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.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 4 February 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, 4 February 2019.
Eskom revises proposed tariff upwards as it unveils shock changes to Nersa application
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Engineering News reports that embattled electricity utility Eskom has made shock adjustments to its revenue application currently before the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa), which, if approved, would translate into tariff increases that are even higher than the 15% a year hikes sought in its initial application.
Public Servants Association says its concerns about PIC corruption vindicated
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ANA reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents government employees and pensioners, said on Monday the concerns it had previously raised about the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) had been vindicated by allegations of corruption and impropriety against the fund manager’s board and senior officials.
Case related to Marikana murders that happened prior to 16 August 2012 postponed to May
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ANA reports that seventeen mineworkers facing multiple charges relating to a violent strike at Lonmin mine in Marikana near Rustenburg seven years ago appeared briefly in the North West High Court in Mogwase on Monday.
Cosatu strike later this month set to be litmus test for Ramaphosa
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The Citizen writes that later this month President Cyril Ramaphosa is to face his first Cosatu-led national strike since he came to power. This will likely prove to be a litmus test of the improved political relationship between the labour federation and the ANC government.
Senior JMPD officials ‘rigged interview process’ for facilities manager post
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Sowetan reports that senior officials at the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) have been accused of rigging an interview process for the post of facilities manager in order to appoint their preferred candidate.
Prisoner escapes at Joburg high court blamed on staff shortages and inexperienced orderlies
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Sowetan reports that the escape of prisoners at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Friday has been blamed on staff shortages and inexperienced court orderlies.
Cosatu’s Losi says 'each person must face own skeletons’ at state capture inquiry
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Independent News reports that on Friday Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi referred to explosive allegations made before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture implicating senior members of the ANC.
Protesters demanding jobs at Durban’s King Dinuzulu hospital set city bus alight
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TimesLIVE reports that protesters set fire to a Durban city bus in Overport on Monday morning.
City of Cape Town in 'jobs for pals’ scandal
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Weekend Argus reports that the City of Cape Town council is engaged in a fresh fight over a “jobs for pals” scandal implicating the Department of Safety and Security’s JP Smith and Richard Bosman.
Fawu distances itself from stabbing, injuring of schoolchildren by Blue Ribbon Bread strikers
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Cape Times reports that the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu), representing hundreds of Blue Ribbon Bread workers in Salt River, Cape Town, has distanced itself from the torching of a vehicle, stabbing of a company promoter and injuring of schoolchildren.
Eight senior managers at Transnet served with suspension notices
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EWN reports that eight senior managers at Transnet have been served with suspension notices.
Parliamentary committee says death of two cops in KZN cash heist shootout 'a huge loss'
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ANA reports that Parliament's police portfolio committee said on Sunday that more resources needed to be allocated to police specialised units combating highly trained and heavily armed cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers and for other high-risk operations.
Cosatu prepares for its national strike on 13 February 2019
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Independent News reports that labour federation Cosatu is gearing up for a national strike in two weeks’ time to protest against retrenchments, unemployment, corruption and racism.
Roundup on Monday, 4 February 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, 1 February 2019.
Unions warn SABC not to use skills audit as a means to retrench employees
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The Sunday Independent reports that unions have warned the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) not to use the skills audit process as a means to retrench workers after the public broadcaster abandoned its plans to invoke Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act.
EFF manifesto: corrupt government employees will forfeit pension funds, savings
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EWN reports that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has pledged to pass legislation that would make all public representatives and civil servants forfeit their pension funds and savings if they were found guilty of corruption.
KwaDukuza commuters left in lurch due to shortage of trains
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Daily News reports that a shortage of trains has left commuters from KwaDukuza, north of Durban, in the lurch. They faced a similar struggle in October when train services to Durban were cancelled because of maintenance problems.
KZN prisons boss Mnikelwa Nxele takes his suspension to high court
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Sunday Tribune reports that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Correctional Services Commissioner Mnikelwa Nxele last week approached the Durban High Court in a bid to have his suspension lifted.
Amcu members seen at EFF manifesto launch in Soshanguve on Saturday
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BusinessLive reports that dozens of Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) members on Saturday joined the EFF for its manifesto launch in Soshanguve.
Higher metal prices open up options for Implats in implementing restructuring plans
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BusinessLive reports that improved prices for the metals Impala Platinum (Implats) produces has given it flexibility in how it pursues its restructuring, a process to which the board has an unswerving commitment according to CEO Nico Muller.
Numsa calls on Nersa to stop IPP project at Eskom and to reject any tariff increase
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Business Report writes that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has demanded that the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) that were signed with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) be set aside on the grounds that the National Energy Regulator (Nersa) authorised the agreements without proper public consultation.
Suspension of senior Unisa employee lifted after colleagues protest
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News24 reports that a senior University of South Africa (Unisa) staffer has had his suspension lifted after a group of his colleagues protested outside the institution's main campus in Pretoria on Friday.
Nine killed, including two cops, in KZN cash-in-transit heist on Friday
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News24 reports that nine people were killed, including two police officers, in a cash-in-transit heist in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), on Friday night.
Cash-strapped SABC ordered to pay damages of R990,000 to ex-employee over false racism allegation
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News24 reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has been ordered by the Gauteng High Court to pay R990,000 in damages to its former sports commentator Pieter van den Berg, who was falsely accused of racism.
National Minimum Wage Act already tangling up CCMA
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In an interview with Chris Barron, the director of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), Cameron Morajane, says that a lack of consultation with the statutory body has led to flawed minimum wage legislation, which will hinder its implementation.
PIC board quits en masse, with possible knock-on effects for Edcon rescue
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Business Times reports that under the weight of scrutiny for alleged wrongdoing and impropriety, the entire board of the Public Investment Corp (PIC), Africa's largest pension manager, sent out a letter of resignation late on Friday.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Thursday, 31 January 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
Thursday, 31 January 2019.
Amcu says Sibanye-Stillwater has made new court bid to halt gold strike
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ANA reports that according to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater has filed another application at the Labour Court for an interdict preventing the union’s members from continuing with a wage strike at the gold operations.
Nehawu welcomes probe following whistleblower’s allegations into PIC directors, acting CEO
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ANA reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) on Wednesday welcomed the decision by the board of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to investigate allegations of impropriety against its acting chief executive officer, Matshepo More, and two non-executive directors.