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.
Solidarity slams Unisa's affirmative action plan, wants labour department and senate to intervene
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News24 reports that trade union Solidarity has asked the Department of Labour to intervene in stopping the University of SA (Unisa) from implementing proposed promotion criteria, arguing that they are in contravention of the Employment Equity Act (EEA).
Strike by farm workers' at Oak Valley in Grabouw comes to an end after more than two months
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GroundUp reports that a two-month farm workers' strike by Oak Valley has been brought to an end.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 16 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
Tuesday, 16 July 2019.
Hundreds of officials in hot water for still doing business with state
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The Star reports that hundreds of public servants appear to have not heeded the instruction to stop doing business with the state.
Study reveals how psychiatric nurses face aggression from patients and colleagues
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The Star reports that the University of Johannesburg (UJ) indicated on Monday that research had shown that psychiatric health professionals were at high risk of exposure to violence and aggression.
Solidarity warns Denel of legal action over unpaid pension contributions
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The Citizen reports that at least one trade union has threatened legal action against arms manufacturer Denel for the non-payment of statutory contributions deducted from salaries.
Cosatu threatens government, mining companies with court over acid mine water
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The Citizen reports that according to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the acid mine water crisis in Gauteng will not be resolved because the government lacks the political will to deal with what has become a health hazard.
Plans for trimming public service and reducing state wage bill being urgently finalised
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The Star reports that Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu said on Monday that government would urgently be finalising the reconfiguration of government, which would include trimming the numbers of public servants and easing the burden on the public service wage bill.
Gauteng transport MEC 'blown away' by Gautrain
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The Star writes that on Monday Gauteng MEC for transport Jacob Mamabolo released the results of a recent study conducted by consultancy Hatch to ascertain what the benefits the Gautrain project had brought about.
Fired Woolworths HR officer who wangled a R35.51 discount on item approaching sell-by date loses appeal
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TimesLIVE reports that a Woolworths human resources officer lost her job for the sake of a R35.51 discount on a pack of beef.
GEPF looks to invest more offshore to limit local overexposure
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Bloomberg reports that the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is planning to invest more of its R2 trillion under management outside the country and in unlisted assets to reduce risk of overexposure to locally traded companies.
Fedusa and transport union Untu to shut down commuter train services nationwide on 26 July
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The Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) and its affiliate the United National Transport Union (Untu) issued a statement on Tuesday advising that they planned to shut down the running of commuter trains nationwide on Friday, 26 July 2019.
Strike at Ngqura Container Terminal hampering vehicle and citrus exports
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Moneyweb reports that Transnet has obtained a court interdict to stop illegal strike action by employees at the Ngqura Container Terminal.
GEPF should have been consulted on PIC’s Ayo deal, Mpati inquiry hears
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BusinessLive reports that the Mpati inquiry into the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) heard on Monday that the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) was misled by the state-owned asset manager in respect of its R4.3bn investment in Ayo Technology Solutions.
Admission of new stakeholders to Nedlac should not depend on those inside, Nxesi asserts
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BusinessLive reports that employment & labour minister Thulas Nxesi asserts that the admission of stakeholders to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) cannot depend on those inside the council.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 15 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
Monday, 15 July 2019.
Now Eskom’s treasurer quits
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BusinessLive reports that Eskom group treasurer Andre Pillay has resigned and will leave at the end of August, the state-owned power utility announced on Monday.
SOE workers in panic over salary payments in July
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The Sunday Independent reports that thousands of employees of state-owned entities (SOEs) are fearful their salaries will not be paid this month unless government steps in and bails out the ailing entities with billions of rands from taxpayers.
Rescue plan for construction industry in the offing from government
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The Sunday Independent reports that top government ministers are coming to the rescue of the embattled construction industry after it shed 140,000 jobs and lost billions of rands in business.
Teacher critical and 50 pupils in hospital after mystery gas leak at Umlazi school on Monday
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TimesLIVE reports that a teacher is in critical condition and more than 50 pupils have been transported to local hospitals after they inhaled an unknown gas at Vukuzakhe High School in Umlazi, south of Durban.
Banana producer claims R318m from police and Fawu for destructive protest action
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Netwerk24 reports that one of SA’s prime banana producers, Umbhaba Estates, is claiming R318-million from the police and a trade union for damages caused by protestors over a period of four months.
ArcelorMittal SA has its back to the wall after a tough decade for steel
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Business Times writes that eleven years ago, steelmaker ArcelorMittal SA (AMSA) was one of the 10 largest companies listed on the JSE.
Pensioners may lose millions in scandal involving MD of Lorna Jane SA
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BusinessLive reports that the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) will investigate the role of all key individuals, including the compliance officer, after a Johannesburg financial adviser was arrested last week over fraud charges.
Uasa endorses Lesetja Kganyago’s reappointment as Reserve Bank governor
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In a letter to Business Day, the United Association of SA (Uasa) indicated that it was pleased with the reappointment of Lesetja Kganyago as governor of the SA Reserve Bank (Sarb).
Employment and Labour Minister promises ‘persuasive’ approach towards minimum wage offenders
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BusinessLive reports that the Department of Employment & Labour (DEL) will not use a “hammer” to deal with employers who do not adhere to labour legislation, including national minimum wage (NMW) offenders.
Roundup on Monday, 15 July 2019 of weekend labour reports
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In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 12 July 2019.
Ministers blow hot and cold on loan guarantee for SABC
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City Press reports that last week was another tumultuous week for the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), with the communications and finance ministries apparently blowing hot and cold when it came to assisting with a R1.3 billion loan guarantee that the public broadcaster desperately needs to stay on air.
Special labour forum meets to discuss Denel’s liquidity crisis after non-payment of pension contributions
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Engineering News reports that following a further breakdown in trust between the management of Denel and labour after last week’s announcement that the company had not paid over retirement fund contributions, a special labour forum was held on Thursday to discuss the crisis.
Fedusa welcomes appointment of PSA’s Ivan Fredericks to PIC board
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ANA reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) on Friday welcomed the appointment of Ivan Fredericks to the interim board of directors of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).
Pan African Resources condemns protest action affecting Barberton Mines
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Mining Weekly reports that Pan African Resources’ Barberton Mines has lost a number of production days as a result of protest action, which the miner said was unrelated to normal industrial action.