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.
Lonmin’s ambitious social and labour plans return to haunt it by putting Sibanye takeover at risk
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BL Premium writes that the bold projects Lonmin promised in plans underpinning its mining rights were perhaps too ambitious, assuming tasks that should be the local government’s responsibility, and which have now put a takeover by Sibanye-Stillwater at risk.
'Mass resignation of board members of private security provident fund not admission of any guilt'
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The Star reports that the Private Security Sector Provident Fund (PSSPF) has rejected the claim that the resignation of 10 board trustees amid a corruption investigation was an admission of guilt.
Pick n Pay could face protests by domestic workers’ union over ‘Maid’ and ‘Gardener’ mugs
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The Star reports that the South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers’ Union (Sadsawu) has threatened to mobilise its members to protest outside Pick n Pay franchises across the country over the retailer’s maid and gardener mugs.
Brits police officer arrested in connection with foiled cash-in-transit heist
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ANA reports that a policeman and a 36-year-old man, arrested in connection with a failed cash-in-transit heist, were due to appear in the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to apply for bail.
Violent Stutterheim protests flare up again amid accusations of jobs for sexual favours
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ANA reports that hundreds of Stutterheim residents from the Mlungisi township were unable to access their social grants payments on Wednesday due to violent clashes between the police and protesters.
Joburg construction worker survives being impaled with rod through torso
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ANA reports that a construction worker has been hospitalised after he fell onto a reinforcing steel rod and got injured when it penetrated his torso.
CWU warns of legal action against SABC over retrenchments
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The Citizen reports that the cash-strapped SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is forging ahead with plans to retrench close to 1,000 staff members, despite the Communication Workers Union (CWU) warning it will take legal action to stop that action.
Proposal to cap price of 93 octane petrol to be finalised by end of January
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TimesLive reports that the proposal to cap the price of 93 octane petrol would be finalised by the end of January, energy minister Jeff Radebe said on Wednesday during a question-and-answer session in parliament.
High salaries and jobs for friends: Former Pikitup MD implicated in Public Protector's report
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News24 reports that former Pikitup managing director Amanda Nair has featured prominently in the Public Protector's report on the waste management service provider, with legal action against her being one of the recommendations.
Two top cops suspended over dubious multi-million rand transactions
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TimesLive reports that two high-ranking officials within the SA Police Service have been suspended following an ongoing forensic investigation which has implicated them in dubious financial transactions amounting to hundreds of millions of rand.
West Rand municipal councillors held hostage by unpaid workers freed
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EWN reported on Thursday morning that West Rand District Municipal councillors held hostage in the council chambers by staff had been freed.
NUM to strike from Friday over Gold Fields’ plan to cut 1,100 jobs and 420 contractors at South Deep
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Miningmx reports that following the issuing of retrenchment letters by Gold Fields to just over 1,200 employees at its South Deep mine on Wednesday, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) served notice of a strike at the mine from Friday, 2 November.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 31 October 2018
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In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 31 October 2018.
Government must explain in simple language its plan to improve unemployment, say unions
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The Citizen reports that trade unions are in despair at the latest unemployment statistics revealed by Statistics SA on Tuesday.
Nehawu rejects SABC’s intention to retrench workers
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ANA reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) on Tuesday rejected the stated intention of the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to retrench 981 permanent workers and over 1,000 freelancers as part of a restructuring project.
Unqualified municipal finance officials given ultimatum to get qualified or face the axe
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IOL News reports that unqualified finance and supply chain management officials at municipalities across the country have been given 18 months to obtain their qualifications or face the chop.
Transnet suspends group finance head over misconduct allegations
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ANA reports that Transnet said on Wednesday that it had suspended its former group supply chain officer Edward Thomas pending investigations into various serious allegations of misconduct involving a number of contracts.
Hlaudi mostly to blame for SABC financial crisis and the looming job losses
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The Citizen reports that a wage bill of nearly half the SA Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC’s) income, poor management and a skewed staff-manager ratio are among key factors behind the public broadcaster’s planned restructuring.
Cracks beginning to show in Jobs Summit agreement as Cosatu takes issue with SABC layoffs
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Business Report writes that the millions of South Africans out of work will be pinning their hopes on the framework agreed to at the recently concluded Jobs Summit to create employment after the third quarter jobs data showed the unemployment rate at a year high of 27.5%.
Health department head office in Civitas building a hazard for staff
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The Citizen reports that the Department of Health (DOH) is planning to appeal the prohibition notice that led to its Pretoria head office being shut for being “unsafe and unhealthy”.
Cosatu to take its fight against e-tolls to Ramaphosa’s door on Friday
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BL PREMIUM writes that the e-tolls saga that has haunted the ANC since the implementation of the electronic tolling system on Gauteng highways in 2013 has set President Cyril Ramaphosa on a collision course with Cosatu.
Moyane complains to Ramaphosa that Sars inquiry judge portraying him as ‘the devil incarnate’
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TimesLive reports that suspended SA Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Tom Moyane has accused retired judge Robert Nugent of being hell-bent on portraying acting Sars commissioner Mark Kingon “as an angel” while Moyane was deemed “the devil incarnate”.
What economists say about SA’s shock jobless data
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BusinessLive writes that SA’s inability to absorb its growing labour force has resulted in the worsening of the unemployment rate, with the expanded rate rising to its worst level in a decade.
Murder trial of eight former Amcu leaders transferred to North Gauteng High Court
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News24 reports that the murder and attempted murder trial of eight former Association of Mineworker and Construction Union (Amcu) leaders has been transferred to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Shutdown in nine Limpopo municipalities on Friday as unions demand resignations in VBS scandal
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The Citizen reports that nine of Limpopo’s 25 municipalities are expected to come to a standstill on Friday as Cosatu and the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) put pressure on the ANC to axe cadres linked to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 30 October 2018
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Tuesday, 30 October 2018.
Unions slam SABC over proposed mass retrenchments
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EWN reports that labour unions have criticised the SA Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC’s) intention to retrench a large section of its workforce as part of a restructuring strategy.
Unions in public health bargaining council ‘inflating memberships’ to get increase funding
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The Star reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA) and several Cosatu and Saftu unions have been fingered for allegedly misrepresenting their membership in the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council.
Some R175,000 paid each month for idle guards at burnt-out Bank of Lisbon building
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The Star reports that the Gauteng Department of Health is paying nearly R175,000 every month to guard the Bank of Lisbon building, which caught fire on 5 September, leading to the tragic deaths of three firefighters.
Government to set up pay strategy to cope with recent wage increases
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BusinessLive reports that the government is to develop a remuneration strategy in all its three spheres and in public entities to help provinces and national departments cope with the added financial burden of footing public servants’ wage increases.