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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Finance Minister suspends state pensions agency boss following procurement irregularities News24 reports that on Friday, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana placed the chief executive officer of the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA), Kedibone Madiehe, on immediate precautionary suspension. This after a series of revelations of alleged irregularities at the agency emerged. An investigation into her conduct as head of the GPAA has commenced. Godongwana’s action followed months of inaction on his part since the irregularities were formally brought to his attention. The chairperson of the GPAA audit committee requested in June that Godongwana authorise a forensic investigation. During the past three weeks, News24 has published a series of exposés on numerous alleged procurement irregularities and governance failures that have exposed the administrator of the pensions of state employees to billions of rand in losses. Madiehe not only signed off on these apparent irregularities but also put pressure on GPAA employees to turn a blind eye and to pay millions on the questionable contracts. Recently, Madiehe suspended a senior finance and compliance control manager who declined to pay R21 million in one such contract that had been flagged by the GPAA’s audit team for a forensic investigation. The biggest of the alleged scams, however, was the GPAA awarding a 10-year contract valued at close to R1 billion to lease the Brooklyn Bridge Office Block in Pretoria for its headquarters. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sikonathi Mantshantsha at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). Read too, Parliament demands probe into R1bn ‘ghost contract’ and whistleblower suspension, at IOL News GEPF urges Godongwana to rein in government pensions administration agency to protect workers’ assets News24 reports that the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has urged Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to put the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) under the fund’s control to rein in governance breaches and protect state employees’ pensions. This followed what the GEPF said was a breach of contract by the GPAA. In a July letter to Godongwana, GEPF board chairperson Frans Baleni urged the minister to help protect the assets of state employees by bringing the standalone agency under the control of the GEPF. “GPAA presented its financial report to the [GEPF] board in June 2025 with spending of R1.57 billion, reflecting overspending of R101 million against the approved adjusted budget of R1.47 billion for the year ended 31 March,” Baleni pointed out on 9 July 2025. The GPAA was established by the government in 2010 to manage the administration of the GEPF’s R3 trillion in the pension assets of state employees. Its CEO Kedibone Madiehe reports to the finance minister. In terms of the management agreement, the GEPF retains the authority to approve the GPAA’s operational budget and major transactions. Baleni wrote: “The breach, a first of its kind, is a huge concern for the board and [it] would like to bring it to the minister’s attention. The board would have acted against the GPAA were it not for lack of authority over GPAA.” He added: “Furthermore, the board resolved that GPAA’s access to GEPF’s bank account for purposes of paying GPAA’s fees will be reconsidered to tighten controls around unauthorised payments out of the fund’s account.” By Friday, the GEPF had not received a response from the Minister to its request, although his spokesperson acknowledged receiving Baleni’s letter. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sipho Masondo & Sikonathi Mantshantsha at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Suspect arrested at roadblock in case of murdered Gqeberha prosecutor Tracy Brown News24 reports that three weeks after the murder of Gqeberha regional court prosecutor Tracy Brown, the Hawks have arrested one of the four gunmen believed to be behind the hit. The 33-year-old man was apprehended in a roadblock in the early hours of Thursday, following a multidisciplinary investigation. He had been linked to the murder during the probe and was found to have fled to Joburg shortly after the shooting. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba reported: “While investigators were pursuing leads in Johannesburg, critical information was received indicating that the suspect was travelling back towards Gqeberha. Acting with precision, the team strategically coordinated a roadblock in the early hours of [Thursday]. The suspect’s vehicle was intercepted, and he was successfully apprehended.” He will appear in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Provincial Hawks head, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, said the arrest was a “significant step forward, but by no means the end”. Brown was killed on the evening of 31 July in Young Park in front of her partner and child outside her home by four masked gunmen. She was the second prosecutor killed in the Eastern Cape in three months. Elona Sombulula from the Engcobo Magistrate’s Court was shot dead on his way home to Mtentu Village, outside Mthatha, in April. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tammy Petersen at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Pilot, passenger miraculously escape in George aircraft crash due to double engine failure News24 reports that two persons escaped with only minor injuries after a light aircraft crashed during an emergency landing on a farm south of Thembalethu in George on Saturday morning at about 10:00. Garden Route District Municipality fire chief Deon Stoffels said the George airport tower informed the municipality’s emergency control centre of the crash. Emergency services and police were dispatched, while the landowner contacted ambulance services directly. “It is confirmed that the light aircraft did indeed crash. Miraculously, the pilot and passenger escaped with minor injuries. They were treated on [the] scene by metro EMS ambulance services and transported to the local hospital in George,” Stoffels reported. No other injuries were reported. According to the SA Civil Aviation Authority’s Accident and Incident Investigations Division, preliminary information indicated a double engine failure occurred about 15km from the George Airport. The Rockwell 500S had departed from Vereeniging Airport to George with the pilot and a passenger on board. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tammy Petersen and view a photo at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). Lees ook, Twee beseer ná ligte vliegtuig naby George neerstort, by Maroela Media Man linked to series of e-hailing driver robberies arrested in Soweto EWN reports that a man linked to a series of e-hailing driver robberies was arrested in Soweto on Sunday morning. According to Gauteng traffic police, the suspect is believed to be behind multiple robberies targeting Uber and Bolt drivers in Eldorado Park’s Extension Four. In the most recent incident, a driver was reportedly ambushed and had his vehicle stolen. “The victim's vehicle was later recovered near the scene by Gauteng traffic police and wardens. The suspect was traced to Joseph Fletch, where officers found the victim's car key in his possession,” said provincial traffic police spokesperson Obed Sibasa. The arrest comes amid growing calls for stricter regulations and improved safety measures for e-hailing drivers, following the recent murder of a driver outside Maponya Mall in Soweto. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Ntokozo Khumalo, at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
NUM rejects job cuts at Glencore’s and Samancor’s ferrochrome operations BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) says it is against potential job cuts at ferrochrome operations run by mining giants Glencore and Samancor Chrome in SA. NUM chief negotiator Lefty Mashego indicated: “These proposed job cuts are attributed to economic pressures, notably high electricity tariffs and a decline in ferrochrome prices. The NUM finds this action to be premature and disingenuous. The union, along with government and key stakeholders, including Eskom, is currently in active negotiations to secure a viable solution to the electricity cost challenges. The threat of retrenchment appears to be a coercive tactic designed to gain an advantage in these ongoing talks.” Mashego said NUM would not tolerate its members being used as “bargaining tools”. He went on to demand that Glencore and Samancor cease using the threat of job losses as leverage and said all stakeholders should focus on finding a collaborative and sustainable solution for the industry. If Glencore and Samancor were no longer able to operate their operations, “we call on them to surrender their mining and operating licences”, said Mashego. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Shoprite says introduction of smart trolleys poses no threat to jobs BL Premium reports that retailer Shoprite says its new smart trolley pilot project in Cape Town will not put the jobs of any employees at risk. The Xpress Trolley enables customers to scan items as they shop, track a running total and pay directly via the cart without having to queue at a till. The trolleys are being tested at Checkers Hyper Brackenfell and Checkers Constantia. Shoprite says the project is about enhancing convenience, not cutting staff. “No employees or positions are adversely impacted by this pilot,” the group said, emphasising the innovation might instead create new roles such as concierge assistants, checkout support staff, age-verification employees, additional security personnel and central tech and data specialists. While smart trolleys have been rolled out in some international supermarkets, this is the first time they’re being trialled locally. MP9 Asset Management CIO Aheesh Singh said the trolleys could be a game changer, but flagged the risk that as more of this kind of technology was introduced, supermarkets might need fewer staff at the tills, which could affect jobs over time. “If it works, it has the potential to change how South Africans shop, but it will need to balance innovation with the realities of cost, adoption, and employment,” Singh noted. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nompilo Goba at BusinessLive. Lees ook, Loon van R6,000 per maand by Shoprite: ‘Dis wettig, maar nie leefbaar’, by Netwerk24 (toegang slegs vir intekenare)
Ithala employees, who have not received their August salaries, and the bank’s depositors plead for intervention Sunday Times reports that unions representing more than 400 Ithala Bank employees and 257,000 depositors are pleading for an urgent political solution to the crisis engulfing the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) state-backed institution. Workers have not received their August salaries and depositors have been locked out of their accounts since January — with no clear timeline for relief. Inside Ithala’s offices, the mood is grim and morale is low, with fear of retrenchment growing. Prince Mthalane of the National Education, health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said anxiety among staff was at an all-time high. “Salaries have been paid irregularly. Provident funds, third-party payments, children’s education, and medical aids have not been paid – affecting chronic employees and their families,” he said. Nehawu is demanding urgent intervention from the National Treasury and is threatening legal action if workers’ rights are not protected. Last week, Ithala CEO Thulani Vilakazi sent a voice message to customers, assuring them their savings were safe – but could not be accessed until litigation was resolved or a formal agreement reached between Ithala, the KZN provincial government, the Treasury, the Prudential Authority (PA), and the Repayment Administrator (RA). Ithala’s exemption from the Banks Act expired in December 2023, triggering a cascade of lawsuits, oversight failures and unfulfilled political promises. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chris Makhaye at Sunday Times (subscriber access only)
Teachers’ march in Free State disrupts schooling GroundUp reports that schooling was disrupted on Thursday in Thabo Mofutsanaya District Municipality, Free State, when hundreds of SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) members took to the streets. The union was demanding that Lindiwe Mabaso, the district director, should resign as their relationship had broken down irreparably. They claimed that a litany of grievances raised in 2022 had not been addressed. The union’s seven-page memorandum took aim at officials of the department, alleging poor management, a “lack of leadership” and a dysfunctional human resources department. The union also alleged that Sadtu principals were targeted and “union bashing persists”. Bricks Moloi, Sadtu provincial secretary, said there were currently 70 vacant posts. He went on to claim: “The working conditions in which our members are working are not healthy. In some schools you find that there is no water and they have to use dirty toilets … But when you go to the district office you find that they knock off at 10am because they don’t have water, yet we have to work under the same conditions.” Tsoarelo Malakoane, the provincial head of department, received the memorandum on behalf of the MEC. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tladi Moloi at GroundUp Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Pressure mounts on Higher Education Minister over Seta administrator appointments Sunday Times reports that Department of Higher Education & Training (DHET) Minister Buti Manamela is under increasing pressure to come clean before parliament this week about his controversial appointments of certain sector education and training authority (Seta) administrators. Parliament’s higher education portfolio committee has given Manamela until Tuesday to explain the process that led to the placing of three Setas under administration. These are the Local Government Seta (LGSeta), the Services Seta (SSeta), and the Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta). This comes amid threats of a legal challenge from the CEOs of two of the affected Setas should Manamela not withdraw his preferred candidates by close of business on Monday. Portfolio committee chair Tebogo Letsie wants the minister to explain how he appointed the three new Seta administrators. The appointments have been slammed as unlawful by top industry players and certain political parties, including the DA and the EFF. Manamela, who replaced his former boss Nobuhle Nkabane last month, indicated last week that the move was to address “serious and entrenched governance failures”, including “procurement irregularities”, “lapses in oversight” and “board instability”. There was a tense standoff at the Ceta premises on Friday, when the newly minted administrator Oupa Nkoane arrived with DHET director-general Nkosinathi Sishi in tow. Ceta CEO Malusi Shezi mounted a spirited argument against the appointment, questioning its rationality and legitimacy. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Habo Mokone & Sabelo Skiti at Sunday Times (subscriber access only). Read too, I’m attacked because I stopped open season of looting at Ceta, says CEO, at Sunday World Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Mpumalanga police detective killed while allegedly carrying out roadside robbery together with accomplices IOL News reports that a SA Police Services (SAPS) detective has been killed while allegedly carrying out a robbery on Friday night in Belfast in Mpumalanga. His three accomplices have been arrested. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, a group of armed men, posing as police officers, ambushed the occupants of a vehicle who had stopped on the roadside to relieve themselves. "The victims were held at gunpoint and ordered to lie on the ground. Fortunately members of the SAPS Anti-Hijack Task Team and the Middelburg K9 Unit were patrolling the area as part of an operation to curb robberies in the region. Officers noticed the suspicious activity and approached the scene, identifying themselves as police." The suspects allegedly opened fire before fleeing in a getaway vehicle. A high-speed chase ensued, ending when the getaway vehicle crashed into a tree. Police cornered the suspects and discovered the body of a 54-year-old Pienaar SAPS detective in the back seat of the car. It is believed that the officer may have been fatally wounded during the exchange of gunfire, though investigations are ongoing. The fourth suspect, who fled on foot, was later apprehended near the N4 towards Machadodorp. The arrested suspects are expected to appear in the Belfast Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Vernon Pillay at IOL News. Lees ook, Speursersant sterf in rooftog, by Maroela Media Eastern Cape police sergeant allegedly shoots station commander in the leg over unpaid salary News24 reports that an Eastern Cape police station commander was injured after a disgruntled sergeant allegedly fired several shots at him inside Tamara police station near Qonce on Thursday morning. The suspect, Sergeant Pumlani Mbinda, who had been absent at work for more than a year, confronted the station commander about why his salary had not been paid. “It is alleged that a confrontation ensued during which the suspect produced a pistol and fired several shots at the station commander at close range. The station commander sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg,” a police spokesperson reported. Mbinda then allegedly fled the scene on foot, but was apprehended a short distance from the station. The official firearm used in the alleged attack, along with ammunition, was confiscated from the suspect. The injured station commander was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He was discharged on Friday. Mbinda was arrested and appeared in the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court on Friday on a charge of attempted murder. He remains in custody and will also face an internal disciplinary process. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sithandiwe Velaphi at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
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