In our roundup of weekend and recent reports,
see the following summaries of our selection of
South African labour-related articles.
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Pilots’ strike ends as FlySafair and Solidarity sign four-year above-inflation wage deal BL Premium reports that the wage strike by pilots affiliated to trade union Solidarity at carrier FlySafair ended on Friday after parties signed a four-year wage agreement for above-inflation wage increases. The strike began on 21 July when the union members downed tools over their demand for wage increases. Solidarity’s Helgard Cronje said the wage agreement would see pilots receiving salary increases of 6%, 6.5%, 6.8% and 6.9% respectively, over the next four years. “These percentages will also apply to annual adjustments of travel and accommodation allowances, as well as the medical allowance. Pilots will also receive additional compensation for any hours exceeding 65 flying hours per month,” Cronje said. He added: “To soften the impact of the ‘no work, no pay’ rule during the strike and lock-out, pilots will receive a once-off ex gratia payment amounting to 15% of their monthly salary and will be allowed to cash in five days of leave.” Regarding the new shift roster system, which had been a major bone of contention, Cronje explained that it would now be governed by fixed rules and no longer by so-called ‘soft rules’ that management could arbitrarily adjust. “Although FlySafair still maintains that it cannot guarantee pilots one full weekend off per month, negotiations have led to an agreement that pilots will receive at least one 60-hour weekend off during each six-week cycle, with a minimum of nine weekends off per year,” Cronje advised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, FlySafair strike ends, with full flight schedule to resume, at Moneyweb Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Corruption turns municipalities into killing fields, with murders of officials on the rise Sunday Times reports that at least 148 local government officials have been murdered in SA since 2018 — and the attacks have ramped up in the past four years. The deaths – predominantly linked to corruption, with those targeted often whistleblowers – need “urgent attention”, according to the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu). It says corruption and violence in municipalities are closely connected to the collapse of service delivery. The government does not keep statistics on the murder of government officials, or arrests and convictions in these cases. While national government officials have also come under attack, research by global crisis mapping initiative Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (Acled) shows that municipal officials in SA are most at risk. Acled’s Susanna Deetlefs commented that while it was said that the killing of local officials went hand in hand with elections, that was is not true in terms of the data. She went on to explain: “There is money in municipalities. If you look at the contracts and tenders that people get with municipalities, this kind of money can be a very strong motivator. You have some employees who want to fight corruption and others who benefit from it financially. This creates conflicts between them and inevitably ends in murder.” Deetlefs pointed out that in most cases local officials lived in the community and were accessible, which could also be a reason they were the most targeted. National officials are safer. Samwu’s Papikie Mohale called for the protection of whistleblowers. “Our municipal workers leave their homes to serve our communities, never to return to their loved ones,” he lamented. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hendrik Hancke at Sunday Times (subscriber access only). Read too, Water mafias: It’s like working in a war zone, say municipal workers, at Mail & Guardian (subscriber access only) Legal profession demands security reforms after second prosecutor gunned down in Eastern Cape News24 reports that Advocates for Transformation (AFT) have called for urgent security reforms to protect prosecutors, judges and advocates in public or private practice. This after Gqeberha prosecutor Tracy Brown was gunned down “assassination-style” by four men on Thursday in the presence of her partner and a minor child. Brown’s killing followed the murder of prosecutor Elona Sombulula more than three months ago. Sombulula, who was attached to the Ngcobo Magistrate’s Court, was shot dead in Mtentu Village, Mthatha, in late April. Police have yet to make arrests in the murders of Brown and Sombulula. The AFT’s Myron Dewrance SC said Brown’s murder was not an isolated incident and added: “It also comes amid a concerning rise in threats and violence directed at members of the legal profession – both in public service and private practice.” He said the attacks illustrated the growing danger faced by those who upheld the law and challenge criminal impunity and showed a clear pattern to interfere with the administration of justice by eliminating those who have the potential to bring criminal suspects to justice. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sithandiwe Velaphi at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Fake video of military strike is a threat to national security, SANDF warns SABC News reports that the SA National Defense Force (SANDF) has warned the public not to share or spread a fake video, purporting to feature a senior SANDF commander inciting members of the military to engage in an illegal strike. The video has been labelled as a serious threat to national security and public trust. In a statement, the SANDF stated categorically that this video was fake, misleading, and maliciously fabricated. It warned that anyone found to be sharing disinformation or inciting mutiny would face the full might of the law. According to the SANDF, an internal investigation is under way to trace the origins of this video, with those responsible to be pursued and prosecuted in accordance with military and civilian law. The SANDF advised that the individual depicted in the video was not a recognised commander of the defence force. It strongly warned soldiers not to participate, support, or entertain an illegal strike. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at SABC News
Police arrest 494 illegal miners at Sheba mine in Mpumalanga, with hundreds more underground TimesLIVE reports that the police have arrested 494 illegal miners at the Sheba mine in Barberton and at least 500 more are believed to be hiding in the mine to avoid arrest. The police said their operation started on Monday last week after they were alerted by the mine that about 1,000 illegal miners were underground. Only 494 surfaced and were arrested, while others have refused to come out. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brig Donald Mdhluli said the police had not seen anyone trying to send food down to the miners. The arrested suspects have been charged with the illegal possession of gold-bearing materials and being in the country without valid documents. “Most of the miners, if not all, are foreign nationals without valid documentation to be in the country. It was also discovered that some of these miners could be underage, hence police are working with officials from the department of home affairs, [the] department of minerals & energy, the National Prosecuting Authority, as well as other law enforcement agencies,” said Mdhluli. The arrests come less than a year after a similar operation was conducted at an abandoned Stilfontein mine where at least 90 illegal miners lost their lives. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mandla Khoza at BusinessLive. Read too, Police suspect there are more illegal miners at Sheba gold mine, at SABC News. En ook, Zama zamas word uit skagte in Barberton gered, by Maroela Media
Battle brews between Kganyago and Godongwana over consumer inflation target Business Times reports that a low-intensity battle is brewing between the National Treasury and the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) over whether the consumer inflation target should be lowered. Observers were surprised on Thursday at the repo rate announcement when SARB governor Lesetja Kganyago declared that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would now use forecasts with a 3% inflation anchor to inform future rate decisions. Monetary policy has been anchored on a 3% to 6% inflation target for the past 25 years. However, Kganyago and the Bank have been pushing to amend the policy to lower the target. The move by the bank prompted speculation that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana would officially make an announcement on lowering the inflation target when he presents the medium-term budget policy statement later in 2025. But, on Friday Godongwana issued a statement saying he had no plans to make such an announcement. He insisted that the official policy on inflation targeting would be set by him, the cabinet, and the president. “This means comprehensive consultation between National Treasury, the Reserve Bank, cabinet, and relevant stakeholders – not unilateral announcements that pre-empt legitimate policy deliberation,” Godongwana said. Two weeks ago Kganyago warned that prices of food, goods and services could double every 12 years if the inflation rate peaked and remained at the bank’s upper level of 6%. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane & Caiphus Kgosana at Business Times (subscriber access only). Read too, Finance Minister slams Kganyago’s ‘unilateral’ 3% inflation announcement, at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
UIF claimants at Randburg labour office haven’t been paid in three months and are surviving on handouts The Citizen reports that several Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) beneficiaries serviced by the Department of Labour branch in Randburg, Gauteng, claim they have not received their payments for three months. On Friday, a number of beneficiaries complained about the non-payment problem and claimed that officials were not giving them straight answers to their questions. One beneficiary indicated: “From April, I did not get the money, and when I asked them at the time, they said I must give them a month to sort out the issue. I went there again, but the officials told me that the system was down and they didn’t know why the payment had stopped. They ordered me to come back again at the end of July, but I was still not assisted. Instead, I was told to come back after 14 days.” Officials kept on telling another beneficiary who did not get the June payment to come back. Another claimant lamented: “Now we are only surviving by handouts from family members.” Cosatu’s Mathew Parks said the UIF has been a mess for many years, and nothing has been done to fix the endless glitches at the entity. He said Cosatu has been demanding that the crisis at the department be prioritised, but to no avail. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Masoka Dube at The Citizen
Inkomati Usuthu Catchment Agency sidelined SA citizen, hired foreigner with no work permit instead Sunday World reports that the former Inkomati Usuthu Catchment Agency (IUCMA) CEO and the organisation’s board sidelined their HR department when they hired a foreign national who did not have a work permit and whose qualifications it did not verify. This is revealed in an internal report in which the HR department blames the then-CEO, Lucky Mohalaba and the board for policy breaches, including excluding it from the material part of recruitment – namely from shortlisting candidates and interviews to appointment. According to the report, this part of recruitment was hijacked by Mohalaba and a committee of the board. On 17 June, MPs raised concerns regarding the process the board had followed in the appointment of an Eswatini national for the executive director of water resource manager role. Only then did the agency commission an assessment of the executive’s employment file. During the assessment HR noted that there was a qualified South African candidate whose credentials met the requirements of the position. “It remains unclear why, despite the expressed and advertised intention to prefer South African candidates, that objective was somehow overlooked in favour of the foreign candidate,” reads the report co-signed by the agency’s current CEO Mokgane Mongane and the entity’s corporate services executive advocate MB Shabangu. The report is scathing, alleging that not only did the former CEO overlook the South African candidate, but also that the qualifications of the appointed foreigner were never verified, and she did not have a work permit. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Queenin Masuabi at Sunday World Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Bergview College and principal who was falsely implicated in child rape part ways News24 reports that Bergview College and its former principal, Jaco Pieterse, who was falsely accused of raping a child, have parted ways. In a letter dated 30 July, the school informed parents that Pieterse’s “employment relationship” had been “terminated by mutual consent”. AfriForum’s private prosecution unit, which represents Pieterse, also confirmed his “amicable departure from the school”. It was previously reported how Pieterse and his family had received death threats and had to go into hiding after the mother of a seven-year-old pupil at the school accused the police and school authorities of not properly handling her daughter’s alleged rape in October last year. The situation worsened after Pieterse declined to provide a DNA sample without an official request from the police, and several high-profile politicians subsequently made comments to the effect that he was potentially involved. Police have since confirmed that no foreign DNA was found on the child or her clothing, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has decided not to prosecute anyone because there was “no conclusive evidence” she was sexually assaulted. Former police minister Senzo Mchunu previously admitted that he wrongly identified Pieterse as a suspect and apologised. Pieterse, through AfriForum, has opened criminal cases against ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, EFF leader Julius Malema, and Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade for having perpetuated the false claims against him. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bernadette Wicks at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). Lees ook, Bergview College en skoolhoof se paaie skei, by Maroela Media
Outa and Ceta trade barbs after last week’s protest over the “rot” in Setas The Citizen reports that the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) and the Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta) traded barbs on Saturday over a protest by the former organization earlier in the week. Outa protested outside the Ceta head office in Midrand on Thursday to highlight what it called the “rot” in SA’s sector education and training authorities (Setas). It said Setas were plagued by deep-rooted maladministration and governance failures, while costing around R21 billion annually. However, Ceta on Saturday criticised the protest by Outa, saying it was “unauthorised” and “disruptive”. “The gathering, which occurred without proper notification and approval by the metro… interfered with Ceta’s operations and created an unsafe environment for staff arriving at work, including attempts to block employees from entering the premises,” it claimed. Ceta added that it called law enforcement to check on the protest, after which Outa “vacated the premises”. It also said Outa’s protest was part of a “bigger smear campaign” against Setas. Outa, however, responded by saying: “Outa’s peaceful picket involved fewer than 15 people – which, under the Regulation of Gatherings Act, doesn’t require prior notice. Another poor attempt to use public resources to dodge accountability.” Outa went on to state: “The Duja report exposed it all and Ceta did nothing. That silence cost the public R18 million. We protest because the public deserves better.” The Duja report was commissioned after a whistleblower made allegations of corruption against the training authority. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Gareth Cotterell at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Independent Development Trust CEO Tebogo Malaka suspended over R836m tender irregularities Daily Maverick reports that the Independent Development Trust (IDT) has placed its chief executive, Tebogo Malaka, on precautionary suspension, effective from 1 August 2025. This follows the finalisation of a forensic investigation into the botched R836-million PSA oxygen plant project. While no formal finding of misconduct has been made against Malaka, her suspension was aimed at ensuring an “independent and unhindered” continuation of the investigation, the IDT said. The PwC forensics report, commissioned in January 2025 and released by Public Works and Infrastructure (DPW&I) Minister Dean Macpherson on 29 July, called for disciplinary action against Malaka for failing to prevent or act on violations that might have cost the state hundreds of millions of rands. DPW&I deputy director-general Carmen-Joy Abrahams will act as CEO while investigations continue. The IDT, acting as an implementing agent for the Department of Health, was tasked with rolling out pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants to 55 public hospitals. The infrastructure programme quickly turned into a textbook case of public-sector malfeasance. According to Macpherson, the report “lays bare the depth of the procedural failings and regulatory breaches uncovered during the investigation”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kara le Roux at Daily Maverick. Lees ook, IDT-hoof geskors hangende ondersoek, by Maroela Media RAF’s Letsoalo has pushed ahead with appeal to overturn suspension only days before end of term BL Premium reports that Road Accident Fund (RAF) CEO Collins Letsoalo continued last week with his legal bid to have his suspension lifted, even though his term comes to an end on Wednesday. Pretoria High Court Judge Graham Moshoana dismissed Letsoalo’s application submitted in June to have his suspension in May overturned. Letsoalo then filed a scathing application for leave to appeal, accusing the judge of being “biased”, and this was heard in the High Court last Thursday. RAF lawyer Ernst van Graan, opposing the application, argued that the application for leave for appeal was legally unsustainable and should be dismissed with costs. He argued against the claim that the court was biased because it had quizzed Letsoalo’s case during the urgent application arguments. Moshoana, who has years of experience in labour legal cases, had asked Letsoalo’s counsel, Hlalele Molotsi, whether the fund’s disciplinary policy was applicable to the CEO. The urgent application was pinned on the policy, the legal requirements of which Molotsi argued the RAF board had not followed when it suspended Letsoalo. Moshoana described Letsoalo’s reliance on the policy as “bizarre” as Letsoalo had signed the policy and relied on it in disciplining staff. Molotsi, in the appeal, contended that the policy applied to his client. Letsoalo also accused Moshoana of raising issues that were not pleaded by the RAF in the legal battle. The fund wants the appeal to be dismissed with legal costs. The court reserved judgment. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sinesipho Schrieber at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Prasa lowers fare increases set for 1 August after public outcry IOL News reports that the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) revised its fare structure following strong objections from trade unions, commuter groups, and civil society organisations ahead of the planned increase on 1 August. The United Commuters Voice (UCV) confirmed that the adjusted fares would now reflect more affordable rates for working-class commuters. The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) was among those that voiced concern ahead of the increase. It called for fare adjustments to be tied to inflation and warning that steep hikes would alienate commuters still reeling from the high cost of living. While Cosatu welcomed the huge improvements Prasa had made to its infrastructure as well as the rollout of the new trains, it recommended that instead of driving up ticket costs, more passengers should be attracted to improve revenue. The new structure includes lower monthly ticket increases than those originally communicated, and discounts for school children, military veterans, and senior citizens. Prasa indicated that the amendments were made after identifying discrepancies in the original fare table and following feedback from commuter stakeholders. Both Cosatu and UCV reiterated their commitment to advocating for an affordable, safe, and reliable public transport system. Cosatu also signalled its readiness to help fast-track policy processes at Nedlac that ensure fare increases were equitable and rooted in commuters’ lived realities. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mandilakhe Tshwete at IOL News
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