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.
Nuusdag television crew robbed in Khayelitsha on Friday of equipment, personal belongings
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News24 reports that a Nuusdag television crew was robbed of its film equipment and personal belongings in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, on Friday.
Gunmen threaten staff at waste drop-off facility in Cape Town
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News24 reports that armed men threatened staff at a Hanover Park waste drop-off facility last week after their demands were not met, the City of Cape Town reported on Friday.
Cold-blooded killer handed life sentence for 2017 murder, robbery of Krugersdorp security guard
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News24 reports that the South Gauteng High Court has handed a man found guilty of murdering a security guard and robbing him of his service pistol in Krugersdorp in 2017 a life sentence for the crimes.
Retrenched Group Five staff yet to receive severance packages, seek court’s help for payout
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Business Times reports that retrenched staffers at embattled construction company Group Five are living from hand to mouth because they have yet to be paid out their severance packages.
South32 reviews future of manganese smelter amid higher power prices
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BusinessLive reports that diversified miner South32, which was unbundled from BHP in 2015, is reviewing its manganese alloy smelter, as analysts warn that SA’s soaring power prices are making the sector uncompetitive.
Two KZN school security guards brutally 'butchered' in classroom
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News24 reports that two KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) school security guards were brutally murdered and another was critically injured when attackers used a crowbar to butcher them in Hammarsdale, outside Durban, on Wednesday evening.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Thursday, 18 July 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
Thursday, 18 July 2019.
Old Mutual victimising axed CEO Peter Moyo, his legal team tells court
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BusinessLive reports that Peter Moyo’s lawyer, Advocate Dali Mpofu, says the axed Old Mutual CEO is a victim of the insurer’s inability to protect whistle-blowers.
Council for Medical Schemes revives plan for central registry of scheme members
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BusinessLive reports that the medical schemes regulator has revived a controversial plan to establish a central database of scheme members and is once again calling on schemes to provide personal details about their members.
SANDF to consider allowing female Muslim members to wear headscarves under their berets
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EWN reports that the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is considering relaxing its dress code for female Muslim members to allow them to wear headscarves under their berets.
Siyabuswa residents shut down schools, municipality following suspension of municipal manager
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News24 reports that schools and the offices of the Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality in Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga, have been closed after residents embarked on protests against the suspension of the municipal manager, Thami Kubheka.
Ramaphosa directs ministers to intervene over go-slow at ports
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Fin24 reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa indicated on Wednesday that he had directed Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, and Minister of Trade, Industry and Economic Development, Ebrahim Patel, to intervene in respect of a go-slow at SA’s ports.
Inmate stabs female head of Baviaanspoort prison in the face
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SowetanLive reports that the female head of the Baviaanspoort Maximum Prison in Roodeplaat, Pretoria, was allegedly stabbed in the face by an inmate serving a life imprisonment sentence.
Suspended Joburg metro cops vow to shut down their headquarters next week
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The Star reports that Johannesburg metro police officers have vowed to shut down their headquarters in Village Main next week. Some 40 officers, including 18 senior superintendents, have been suspended and are awaiting to receive formal charges.
Construction industry in survival mode, with little light at the end of the tunnel
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Moneyweb writes that there appears to be little light at the end of the tunnel for SA’s beleaguered construction industry, with many major listed construction companies still fighting for their survival.
Responsible remuneration gaining traction, but more work needed, PwC reports shows
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Engineering News reports that according to professional services firm PwC, the concept of fair and responsible remuneration is gaining traction in SA.
SOEs in need of expert staff, Minister Gordhan tells MPs
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ANA reports that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Wednesday that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) needed technical experts to make up three-quarters of their staff complements, whereas presently up to half were administrative support staff.
Nehawu 'disappointed' by government's intent to cut 30,000 public service jobs
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ANA reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) said on Thursday it was disappointment by the Department of Public Service and Administration's (DPSA’s) intent to cut more than 30,000 jobs.
Platinum producers eye Sibanye's gold mining deal as yardstick for their wage talks
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Bloomberg writes that platinum producers could use Sibanye-Stillwater’s pay settlement with gold mineworkers earlier this year as a benchmark in present wage talks, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Ford employs 1,200 more workers at Silverton plant on Ranger bakkie demand
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BusinessLive reports that unprecedented international demand for the SA-built Ranger bakkie has enabled Ford Southern Africa to increase its workforce by more than 25%.
State policies not helping SA’s ailing steel sector, says Neasa’s Gerhard Papenfus
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Gerhard Papenfus, CEO of the National Employers’ Association of SA (Neasa), writing in his personal capacity, notes that the potential loss of 2,000 jobs at ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa) is getting much justifiable media attention.
Union blames necessity of a strike at Pretoria Zoo for ‘special’ koala’s death
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The Citizen reports that Willie the koala bear, whose parents were a gift to Nelson Mandela, has died at the National Zoological Gardens (NZG) in Pretoria in what some people claim is the result of the protracted strike at the sanctuary.
SAFA hits back at union over criticism for using Turkish clothing manufacturer for Bafana Bafana suits
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Fin24 reports that the SA Football Association (SAFA) has hit back at critics who have lambasted the choice of a Turkish clothing manufacturer to sponsor suits for the national soccer team Bafana Bafana.
Sekhukhune district municipality hopes for SEZ status as a means of creating jobs
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The Citizen writes that there are at least 28 mines in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune district municipality – yet it is one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the country. Now, the mayor is lobbying for it to be accorded special economic zone (SEZ) status, in an attempt to change things.
Sisulu orders security vetting for officials of her department to remove cloud of suspicion
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ANA reports that Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu is urgently arranging security vetting of her staff to allow them to work free of the suspicion hanging over officials in the bankrupt department.
Workers at PE security company strike to demand union recognition and better conditions
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GroundUp reports that employees of a Port Elizabeth security company went on a strike on Tuesday demanding that the company recognise their union and also improve their working conditions.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 17 July 2019
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 17 July 2019.
Gautrain expansion to deal with the capacity constraints on the cards
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Moneyweb reports that the Gautrain Management Agency is planning to spend up to R2 billion to acquire second hand additional rolling stock from the United Kingdom to deal with the capacity constraints on the high-speed train network.
Shareholder activist warns of reputational damage to Old Mutual of court battle over CEO’s dismissal
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Business Report writes that shareholder activist Theo Botha has warned that the continuing public spat between fired Old Mutual CE Peter Moyo and chairperson Trevor Manuel would become a reputational disaster for the life insurance group, irrespective of the outcome in court.
Nine young people killed in taxi accident on same day they were due to start work at Middelburg colliery
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Sowetan reports that emotions ran high at the Middelburg government mortuary on Tuesday where the families of eight of the nine people who died in a road crash on Friday arrived to have DNA samples taken for the identification process of the burnt bodies.