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.
Amcu to challenge labour court ruling quashing secondary strike
- Details
Business Report writes that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) will be challenging the decision by the Labour Court to quash its proposed secondary strike aimed at shutting down the mining industry.
Chairperson of Central Energy Fund fired amid bribery charges
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the chairperson of the Central Energy Fund, government’s energy holding company, was suddenly dismissed on Friday after allegations emerged that he solicited a bribe from a global oil trader Vitol.
North West paramedic in court for transporting cocaine worth R650.000 in ambulance
- Details
ANA reports that a 29-year-old female paramedic, arrested after cocaine was found in an ambulance she was driving, was due to appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
New ministerial handbook to cut perks
- Details
The Citizen reports that the new ministerial handbook has been 10 years coming, but it will finally be implemented following the May elections.
Jobs bloodbath looms as smaller contractors fear Group Five’s collapse
- Details
Sunday Tribune reports that a jobs bloodbath is looming with two big corporations, one in the construction sector and the other in banking, poised to shed thousands of workers.
Roundup on Monday, 18 March 2019 of weekend labour reports
- Details
In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 15 March 2019.
Planned strike at Tiso Blackstar called off, for now
- Details
Independent News reports that Tiso Blackstar has come to an agreement with the Information Communication Technology Union (ICTU) to temporarily halt the strike that had been planned to commence last Thursday.
Unions react to closure of 91 branches and potential loss of 1,200 jobs at Standard Bank
- Details
Business Report writes that labour unions have reacted negatively to news that Standard Bank plans to close down 91 branches across the country, which might result in 1,200 people losing their jobs.
Group Five budgets for R233m in retrenchment pay as it enters business rescue
- Details
Fin24 reports that Group Five, which is conducting retrenchment proceedings, has estimated that it would need to pay out R233m in severance pay as it enters business rescue.
Commencement date for no-penalty early retirement scheme for GEPF members set for 1 April
- Details
City Press reports that state employees will soon be able to retire early with no penalties, but conditions will apply.
Armed guards escort suspended Bosasa staff off office premises after voluntary liquidation reversed
- Details
News24 reports that leaked photographs show that a day after the control of Bosasa (now known as African Global Operations) was handed back to CEO Gavin Watson and his fellow directors, armed security guards were called in to escort staff off the premises after they were summarily suspended on Friday morning.
Sans Souci teacher in 'slap video' to return to work with sanction of fine, final warning and anger management sessions
- Details
Fin24 reports that Clarissa Venter, the Afrikaans teacher who was captured on video when she slapped a Grade 9 pupil, will return to work in the second term.
The security problems bedeviling SA's trains and Minister Nzimande's plan to solve them
- Details
News24 reports that despite 6,638 security personnel working in four regions across the country, 24 trains and 289 coaches were vandalised or were subject to theft between October 2018 and February 2019.
Prasa places four executives on special leave, suspension
- Details
Fin24 reports that the board of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has placed various executives on special leave or suspension.
National police chief slams killing of two off-duty KZN cops in separate incidents
- Details
News24 reports that National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole has condemned the killing of two off-duty police officers in two separate incidents in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in less than 24 hours.
Amcu’s secondary strike bid ruled “unreasonable” in resounding Labour Court judgement
- Details
Miningmx reports that the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union’s (Amcu’s) efforts to broaden industrial action failed after the Labour Court on Friday judged a secondary strike bid to be unprotected, thereby preventing the union and its members from undertaking such action.
Roodepoort gardener dies after six bull terriers 'rip him to pieces' at work
- Details
The Star reports that a Roodepoort gardener has died after six bull terriers mauled him to death while at work. The man was at his employer's house in Ruimsig on Wednesday when the dogs attacked him.
Amcu calls on Ramaphosa to intervene in strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa on Wednesday called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the protracted strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations.
Retired ConCourt judge Zak Yacoob tried to pay for CCMA complaint to go away
- Details
Sowetan reports that “How much do you want to go away?” was a question that retired Constitutional Court (ConCourt) judge Zak Yacoob repeatedly asked the axed director of the KZN Blind and Deaf Society to persuade her to drop a CCMA case.
Zwane’s advisor instructed former mineral resources DG Thibedi Ramontja to resign within 20 minutes
- Details
The Citizen reports that former director-general (DG) of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), Dr Thibedi Ramontja, told the commission of inquiry into state capture on Thursday that one of the advisors of former minister of mineral resources Mosebenzi Zwane instructed him to tender his resignation within 20 minutes.
DA's Athol Trollip wins defamation claim over allegations about bad treatment of farmworkers
- Details
News24 reports that Democratic Alliance (DA) Eastern Cape leader Athol Trollip has been awarded R250,000 in a defamation case against an old friend who turned on him and posted on Facebook that he had been inhumane to his former farmworkers.
Shut down of six Soweto taxi routes from Friday after deadly feuds between associations will affect thousands
- Details
The Star reports that thousands Soweto taxi commuters will have to find alternative transport for the next three months, starting on Friday morning, because routes will be shut down amid deadly feuds between associations.
Three of SA’s top banks continue quietly to cut staff
- Details
Hilton Tarrant writes that three of SA’s five largest banks have been quietly cutting staff, particularly in retail units, to drive down stubbornly high cost-to-income ratios.
Strike by cops called off as police union agrees to meet minister, national commissioner on Thursday
- Details
EWN reports that the South African Policing Union (Sapu) made an about turn and halted Thursday's planned strike pending a meeting with Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Strike over bonuses looms on Thursday for media house Tiso Blackstar
- Details
The Star reports that workers are gearing up to bring media house Tiso Blackstar to a standstill on Thursday if the company does not pay its black journalists their bonuses and salary increases.
ArcelorMittal SA says contingency plans in place as Numsa strikes over ‘labour brokers’
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that steel producer ArcelorMittal SA (AMSA) says it has contingency plans at its various plants to minimise the potential impact on production of a National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) strike.
Vantage Goldfields, owner of Lily Mine, is a week away from liquidation after three years in business rescue
- Details
Moneyweb reports that after three years in business rescue, Vantage Goldfields is headed for liquidation unless a buyer emerges in the next few days.
Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson paid R5m 'performance bonus' two weeks before voluntary liquidation
- Details
News24 reports that two weeks before corruption-accused African Global Operations (AGO), formerly known as Bosasa, was placed under liquidation, the company paid its CEO Gavin Watson a R5m "performance bonus". This was over and above his monthly salary of R5.7m.
Amcu denies personal vendetta with Sibanye CEO Neal Froneman
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) on Tuesday denied that the strike action at precious metals miner Sibanye-Stillwater's gold operations had become a personal vendetta between the union’s president Joseph Mathunjwa and Sibanye CEO Neal Froneman.
NUM to march on ANC’s Luthuli House on 30 March to protest Eskom unbundling
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) announced on Tuesday that it would march on the African National Congress’ (ANC's) Luthuli House head office, in Johannesburg, on 30 March to voice its opposition to the unbundling of Eskom.