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.
SARS wage strike to go ahead on Thursday, with unions threatening 'total shutdown'
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Fin24 reports that union members at the SA Revenue Service (SARS) will down tools on Thursday, as no wage agreement has been reached between unions and the agency.
Appeals to labour court can trip up CCMA rulings over national minimum wage
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In a letter to the editor of Business Day, Michael Bagraim, Democratic Alliance MP and well-known labour analyst, writes that employees can now lodge complaints about the nonpayment of the national minimum wage directly with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Lonmin shareholders unhappy with directors’ 2018 remuneration
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Business Report writes that Lonmin shareholders have snubbed a report that details the remuneration paid to executive and non-executive directors for the financial year ended 30 September 2018.
Nzimande slams City of Cape Town’s plans to take over passenger rail services
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Cape Argus reports that Transport Minister Blade Nzimande has lambasted the City of Cape Town’s attempt to take over the passenger rail service from Metrorail.
Sibanye Gold’s Driefontein mine nearing end of life, CEO says
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Bloomberg reports that according to Sibanye Gold, its Driefontein mine, once part of Africa’s biggest gold-mining operation, is nearing the end of its life and the company won’t deepen it because of tight economic conditions.
Exxaro sticks by decision to release 750 Group Five contractors at washing plant project
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Miningmx reports that Exxaro Resources will continue with the termination of about 750 workers’ contracts employed through Group Five Construction despite an instruction from the firm’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) that employees should hold their positions.
Axe your director-general or face revolt, Nehawu warns Limpopo premier
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The Citizen reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has called on Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha to fire the province’s director-general for alleged irregular expenditure, or he will face a revolt.
Transport union Untu wants prosecutions against SOE executives implicated in corruption
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ANA reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) on Wednesday applauded the suspension and resignation of top executives at state-owned enterprises (SOEs) after they were implicated in corruption in recent months, but bemoaned that none had yet been prosecuted.
Defence force union Sandu up in arms over reduced limit on overtime hours
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The Citizen reports that the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) plans to take the defence department to court over a unilateral decision to halve the limit of weekly overtime hours.
PIC suspends acting CEO over claims of tampering with inquiry
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News24 reports that the Public Investment Corporation’s (PIC’s) acting CEO Matshepo More has been placed on precautionary suspension, following allegations that she was interfering in processes related to the ongoing commission of inquiry into the asset manager.
Nehawu to press ahead with wage strike on Thursday after SARS talks fail
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Fin24 reports that members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) will be pressing ahead with a strike at the South African Revenue Service (SARS) on Thursday, the union said in a statement on Tuesday.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 26 March 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, 26 March 2019.
Arrest of president of policing union came after calls to probe corruption, says Saftu
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TimesLIVE reports that the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) says SA Policing Union (Sapu) president Mpho Kwinika's arrest coincided with calls by union members for the state presidency to probe police corruption.
Cape Town seeks rail experts to assist with takeover plan for passenger rail
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ANA reports that the City of Cape Town said on Tuesday it would be appointing a team of rail professionals to assist its transport directorate with business plans to take over passenger rail management from the national government.
Following talks, union hopeful wage strike at SARS can be averted
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ANA reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA) said the likelihood that a strike at the SA Revenue Service (SARS) could be averted was high following two days of “informal discussions” that could see a deal struck on Tuesday night.
Stats SA reports first increase in employment in six months
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BusinessLive reports that the number of employed South Africans rose by 87,000 in the fourth quarter of 2018.
President of policing union 'assaulted' by cops, but police say he was resisting arrest
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TimesLIVE reports that the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) has expressed shock and “disgust” at allegations that the president of the SA Policing Union (Sapu), Mpho Kwinika, was "assaulted" by police officers at the weekend.
Worker dies in 'freak accident' in Emfuleni involving grass-cutting tractor
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News24 reports that a man was killed in a "freak accident" while driving a grass-cutting tractor in Emfuleni.
With the UIF’s uFiling system down for ‘maintenance’, the unemployed struggle to lodge claims
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Daily Maverick reports that the Department of Labour’s (DoL’s) uFiling system has been offline since 22 February, leaving jobless citizens unable to apply for compensation from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
Numsa employee loses unfair labour practice case against the union over car scheme
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Carmel Rickard reports that in a case certain to intrigue many, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) recently found itself in an unusual role — as an employer in dispute with a union organiser who challenged an alleged unfair labour practice.
Looming job losses threaten the CSIR’s climate change research
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Mail & Guardian reports that close to 100 jobs at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are on the line as the research centre undergoes restructuring.
Vantage Goldfields stalls on Lily Mine and Barbrook deal
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City Press Business reports that the company that had sealed an agreement to buy a 74% shareholding in Vantage Goldfields this month lodged an urgent court application to enforce the transfer of the shares and avert liquidation of the gold mining company.
Labour Court stymies Amcu yet again in Sibanye-Stillwater gold wage strike
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BusinessLive reports that a court ruling on Friday was the latest of a series of legal setbacks for the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) in its protracted wage strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold mines.
Jobs boost on the horizon as Mpumalanga special economic zone gazetted
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BusinessLive reports that the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) on Friday gazetted the creation of the 155ha Nkomazi special economic zone (SEZ) in Mpumalanga.
Numsa downs tools at BMW South Africa’s Rosslyn plant over shift allowances
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ANA reports that members of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) went on strike on Monday at BMW South Africa (BMWSA) over changes to terms of employment at the company’s Rosslyn plant in Pretoria.
As Eskom hikes loom, 90,000 gold and platinum jobs at risk, Minerals Council warns
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Mining Weekly reports that the Minerals Council SA (previously called the Chamber of Mines) has sounded the alarm over the threat posed to employment and production in the gold and platinum mining sectors as a result of recently approved electricity tariff increases, including the 13.8% hike to be implemented from 1 April.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 25 March 2019
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 25 March 2019.
Group Five could retrench more staff than planned
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Business Report writes that Group Five might need to retrench more people than it had anticipated before the group went into business rescue, the business rescue practitioners have indicated in a statement.
Nine small business development officials suspended over corruption claims
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ANA reports that several officials of the Department of Small Business Development have been suspended with immediate effect after there were serious allegations of corruption within the unit responsible for incentive scheme administration.
Lonmin lacks liquidity needed to fund new projects to avoid shaft closures and job losses
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Reuters reports that platinum producer Lonmin, which is being bought by Sibanye-Stillwater, said in a statement on Monday that it did not have sufficient liquidity to fund the new projects needed to avoid shaft closures and job losses.