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.
CWU claims reports on SABC job cuts aim to destroy the public broadcaster
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SABC News reports that the Communication Workers Union (CWU) says reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) plans to cut a third of its staff are an effort to destroy the public broadcaster.
Cele vows to clamp down on rotten cops as five officers are arrested in Cape Town operations
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News24 reports that Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed on Sunday that five officers had been arrested in special operations that had commenced three days previously in crime-ridden areas of Cape Town.
Man fires into the air after funeral of cop, killing another officer
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News24 reports that a female police constable was shot dead following the funeral of a colleague in Dobsonville, Soweto, on Saturday.
Nxesi eyes UIF and Compensation Fund for investment in job creation
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The Sunday Independent reports that Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi is eyeing the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and the Compensation Fund (CF) to help create and sustain jobs.
Labour Court orders Transnet workers on go-slow at Ngqura terminal to increase work levels
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The Mercury reports that all operations employees at the Ngqura Container Terminal have been ordered by the Labour Court in Port Elizabeth to increase performance levels at the port.
SABC’s turnaround plan envisages cuts of up to a third of staff
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The Sunday Times reports that the cash-strapped SA Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC’s) turnaround plan includes cutting staff by up to 33% and closing down five offices.
Controversial NHI plan is irrational and irresponsible, says Solidarity
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ANA reports that trade union Solidarity condemned the adoption of the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) plan by the Cabinet last week and said that government clearly wanted to achieve an ideological victory even if it was at the expense of South African’s lives.
Mantashe sets out budget positives for mining with investment of R110m and the creation of 32,000 jobs
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Business Report writes that SA’s mining industry is focusing on a total of 60 mineral resources projects between 2018 and 2020, with an investment estimated value of R110 billion and a projected creation of 32,000 jobs.
Scant information on why Steinhoff CFO stepped down
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BL Premium reports that it was announced this week by Steinhoff that CFO Philip Dieperink would be stepping down after the 2019 AGM, which is to be held on 31 August. He is not only retiring as CFO, he will also be stepping down from the management board.
Mpumalanga residents shut down Glencore’s Goedgevonden mine over employment opportunities
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SowetanLive reports that residents of Phosa and Ogies in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, stopped operations at one of Glencore's mines after accusing it of reneging on a promise to offer them employment opportunities.
Deutsche Bank’s resizing means job losses at its SA branch in Sandton
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BusinessLive reports that German investment bank Deutsche Bank could become the latest bank to add to SA’s unemployment woes with plans to lay off employees.
Policeman shot dead on Monday while hunting down rape suspect near Pretoria
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TimesLIVE reports that police officer Ruben Dumisani Tshabalala was killed while on the trail of a "rapist" north of Pretoria.
Automotive industry’s 4.5% pay offer to Numsa underlines sector’s pain
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BusinessLive reports that employers in SA’s automotive industry have offered workers nearly three-quarters less than the pay increases they are demanding.
Survey indicates that police service considered the most corrupt institution
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Engineering News reports that the tenth edition of the Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) Africa has revealed that the police service is considered the most corrupt institution.
Solidarity calls for intervention in looming retrenchments at ArcelorMittal SA
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ANA reports that trade union Solidarity on Thursday said that it regretted the retrenchment crisis at ArcelorMittal SA (AMSA) and warned that if key players in the steel industry did not intervene urgently, those retrenchments might be the first of many to follow.
Go-slow at Ngqura container terminal affecting automotive production, citrus exports
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Engineering News reports that Transnet has suspended several employees at its Ngqura Container Terminal for engaging in an illegal industrial action that has had a negative impact on port operations.
Gordhan says draft White Paper on Eskom unbundling to be finalised soon
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Engineering News reports that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says a draft White Paper outlining government’s approach to the unbundling of state-owned power utility Eskom, as well as how its “unsustainable” debt burden will be managed, is being prepared and should be finalised within weeks.
Two state nurses ‘missing’ for six months found at sangoma training camp in PE
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HeraldLive reports that two state nurses who went missing six months ago have been found at a sangoma training camp in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth.
Old Mutual says former CEO Peter Moyo is not a whistle-blower and is creating false narrative about his departure
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BL Premium reports that according to Old Mutual, former CEO Peter Moyo is not a whistle-blower and he is creating a false narrative about his departure from the company.
Eastern Cape cops deny that Minister Cele told them to lock police stations at night because “they get robbed so much’
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TimesLIVE reports that police in the Eastern Cape have denied that there was a directive from police minister Bheki Cele that police stations must be closed at night.
Platinum producers prepare to respond next week to union wage demands
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Business Report writes that the first week of long-anticipated wage negotiations between platinum mining companies and the respective unions have begun with mining companies to respond to tabled demands next week.
Give security guards 'metal detectors and panic buttons' to keep schools safe, says Sadtu KZN
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TimesLIVE reports that the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) wants security guards at schools to be provided with metal detectors and panic buttons.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 10 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
Wednesday, 10 July 2019.
Fikile Mbalula promises less jaw-jaw and more war-war on safer rail transport
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Daily Maverick reports that efforts to clean up the rail system, especially the embattled Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) and its Metrorail subdivision, will be one of the main focuses of the next 100 days for new Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Huge blast in Worcester on Wednesday morning as gas tanker explodes, two persons injured
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The Citizen reports that the town of Worcester was rocked by a gas tanker explosion early on Wednesday morning, with residents having reported feeling it kilometres away from the industrial area in which it took place.
ArcelorMittal SA warns of possible job cuts of more than 2,000
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Engineering News reports ArcelorMittal SA’s (AMSA’s) share price on the JSE fell by 10.4% on Wednesday morning after it said it could possibly cut more than 2,000 jobs.
Budget for safety and health in mines not enough, says parliamentary committee
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SowetanLive reports that the Select Committee on land reform, environment, mineral resources and energy has raised concerns about the budget allocated for safety and health in mines.
National minimum wage not the jobs poison pundits had feared, says employment minister
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News24Wire reports that Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi told reporters in Parliament on Wednesday that the employment market had taken well to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) since it was signed into law.
SABC terminates DJ Fresh’s contract with immediate effect for use of offensive language on-air
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EWN reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Tuesday announced that it had terminated the contract of Thato Sikwane, also known as DJ Fresh, with immediate effect.
Platinum wage talks kicked off this week
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Reuters reports that platinum producers kicked off talks with trade unions on Tuesday in what is expected to be a tough round of wage talks, as a rise in profits is likely to provoke higher wage demands.