This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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AfriForum accuses ‘untouchable’ Unisa management of weaponising suspensions to silence whistleblowers City Press reports that Unisa is facing explosive allegations of operating as a “criminal enterprise” that systematically suspends incorruptible staff members to protect a web of corruption. This is asserted in a legal letter from AfriForum to Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela on Thursday. Advocate Gerrie Nel, representing suspended academics Reshma Mathura and Donald Ndlovu, wrote to Manamela demanding immediate action over what he described as “widespread corruption and mismanagement of funds” at the country’s largest university. Mathura was suspended in April last year, while Ndlovu was suspended in June. In the letter, Nel pulls no punches and submits that corruption at Unisa has “taken root and has prospered.” The letter reveals that two critical forensic investigation reports – one by PwC and another by Advocate Shaun Abrahams – have allegedly been suppressed by university management, despite clearing the suspended academics of wrongdoing and instead recommending disciplinary action against senior officials. Nel alleges that “a clear practice has emerged whereby staff members who are incorruptible and stand in the way of Unisa management’s illegal abuse of power and illicit spending are suspended to neutralise them.” The letter reveals details about how forensic investigation findings have allegedly been suppressed. According to Nel, the university management has become “untouchable” due to political connections and he called for immediate ministerial intervention. Unisa and the ministry failed to respond to questions sent to them by City Press. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Abram Mashego at City Press (subscription / trial registration required)
Elephant carer killed at Hoedspruit reserve in unexpected attack TimesLIVE reports that an experienced elephant carer lost his life at the weekend in an unexpected attack on him by a 19-year-old female elephant named Limpopo. Israel Shambira, who had worked with elephants for 29 years, was killed at the Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development (Herd) reserve. While the elephants were out in the bush on the reserve, Limpopo pushed down a tree shortly after 3pm. Three carers went to fetch additional staff to help clear the road. Shambira was seated nearby under a tree. Moments later, Limpopo unexpectedly turned her attention to Israel and fatally gored him. Herd said Shambira, a “cherished” senior member of the team, was one of the original carers who arrived with elephants rescued from Zimbabwe in 2002. Limpopo was born at the reserve. Elephant manager Tigere Matipedza said: “We don’t know what went through Limpopo’s mind and why she did it. In the morning, everything in the bush was calm with no signs of agitation among the elephants.” Herd adviser Brett Mitchell, from the Elephant Reintegration Trust, has been called in to provide guidance. “He will remain on site in the coming days as we carefully assess the situation. No decisions will be taken hastily as the implications of the event profoundly affect carers and elephants,” the trust said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at TimesLIVE. Lees ook, Geliefde bewaarder sterf ná olifant hom deurboor, by Maroela Media Tshwane police constable killed in shootout was apparently not wearing a bulletproof vest News24 reports that questions have emerged around why a police officer who was killed in a dramatic shootout in Temba, Tshwane, at the weekend was apparently not wearing her bulletproof vest. The officer has since been identified as 33-year-old Constable Sharon Hlongwane who was attached to the Temba Crime Prevention Unit. According to an insider, Hlongwane did not have her bulletproof vest on during the shooting – despite having been part of an earlier inspection. According to the source, this was out of character for Hlongwane and that she always “geared up” whenever she was deployed. More insiders who were at the scene said officers had attempted to stop and search a vehicle, but the occupants jumped out and the police gave chase. An exchange of fire ensued, with dozens of shots fired. Another vehicle then arrived at the scene. During the chaotic gun battle, Hlongwane was shot in the torso. She died at the scene. It is unclear who fired the fatal shot, however, a request has been made for all the firearms used by the police officers to be handed in. A Hawks spokesperson said the investigation was at an early stage. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Seshego security officer on duty at fast-food outlet fatally stabbed Review Online reports that Seshego police have launched a manhunt following the murder of a 36-year-old security officer who was fatally stabbed while on duty at a fast-food outlet in Sengatane Village. Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba reported that officers were called to a local hospital on Saturday morning after the victim was admitted with a deep stab wound. Preliminary investigations revealed that the security officer was on duty when he got into an argument with a male customer. The suspect reportedly pulled out a sharp object and stabbed the victim before fleeing the scene. The victim was initially treated at the local hospital but was later transferred to the Provincial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The attacker, who remains at large, was allegedly driving a white Toyota Avanza with no registration plates. The vehicle is said to have a distinctive, bold black sticker on the bonnet with the word “London” written on it. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at Review Online Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Retrenchments strip workers of dignity, Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi says BL Premium reports that delivering the keynote address at Cosatu’s central committee meeting in Benoni on Monday, the labour federation’s president Zingiswa Losi decried retrenchments taking place across various sectors in the economy. She likened the loss of thousands of jobs at ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa), Goodyear, Mercedes-Benz and Glencore, among others, as workers “being stripped of their dignity” and argued that the retrenchments would lead to the weakening of the state. Losi said the four-day congress was being held during a defining moment for workers in the country, the continent and the world. “The question before us is: what is to be done?” Losi asked. The meeting is set to review the implementation of resolutions adopted at the labour federation’s national congress held in September 2022, provide political direction and focus on organisational issues before the national congress in 2026. “Each retrenchment is not just a statistic. This is a family left without bread or electricity; confronted with a loss of home, car; plunged into debt; a community sliding deeper into despair,” the Cosatu president noted. Losi pointed out that retrenchments in the private sector were causing the collapse of value chains. “When one sector bleeds, the economy haemorrhages. Ghost towns are created, what remains is that sex workers emerge, taverns emerge. When the economy weakens, the state follows,” she told delegates. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
South Africa's longer-term inflation expectations drop to record low Reuters reports that SA’s longer-term consumer inflation expectations fell to their lowest level on record, a quarterly survey showed on Monday. Analysts, business people and trade unions now expect annual inflation to average 4.2% over the next five years, down from 4.4% in the second quarter survey. Inflation stood at 3.5% in July, the latest month for which data is available. “These downward revisions were made against the backdrop of the South African Reserve Bank's announcement of a change to the preferred inflation target at the end of July, just before the survey period,” the Bureau for Economic Research, which conducted the survey, indicated in a report. The Reserve Bank's next interest rate announcement is scheduled for 18 September. Short-term inflation expectations were also revised down in the third-quarter survey, with forecasts for 2025 and 2026 averaging 3.8% and 4.2%, respectively, compared with 3.9% and 4.3% previously. Expectations for salary and wage increases also softened. Respondents now expect wage growth of 4.7% in 2025 and 4.8% in 2026, down from previous forecasts of 4.9% and 5.1%. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sfundo Parakozov at DailyDispatch. Read too, Inflation expectations drop to record low as new target begins to shape sentiment, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Civil servants are underpaid and overworked, claims public service minister Sunday Times reports that Department of Public Service & Administration (DPSA) Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi believes that civil servants are overworked and underpaid. In an interview last week, Buthelezi rejected the notion of a bloated public service as “far from the truth”. The more than 1.3-million public servants received a 5.5% wage increase this year, costing the fiscus an additional R23bn. At least 55,000 government officials earn more than R1m a year. However, Buthelezi believes more should be done to incentivise government workers as a counter to private sector recruitment. “As South Africans we should avoid a situation where we’ve got several challenges as a country financially and the soft targets become the public servants. We’ve got about 1.3-million public servants servicing a population of over 60-million South Africans — which on its own tells you that there is much pressure,” the minister argued. He said the characterisation of public servants as “lazy” was wrong — instead they were demoralised. “In an ideal world we would like to see public servants well paid. If they are well taken care of, that boosts the morale of employees, which ultimately results in better performance at work and improved service delivery,” Buthelezi opined. He also defended the ANC’s controversial cadre deployment, saying it was not an “evil”— the problem was how it was being implemented. “We should not define cadre deployment from a prism of state capture and corruption; we must define it from the true meaning of the word,” he pointed out. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sisanda Mbolekwa at Sunday Times (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
KZN Health Department slams ‘smear campaign’ alleging improper appointment of foreign national as nursing manager at hospital IOL News reports that the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health has condemned claims that a foreign national was improperly appointed as nursing manager at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), calling the allegations “false and deliberately misleading.” The claims were made by an individual calling himself “Mlungisi”, linked to the so-called “MKP Labour Desk”. In a statement, the department said the accusations formed part of a “malicious smear campaign” aimed at tarnishing the reputation of Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane and the hospital. According to the department, the nursing manager post was advertised twice but “no suitable candidate meeting equity requirements was found”. After two failed rounds, the position was re-advertised, and Dr. Ndemera , a Critical Care Specialist Nurse with a PhD in Nephrology, was asked to act in the role to ensure continuity. “Dr. Ndemera has worked at IALCH since before 2015, has lived legally in South Africa for over 25 years, speaks fluent Zulu and Venda, and currently serves as Assistant Nursing Manager for Critical Care,” the department indicated. It also made it clear that MEC Simelane “had no involvement in this internal process and had never met Dr. Ndemera before these defamatory posts”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hope Ntanzi at IOL News MK Party holds protest on Monday at Inkosi Albert Luthuli hospital over mismanagement claims IOL News reports that security was increased at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) on Monday as the MK Party made claims of mismanagement at the hospital. The MK Labour Desk, KZN Health Portfolio Committee member Pearl Gasa and MK Party Member of Parliament and Employment and Labour Portfolio Committee member Nkosentsha Shezi were part of the grouping. MK Party members sang and danced at the gates of the hospital while waiting for feedback from management. Inside the hospital, Shezi turned to one of the wards and asked for ward management. “One of the discoveries that I got was the fact that the IALCH has a shortage of nurses. Nurses who have resigned, or gone on retirement, or posts that should have been created by attrition, are not replaced. The person I was speaking to said they have a shortage of around 100 nurses. When they inquire about those posts, they are told that there is no budget.” Shezi said. South African Police Service, Durban Metro Police and hospital security were on high alert. Earlier, Mlungisi Zondi of the National MK Labour Desk said that over recent weeks, IALCH employees had complained to them about how they were being treated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thobeka Ngema at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Macpherson says government plans to reimagine EPWP to ensure workers can build lasting careers EWN reports that Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has indicated that government plans to reimagine its expanded public works programme (EPWP) to ensure workers can build lasting careers. Macpherson joined Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain on Monday to host an EPWP listening tour. According to Hill-Lewis, more than 1,000 EPWP workers became permanent City of Cape Town employees in the last financial year. Macpherson said he would like to emulate Cape Town's achievements nationally. "We want to reform the EPWP to become something that gives you an opportunity to a life-long job or career," he indicated during the engagement with members of the Tafelsig community. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Carlo Petersen at EWN
South Africa has the worst maternity leave in the world BusinessTech reports that SA is at the bottom of the world’s rankings in respect of maternity leave, with mothers not guaranteed any maternity pay. Employees are entitled to at least four consecutive months of maternity leave, but, unlike many other countries, this leave is unpaid, making SA one of only four countries that offer work without guaranteed paid maternity leave. This was highlighted in the Global Maternity Leave Report for 2025 by UK-based Moorepay, which outlines the leave benefits on governmental pages in every country. While SA mothers can claim from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), employers have no legal obligation to pay maternity leave to their employees. But, while SA mothers are not guaranteed maternity pay, there are still significant changes on the cards for parental leave in the country. Currently, SA law grants biological mothers four months of maternity leave, while fathers receive only ten days of paternity leave. In October 2023, the Gauteng High Court ruled that the respective conditions in the Basic Conditions of Employment were unconstitutional. Notably, the ruling would mean that if there is a pair of parents, an entitlement of four months of parental leave would apply to both parents. However, this declaration of invalidity has no force and effect unless and until the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) confirms it. Although the ConCourt heard the confirmation application in November 2024, no ruling has yet been made. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luke Fraser at BusinessTech
Sales manager loses her job over undisclosed purchase of two chocolate bars from petty cash The Star reports that two chocolate bars became the centre of legal scrutiny in the Labour Court when JDG Ltd, also known as Hi Fi Corporation, appealed against an arbitration ruling that ordered the reinstatement of an employee, MM, after her dismissal was deemed substantively unfair. The sales manager of the applicant’s branch in Jabulani Mall was dismissed after using petty cash to purchase two chocolates for her private consumption. She did not disclose this purchase to the branch manager. She was brought before a disciplinary hearing, and she was found guilty of misusing petty cash. The chairperson recommended dismissal, which was implemented. MM challenged this and the arbitrator found that if MM had been intent on concealing the purchase, she would not have submitted the till slips providing evidence of the two purchases to the applicant. The arbitrator noted that he appreciated that MM was not authorised to purchase chocolates, but accepted her explanation that she was hungry and did not have an opportunity to have lunch. She had a clean disciplinary record at the time and offered to repay the money back. But the company asked the Labour Court to review the arbitrator’s findings. Acting Judge C de Kock said it is not disputed that the trust relationship had broken down. The judge added that it was also an unreasonable conclusion to reach that MM had some sort of justification for using company funds and then not disclosing that she had done so. According to the judge “it is beyond this court’s understanding” that the arbitrator can find that an act of using petty cash for an employee’s own personal use, did not constitute an act of dishonesty.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zelda Venter at The Star Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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