Today's Labour News
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.
Killing of NUM member sparks jitters in Marikana
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ANA reports that no arrest has been made following the murder of a member of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in Marikana, near Rustenburg, North West police said on Monday.
Thousands of security guards left high and dry as Prasa terminates 'irregular' contracts
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The Star reports that thousands of security guards have been left unemployed after the Passenger Rail Agency SA (Prasa) terminated contracts with their companies across the country.
Gauteng transport department to give taxi drivers advanced driving lessons
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TimesLIVE reports that the Gauteng transport department announced on Tuesday that in a bid to reduce road carnage, the province’s taxi drivers would be sent for advanced driving lessons.
Three trucks torched minutes apart on Sunday evening on N3 in Gauteng, drivers missing
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TimesLIVE reports that three trucks were torched minutes apart on the N3 northbound in Gauteng on Sunday evening.
Transport union Untu disputes Prasa's war room 'success' as claimed by Mbalula
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News24 reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has disputed the statistics and successes announced by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Monday regarding the Passenger Rail Agency of SA’s (Prasa’s) war room.
KZN health MEC demands answers after nurse raped in Nkonjeni Hospital's consulting rooms
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News24 reports that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has demanded answers from Nkonjeni Hospital's management in Mahlabathini and a contracted security company after a nurse was raped in the hospital's consulting rooms on Sunday.
New magistrate appointments increase female representation significantly
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BusinessLive reports that more than half of the 207 magistrates appointed by justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola are women, a move expected to improve female representation in the judiciary.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 4 November 2019
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In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 4 November 2019.
Families of victims of Denel explosion await external probe results before deciding next move
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EWN reports that the family of a worker killed in an explosion at a Denel facility said they would await the outcome of two external probes into the tragedy.
KZN security guards attacked by armed men on Sunday night, man found killed
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TimesLIVE reports that police are searching for two men who opened fire on a group of security guards in Verulam, north of Durban, on Sunday night.
R6bn needed to fix 32 Gauteng hospitals to be compliant with Occupational Health & Safety Act
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TimesLIVE reports that Gauteng hospitals are in such bad condition that it will cost about R6bn to make them compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
‘War room’ intervention results in trains now running on schedule 63% of the time, says Fikile Mbalula
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BusinessLive reports that according to Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, intervention by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA’s (Prasa’s) newly established war room has resulted in improved service on the tracks‚ but there was still much work to be done.
Mzimkhulu Mining loses R8m a day due to violent protests
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SowetanLive reports that a coal supply company owned by Eskom board chairperson Jabu Mabuza's brother-in-law is losing over R8m a day in revenue due to violent protests at its mine in Mpumalanga.
Government outlines procedures on hiring of foreigners
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The Citizen reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) this week outlined myriad procedures that businesses hiring local and foreign nationals should follow.
Transnet Port Terminals embarks on campaign to educate people about job scammers
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The Citizen reports that Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) receives anonymous tip-offs averaging about 30 calls a month from victims desperate to get their money back after being scammed by criminals promising them jobs.
No degree means no job
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City Press reports that about 56% of the 7.6 million South Africans who were unemployed in the third quarter of the year do not have a matric qualification –and 34.1% only have a matric certificate.
‘Test for Amcu’s ‘A Team’ as platinum wage dispute moves ominously towards strike ballot’
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Gideon du Plessis, general secretary of trade union Solidarity, notes that the requirement for unions to run a secret ballot requiring majority support before declaring a strike recently became law.
Popcru rejects minister’s proposal of private donor funding for NPA; congress starts on Monday
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The Star reports that the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has called for the rejection of plans by Justice Minister Ronald Lamola for private donors to fund the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Sasol Mining dithers over court ruling to reinstate almost 1,000 wildcat strikers fired in 2009
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City Press reports that Sasol Mining has still to decide whether to reinstate close to 1,000 workers dismissed in 2009 for engaging in a wildcat strike, or appeal the Labour Court’s decision.
Parents furious at 'displaced principal' sleeping in her car on school premises
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Sunday Tribune reports that parents at Kamalinee Primary in Isipingo vowed to shut the school on Monday if a senior educator, who has been accused of sleeping in her car, does not leave the premises.
Ex-principal pleads guilty to R5m fraud at prestigious Glenwood High School in Durban
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Independent on Saturday reports that the former head of Durban’s Glenwood High School, Trevor Kershaw, will spend the next three years under correctional supervision with a 10-year suspended prison sentence hanging over his head.
Ramaphosa to launch Tshwane automotive special economic zone on Tuesday
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Engineering News reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa will launch the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on Tuesday, the department of trade and industry indicated on Friday.
Unisa’s VC wants action against lecturer for offensive tweets attacking students funded by NSFAS
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News24 reports that the University of SA (Unisa) has found that comments made by a senior lecturer on Twitter were offensive and contained racist undertones and it wants action to be taken against her.
If an official is attacked services will be withdrawn, Lesufi warns Gauteng parents seeking school placements
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News24 reports that Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has warned frustrated parents that should a district official be attacked during online school placement, the service would be withdrawn.
Public sector unions declare war over wage curbs, insisting on wastage at the top to be cut first
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Business Times reports that public sector trade unions are planning to push back against the government's plans to curb wage increases for public servants, saying wasteful expenditure must be addressed first before curbs on compensation can be discussed.
Deadline for submissions on NHI Bill set for end of November
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Sunday Independent reports that the public has been given until the end of the month to make submissions on National Health Insurance (NHI).
New paternity leave benefits commenced on 1 November
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Parent24 reports that according to an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa, sections of the Labour Laws Amendment Act 10 of 2018 came into effect on 1 November 2019.
Respected Department of Health director-general resigns
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BusinessLive reports that Department of Health (DOH) director-general Malebona Precious Matsoso has resigned almost a decade after she took up the reins as the department’s accounting officer.
Spar franchisee disputes adverse findings of labour and other officials
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The Citizen reports that Tayegetos Supermarket (Pty) Ltd, which owns two food chain stores and three liquor outlets in Tshwane, is disputing adverse findings of non-compliance against it by government officials.
NUM threatens more power cuts over Eskom split into separate units
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Reuters reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Wednesday threatened to cause more power cuts over the government's decision to forge ahead with a plan to break up Eskom.