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.
‘Drunken judge’ has been paid about R16 million of taxpayers’ money and continues to rake it in
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The Citizen reports that retired Judge Nkola Motata’s gravy train – which paid out nearly R14 million between 2007 and 2016 while he was on special leave – is set to continue while the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) drags its heels on the matter of his impeachment.
Two Sars auditors jailed for three years for R200,000 cash bribe ‘to make tax problems disappear’
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TimesLIVE reports that two former SA Revenue Service (Sars) customs auditors will spend three years in jail for attempting to solicit a bribe from a prominent KwaZulu-Natal businessman "to make his tax problems disappear".
Embattled Fawu warned by labour registrar of possible deregistration
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The Star reports that the troubles facing the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) have deepened, with labour relations registrar Lehlohonolo Molefe demanding that it must account for millions of rand in subscription income and unsecured and interest-free loans.
High-ranking EMPD officer fatally electrocuted at substation
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The Star reports that a senior officer from the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) was electrocuted to death whilst executing his duties in Estera, Germiston, on Tuesday.
eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede ‘incited’ protest to try push through illegal tender payment, court hears
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ANA reports that eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and councillor Mondli Mthembu are alleged to have orchestrated a march to Durban City Hall last month that called for the removal of the city manager because he would not sign off on a payment for an illegal tender.
Legal Aid SA accused of intimidation to stop staff demonstration
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The Citizen reports that Legal Aid SA (LASA) has been accused of using intimidation tactics to discourage workers, including lawyers and support staff, from taking part in Wednesday’s planned demonstrations.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 14 May 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, 14 May 2019.
South African Nuclear Energy Corporation CEO axed
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Engineering News reports that Phumzile Tshelane, CEO of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), has been dismissed from his post and removed from the state-owned organisation’s board.
Bogus health inspectors nabbed after trying to fleece Port Shepstone shop owner
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Daily News reports that three persons who allegedly pretended to be employees from the Department of Health and who conducted a raid at a supermarket on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) South Coast have been charged with fraud.
Durban Mayor Zandile Gumede granted R50,000 bail in fraud, corruption and racketeering case
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The Citizen reports that the mayor of the eThekwini Metro, Zandile Gumede, appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court on Tuesday morning on charges that included fraud, corruption and racketeering.
KZN call centre agent arrested for allowing her fingerprints to be used for passport application
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Daily News reports that a 23-year-old Durban woman, who works as a call centre agent, was arrested for fraud in Pietermaritzburg on Friday. The woman apparently accompanied a foreigner who was applying for a passport to the Pietermaritzburg home affairs offices “a while ago”.
Sunday World to shut down, staff to be retrenched across the range of Tiso Blackstar publications
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The Citizen reports that media conglomerate Tiso Blackstar has announced that its tabloid Sunday World publication will be closing down.
Security increased on N1 near De Doorns after three trucks targeted in attacks and a driver killed
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EWN reports that security been heightened on a stretch of the N1 in the De Doorns area in the Western Cape. Three trucks have been targeted by criminals since Sunday.
Former Lily Mine workers threaten to go underground to retrieve container containing bodies
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SABC News reports that former employees of Lily Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga, have threatened to go underground to retrieve a container in which three people were trapped and killed after the mine caved in three years ago as a result of a crown pillar collapse.
Unemployment rate rises to 27.6% in first quarter of 2019
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Fin24 reports that SA’s unemployment rate increased to 27.6% in the first quarter of 2019, Stats SA announced on Tuesday. The jobless rate at the end of the fourth quarter of 2018 was 27.1%, meaning the rate increased by half a percentage point.
Bodies of two illegal miners dumped by the roadside in Benoni
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The Star reports that the dead bodies of two men, suspected to be illegal miners, were found on Monday morning at the sides of two roads in Ekurhuleni in the vicinity of an abandoned mine shaft where illegal mining is known to take place.
North West public warned against bogus labour inspectors issuing spot fines
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ANA reports that the Department of Labour in the North West pointed out on Monday that labour inspectors did not issue spot fines.
Strike by Legal Aid lawyers looms over lack of security at offices, enormous workloads and bullying
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The Citizen reports that the wheels of justice could grind to a halt countrywide if a brewing national strike at Legal Aid SA is not averted.
Farm workers at Oak Valley Estate in Grabouw strike for R250 per day
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GroundUp reports that farm workers from Oak Valley Estate and supporters from Grabouw blocked the N2 highway near Sir Lowry’s Pass on Monday demanding a wage increase to R250 per day, an end to labour brokering, and the removal of single-sex hostels.
Platinum producers brace for labour clash in early Ramaphosa test
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Bloomberg writes that when the world’s biggest platinum producers sit down with labour unions this month to negotiate a new three-year wage deal, it could prove an early test of Cyril Ramaphosa’s new presidency.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 13 May 2019
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 13 May 2019.
EFF throws shade at SRWP by claiming to be the ‘only genuine socialist party’
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The Citizen reports that a Twitter account representing the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng sent out a tweet thanking members of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) for voting for them in Wednesday’s national polls.
Concerns about GEPF’s long-term funding “creating a lot of anxiety” for members and pensioners
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The Sunday Times Business Times writes that concerns about the funding and governance of state pensions continue to plague the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), leaving members and pensioners anxious.
Ex-Anglo CEO Cynthia Carroll says ‘conservative’ miners must push for gender diversity
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Bloomberg reports that according to Cynthia Carroll, former chief executive officer of Anglo American, mining is not only for men and needs to change with companies doing more to push gender diversity.
Joburg fire stations get R16.4m revamp following deaths of three firefighters last year
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The Star reports that the City of Johannesburg has set aside millions to refurbish under-resourced fire stations across the metro, but according to the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), this would not be enough if the stations were not maintained regularly.
Eight Amcu members in court for murder on Monday
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SABC News reports that the murder and attempted murder trial of eight Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) leaders was scheduled to be heard in the Pretoria High Court on Monday.
Prasa makes progress in Cape Town rail crime crackdown
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EWN reports that in a continued effort to clamp down on the crime crippling Cape Town’s rail network, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA's (Prasa's) rail enforcement unit has recorded further successes.
KZN rail services mostly back on track on Monday after Durban floods
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Daily News reports that according to the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), most of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) railway corridors would resume operations on Monday.
On duty Cape Town cop shoots man before committing suicide
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ANA reports that a South African Police Service (SAPS) constable fatally wounded a man before turning his service pistol on himself in Khayelitsha in Cape Town on Saturday.
Call for income transparency in recruitment ads as a means to close the wage gap
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Moneyweb reports that a growing number of countries have implemented legislation that forces companies to be transparent about how much they pay their employees – the aim being to expose and eliminate salary disparities between different race and gender groups.