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.
EFF want MEC Vadi and Minister Nzimande to take responsibility for fatal Pretoria train collision
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SABC News reports that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng says Transport MEC Ismail Vadi and Transport Minister Blade Nzimande must take responsibility for Tuesday’s fatal train collision in Pretoria.
National minimum wage applies from May 2017 due to error in legislation
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Landbouweekblad reports that the new National Minimum Wage Act (No. 9 of 2018) will have to be referred back to Parliament because it contains a far-reaching error.
Backlash against racist treatment of guard brings Bronkhorstspruit to a halt on Tuesday
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The Citizen reports that the ANC Youth League’s (ANCYL’s) march against racism not only brought Bronkhorstspruit, east of Pretoria, to a standstill on Tuesday, but three surrounding townships were also on lockdown, with people barred from leaving.
Contracts of Limpopo community service pharmacists, intern-nurses and others not renewed
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SABC News reports that the contracts of community service pharmacists, intern-nurses and other professionals in the Limpopo Department of Health will not be renewed when they expire at the end of the month.
Six illegal miners nabbed during gun battle in Actonville in Ekurhuleni
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ANA reports that Gauteng police said on Wednesday that they had taken in for questioning a group of six men suspected to be involved in illegal mining and gangsterism in the Ekurhuleni areas of Benoni, Springs and Actonville.
We want to show Sibanye-Stillwater that we mean business, Mathunjwa tells Amcu strikers
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ANA reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) vowed on Tuesday to continue with its protected strike at Sibanye-Stillwater's gold operations until its demand of a R1,000 annual wage increment for the next three-year period was met.
Sibanye’s gold operations going strong despite Amcu wage strike
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Business Report writes that precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater is going strong with its gold operations at the Kloof, Beatrix and Driefontein mines open for business.
Hundreds of doctors left in limbo without community service and internship placements
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The Citizen reports that hundreds of graduates are sitting at home after the Department of Health (DOH) bungled their placement into public health facilities to do community service and internships.
SA’s youth jobless rate of 52.8% ranked as the highest in the world
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BusinessLive notes that the Spectator Index has ranked SA’s youth unemployment rate as the highest in the world.
Commuters’ concerns mount after fourth Gauteng train crash in four months
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TimesLive reports that commuters have taken to Twitter to raise their concerns about travelling by train, following four crashes in Gauteng in as many months.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 8 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
Tuesday, 8 January 2019.
Metalworkers union Limusa slams Denel for appointing a white CEO
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ANA reports that the Liberated Metalworkers Union of SA (Limusa) on Monday rejected the appointment of Daniel du Toit as the group CE of state-owned arms manufacturer, Denel.
Sibanye-Stillwater unable to absorb impact of Amcu wage strike indefinitely, analyst warns
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Miningmx reports that Sibanye-Stillwater could not absorb the impact of a strike by the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (Amcu) for a protracted period, according to Hurbey Geldenhuys, an analyst for Vunani Securities.
ANCYL targets security company’s business contracts after supervisor strips then sacks guard
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SowetanLive reports that the small town of Bronkhorstspruit east of Pretoria was expected to come to a standstill on Tuesday. Residents planned a shutdown to protest a security guard having been stripped down to his underwear and forced to walk 3km in the rain.
Minimum wage regulations gazetted, permitting exemptions to pay 10% under stipulated rate
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The Star reports that Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant has issued regulations permitting the exemption of employers who are unable to pay the national minimum wage that was passed by the National Assembly last year.
NUM says 15 houses and six cars burnt during Amcu strike at Sibanye gold mines
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SABC News reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has condemned the escalation of attacks on its members, allegedly by striking members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) in Carletonville, west of Johannesburg.
Rescuers work to free passengers in deadly Pretoria train crash on Tuesday
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TimesLive reports two people (later reported to have risen to three) have been killed and dozens injured in a train accident on Tuesday near Pretoria's Mountain View train station.
Rescue of Shiva Uranium resumes after months of delays, employees get full month’s salary
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BusinessLive reports that the rescue of the Gupta’s embattled Shiva Uranium has sprung back into life after months of delays.
Denosa may take KZN health department to court over failure to absorb 190 newly-qualified nurses
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The Mercury reports that the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) has threatened to take the KwaZulu-Natal health department to court for not permanently employing about 190 nurses after four years of training, including community service.
State declines to prosecute Hartbeespoort store owner for alleged assault of employee
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News24 reports that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has declined to prosecute the owner of Food Lover's Market and Spar franchises in Hartbeespoort in the North West in connection with the alleged assault of an employee.
NUM deeply angry over nonpayment of salaries to Optimum, Koornfontein employees
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Mining Weekly reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Monday expressed its ‘deep anger’ over the nonpayment of employees’ salaries for the past two months at the Optimum and Koornfontein coal mines.
Labour warns of looming jobs bloodbath in 2019
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Business Report writes that labour has warned of a jobs bloodbath this year, following implementation of the much-touted national minimum wage on 1 January. And industry stakeholders have warned that this could affect the struggling SA economy battling a 27.5% unemployment rate.
Minimum wage implementation and land will top agendas of government and parliament this year
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The Citizen reports that wages, land and free education will be at the centre of several key implementation and legislative processes expected to dominate government and parliament this year. Not least of these is the implementation of the National Minimum Wage Act, which was signed into law last year.
Amcu’s Sibanye wage strike continues as union membership verification process is adjourned
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ANA reports that Sibanye-Stillwater advised on Monday that the mediator of the ongoing strike at its SA gold operations would approach the Labour Court to seek guidance about the process of verification of union membership.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 7 January 2019
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 7 January 2019.
Ruling on review application in respect of prosecution of sixteen Marikana mineworkers awaited
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ANA reports that the High Court in Pretoria is expected to make a ruling soon on whether 16 Marikana mineworkers -- facing multiple charges relating to a violent strike at Lonmin mining operations in Marikana near Rustenburg six years ago -- should be prosecuted or discharged.
Call by basic education DG for six out of 10 schools in SA to become technical schools
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TimesLive reports that basic education director-general (DG) Mathanzima Mweli said on 3 January 2019 during a technical briefing ahead of the release of the 2018 matric results that six out of 10 schools in SA needed to become technical schools.
Higher Education Department warns about bogus colleges
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The Citizen reports that the Department of Higher Education and Training posted a link on the SA Government Facebook page on Monday for 2018 matriculants to use to browse the list of registered private higher education institutions and the courses they were qualified to offer.
Sadtu in Western Cape launches new communication app for teachers and pupils
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Cape Argus reports that to ease the workload for teachers this year, the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has launched an app.
Suspected killer of Mpumalanga cop and her husband nabbed
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News24 reports that a 31-year-old alleged police killer has been arrested and is due to appear in court on charges of murder, armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm.