reports that the General Industrial Workers Union of SA (Giwusa) has called for the strike-breaking “emergency agreement” between state-owned airline SAA and local and regional carrier FlySafair cancelled and its details made public. That demand came as FlySafair pilots continued their strike for above-inflation wage increases. According to FlySafair’s Kirby Gordon, two of the “approximately 120 daily flights operated by the airline will be conducted under a passenger protection agreement with SAA”. However, Giwusa president Mametlwe Sebei condemned the deployment of SAA resources to “undermine” the wage strike by FlySafair pilots. “SAA’s operation of FlySafair routes and accommodation of its passengers constitutes state-subsidised scabbing and another fundamental betrayal of the working class by the ANC. This intervention, cynically framed as an ‘emergency agreement’, is a blatant attempt to break the legitimate industrial action by more than 200 pilots organised by Solidarity and sets a dangerous precedent organised labour should not ignore or underestimate,” Sebei said. He called on SAA to cease all operations supporting FlySafair immediately, saying public assets could not be tools for breaking “legal strikes”, and the terms of the “emergency agreement” must be made public. The disputing parties were set to meet for a mediation process under the auspices of the CCMA on Wednesday afternoon in an effort to break the wage deadlock. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Lees ook, Giwusa gee steun aan stakende FlySafair-vlieëniers, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
CEO and co-founder of Gondwana Reserve named as victim of elephant trampling Mossel Bay Advertiser reports that the man who died from being trampled by an elephant at Gondwana Private Game Reserve has been identified as the reserve’s CEO and co-owner. FC Conradie, (39), a husband and father to three young children, was trampled on at about 08:00 on Tuesday morning. Emergency medical services declared him dead on the scene. The KwaNonqaba Police Station’s spokesperson, Warrant Officer Kappie Kapp, said on Wednesday that an inquest docket had been opened and that an investigation had been launched. A representative of the reserve and a close friend of the Conradie family said all the employees at the reserve sent their condolences to Conradie’s family. He added that the circumstances surrounding the incident were still being looked into and he urged the public not to speculate. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chelsea Pieterse at Mossel Bay Advertiser. Read too, Tributes pour in for game reserve co-owner killed by elephant, at The Herald (subscriber access only). En ook, Hulde ná olifant-voorval man se lewe eis, by Maroela Media Urgent call to action as attacks on municipal employees rise in KwaZulu-Natal IOL News reports that the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has expressed serious concern about the rising attacks and murders of municipal employees in the province. This followed the murder of Msinga Local Municipality Fire Department chief, Khalesakhe Mchunu, on Monday and several others that have occurred in recent weeks. Buthelezi said the incidents were disturbing and he demanded immediate attention from law enforcement agencies. The recent incident is one of several that have occurred in the last 30 days. Buthelezi also urged municipalities to bolster existing measures to safeguard employee well-being and safety. Meanwhile, KZN police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza said Msinga police were investigating a murder case relating to an incident in which a 46-year-old man was shot dead in his vehicle on Monday in Msinga. “Reports indicate that the victim was on his way home when he was ambushed by unknown people who fired shots at him and sustained multiple gunshot wounds,” Magwaza reported. The motive behind the attack remained unknown, he said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thobeka Ngema at IOL News. Read too, Community in shock after veteran firefighter ambushed and killed, at The Witness Staff refuse to return to Rosedale Clinic in Kariega until safety guaranteed The Herald reports that staff at the Rosedale Clinic in Kariega are refusing to return to the facility until the department of health and security services can assure their safety and that of their patients. Nurses, pharmacists and doctors have not been to the clinic since Monday last week after a stray bullet grazed a patient during a shootout allegedly linked to gang violence. The workers have reported for duty at other clinics in Kariega and Gqeberha. Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said the shooting did not involve the clinic, and it was also not the target. In June, the clinic was rocked by another shooting incident, which has led to at least eight nurses submitting transfer requests. On Tuesday, the staff met acting health district manager Tandisizwe Ndamase, security cluster representatives and residents at the Kariega Town Hall to discuss potential venues to offer temporary service delivery during the stayaway. A nurse at the clinic said: “Until there is a plan on the table, we will not return to the clinic.” Clinic intervention committee chair Dominic Cyster said though there had been an agreement with police to conduct patrols every two hours, this had not been implemented. “Officers making their rounds were supposed to sign the register when they did come for the checks, but unfortunately, they never came regularly,” he claimed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntsikelelo Qoyo at The Herald Security beefed up for senior auditors in Ekurhuleni Metro, says mayor SABC News reports that according to Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, security measures have been implemented to protect senior forensic auditors working on high-profile investigations at the metro. This after the murder of 47-year-old chief forensic auditor in the municipality, Mpho Mafole. He was gunned down at the end of last month while driving on the R23 in Kempton Park. Mafole had been investigating a R2 billion electricity scandal at the municipality. Xhakaza said the safety of audit staff was critical, especially as municipalities were preparing to submit their financial reports to the Auditor General’s office. “Well, we did indicate that it’s something that we need to improve on. The risk assessments need to be done to all our guys at different levels to actually appropriate the necessary security but there is also issues of costs, there are issues of South Africans wanting us to be cautious of what we do, but I must indicate that the due provision of security has been provided,” Xhakaza indicated. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at SABC News. Read too, Accused in Ekurhuleni chief auditor killing was out on bail for another murder, at News24. En ook, Moord op Ekurhuleni-oudithoof: Beskuldigde was uit op borgtog, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Solidarity soon back on the road to Washington Maroela Media reports that on Wednesday, trade union Solidarity called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently implement steps to save the relationship between SA and the USA. This after the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee approved a bill by Congressman Ronny Jackson on the relationship between the USA and SA. The bill will now go to the full House of Representatives for a vote before the US Senate considers it. According to Solidarity’s Jaco Kleynhans, they have been calling for a political settlement between SA and the USA since February. “It is clear to us that no economic agreement between the two countries is currently possible without a political agreement being prepared first. In a week, a 30% import tariff on South African goods will be imposed by the US. If Jackson’s bill is to be approved by the full US Congress later this year, it will lead to further punitive measures against South Africa, which will be particularly economically disastrous because it will not only harm trade but also investment in the South African economy,” he stated. Among the steps proposed by Solidarity are that Ramaphosa should urgently reaffirm the country’s non-aligned status and commit SA to a relationship of mutual respect and cooperation with the US. Secondly, SA should specifically agree to cooperation with the US in the fight against terrorism in Africa and as regards military and intelligence cooperation. Thirdly, it is necessary for Ramaphosa to proceed without delay to appoint a new ambassador to Washington. Solidarity also called on Ramaphosa to take a stronger stance on property rights and minority rights in SA. Solidarity plans to visit the US again soon to meet with Jackson and other members of Congress in the run-up to the final vote in Congress on the bill. Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard by Tania Heyns at Maroela Media
Consumer inflation ticked up to 3% in June on the back of higher food prices Mail & Guardian reports that Statistics SA advised on Wednesday that driven by higher food prices, year-on-year consumer inflation rose to 3% in June after holding steady at 2.8% in April and May. The main contributors to the increase were food and non-alcoholic beverages, which reached a 15-month high of 5.1%, adding 0.9 percentage points to the overall rate. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco followed, rising to 4.4%. Housing and utilities inflation accelerated to 4.4%. The only dampener for June inflation was the transport category, which contributed -0.5 percentage points to the overall rate. Economists said this was because petrol prices fell more slowly, namely by just 0.2% in June compared with 1.1% in May and 1% in April. “Such low inflation provides considerable support for consumers given that most wage increases are higher than this low prevailing rate of inflation. It also arguably supports the case for the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates further at the upcoming monetary policy meeting next week,” commwented Standard Bank’s Elna Moolman. Nedbank economists expect annual inflation for 2025 to rise gradually off a low base, but to remain relatively contained. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Aarti Bhana at Mail & Guardian Beef prices in South Africa hit with record increase in June BusinessTech reports that beef prices saw massive price increases in June as SA battled an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. Consumer inflation increased in June to 3.0%, rising from 2.8% in April and May. The month-on-month change in CPI was 0.3%. Stats SA said that the annual rate for food & non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) reached a 15-month high of 5.1% in June. Meat, especially beef, continued to be the main driver of food inflation. Beef prices spiked for a third straight month, with large increases for stewing beef, mince and steak. Stewing beef rose by an annual 21.2%, the fastest pace on record since the current CPI series began in January 2017. Other processed food items also saw an uptick. The annual rates for fruits & nuts and vegetables remained in double-digit territory for a second straight month. Other products that saw sharp price increases in the 12 months to June included beetroot, lettuce and carrots. However, inflation cooled for many other food & NAB categories, such as white rice, hot cereals, and cold cereals. While maize meals registered high annual increases, the monthly change in June was 0.4%, the lowest since November 2024. Several dairy products were also cheaper than they were a year ago. Lower prices were recorded for fresh full-cream milk, fresh low-fat milk and eggs. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luke Fraser at BusinessTech Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Gauteng government lost R300 million to ghost workers, says MEC Maile IOL News reports that according to Gauteng Finance MEC Lebogang Maile, the provincial government is owed about R300 million mistakenly paid to ghost workers who have either retired, resigned, or were deceased. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday, Maile attributed the financial loss to the government’s payroll system not being linked to the Department of Home Affairs. This gap, he said, allowed payments to continue long after employees had left the public service. “If someone passes on, the system will not know until we are made aware. Once we are made aware, we will act immediately. But it's not a huge problem. So it's isolated cases. I think we're out about 300 million for such ... Yes [it is a lot of money], but it is over a period of time,” he commented. Maile advised that a panel of experts would help collect or recover the money. The provincial government has been battling with the problem of ghost workers being paid. Earlier this year, the Gauteng department of health froze the salaries of 66 employees who had failed to verify their employment status. This was through the department's Ziveze (Reveal Yourself) campaign, launched in October 2024 and designed to eradicate ghost workers from its payroll system amid growing concerns over wasteful expenditure. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kamogelo Moichela at IOL News
UIF in drive to verify that R65bn in Ters funds went to proper beneficiaries BL Premium reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has employed external firms to painstakingly verify that the R65.2bn it paid out under the temporary employer/employee relief scheme (Ters) was received by the correct beneficiaries. Ters was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020/21 to help companies in distress and prevent job losses by subsidising employee wages. UIF officials told members of the National Council of Provinces’ select committee on economic development & trade in a briefing on Wednesday that a lot of fraud had been uncovered in the verification process. This resulted in several convictions by the courts. Where Ters funds were paid incorrectly they were being collected. The inability of the UIF to prove the Ters funds were paid to the right companies and beneficiaries resulted in a qualified audit outcome. UIF CFO Fezeka Puzi said she expected that the verification of all beneficiary companies would be finalised in the current financial year. She said the UIF was working with the Special Investigating Unit and the Hawks during this endeavour to track payments, as well as with the Fusion Centre and the Asset Forfeiture Unit. Puzi said more than 700 cases of wrong payments were being investigated and there had been over 20 convictions. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Linda Ensor at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Solidarity cautions employers about consequences of compliance with ‘illegal racial regulations’ Maroela Media reports that trade union Solidarity advised employers on Wednesday not to “recklessly” submit any plans based on the Employment Equity Regulations of 2025 by 1 September as the regulations were likely illegal. Solidarity has filed a comprehensive application with the Labour Court challenging the legality of the regulations in question. According to Anton van der Bijl, Deputy Chief Executive of Legal Matters at Solidarity, the regulations recently published by Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Dr Nomakhosazana Meth are seriously constitutionally and procedurally flawed and must be set aside. This could have far-reaching negative consequences for employers who continue to implement racial quotas based on the regulations into their staffing structures. In an open letter, Solidarity has advised employers not to proceed with implementing affirmative action plans based on the regulations and has warned them of a possible interdict should plans containing possible illegal targets be submitted. A pro forma exemption application has been sent to employers for use to submit to the DEL. “It is important for employers to take note of our review application. It has the potential to have the regulations, and any plans and actions based on them, declared unlawful. Employers who therefore choose to make an effort to comply with the provisions of these flawed regulations could ultimately be held accountable for unlawful discrimination or other legal violations,” said Van der Bijl. Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard at Maroela Media
Nine Polokwane correctional officers face murder charges following inmate’s death in July 2024 The Star reports that nine correctional officers from the Polokwane Correctional Centre appeared this week in court to face murder charges for the alleged brutal killing of an inmate. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said that the incident occurred in July 2024 when a group of correctional officers allegedly assaulted a male inmate. The inmate later died as a result of the injuries sustained during the attack. The matter was reported to the police and, at the time, an inquest case was registered. Based on the autopsy results, the charge was changed to murder. Ledwaba stated that although four correctional services officials were initially arrested in October 2024, they were later released due to a lack of evidence. As the case developed, compelling new evidence led to their re-arrest, along with five additional officers, on 21 July. All nine now face serious charges linked to the inmate’s death. All nine officers appeared in court on Tuesday and were granted bail of R1,500 each. The matter was postponed to 21 August 21 for a Regional Court date and for further police investigations. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Masabata Mkwananzi at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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