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.
Prasa’s trains will operate as usual after court action to halt possible safety permit suspension
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News24 reports that Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) announced on Sunday that its trains would continue to operate, despite a possible suspension by the Rail Safety Regulator (RSR).
Hospersa members threaten shutdown of KZN public health services
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GroundUp reports that members of the Health & Other Services Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa) have threatened a total shutdown of public health services if their demands are not met by the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) department of health within 14 days.
Suspension of Prasa’s safety permit could result in nationwide shutdown of all rail services
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City Press reports that according to the City of Cape Town, the possible suspension of the Passenger Railway Agency of SA’s (Prasa’s) safety permit could result in a nationwide shutdown of Metrorail services.
Tom Moyane wins battle to get his Sars disciplinary proceedings postponed
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BusinessLive reports that Tom Moyane has delivered the first blow to the presidency in his disciplinary inquiry‚ forcing proceedings to be postponed pending the outcome of a Constitutional Court (ConCourt) application on the legality of the hearing.
At least 320 injured in Kempton Park train crash on Thursday, no fatalities
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The Citizen reports that Metrorail has put the number of commuters injured during a collision between two passenger trains at Van Riebeeck Park Station near Kempton Park on Thursday evening at more than 320.
Jobs Summit deal to create 275,000 jobs a year, presidential implementation forum created
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BusinessLive reports that a deal between the government, labour and business struck at the Jobs Summit on Thursday fell short of agreeing to a moratorium on job losses, but could see the creation of another 275,000 jobs a year.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Thursday, 4 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
Thursday, 4 October 2018.
Cape legislature says no jobs will go in cost-cutting drive, notwithstanding PwC recommendation
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Cape Argus reports that no jobs will be lost at the Western Cape Legislature, although a draft enhancement project plan recommends that at least 38 permanent jobs should go.
Online job scammers target social media accounts of eThekwini municipal staff
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Daily News reports that the eThekwini Municipality has warned its own staff members not to post pictures of themselves on social media platforms wearing their work uniforms, while job seekers have been urged to disregard any advertisements on such platforms advertised by third parties on behalf of the municipality.
Widespread cynicism that jobs summit will be just another talk-shop
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Financial Mail reports that there is widespread cynicism about how much the presidential jobs summit this week will help SA’s unemployment crisis.
Eskom suspends senior manager pending investigations into internal audit reports
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Fin24 reports that Eskom announced on Thursday that it had placed its Senior General Manager of Assurance and Forensics, Molefi Nkhabu, on a precautionary suspension.
Businesses expected to agree at Jobs Summit to reporting on pay ratios
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Fin24 reports that the Jobs Summit, which kicked off on Thursday, is set to agree to a mechanism which will see businesses that employ more than 50 people reporting on pay ratios in their Annual Financial Statements.
Amcu’s Mathunjwa calls on government to implement more socialist policies to retain jobs
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Mining Weekly reports that Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) president Joseph Mathunjwa told the Joburg Indaba on Thursday that SA should transition from a constitutional democracy to a “social democracy” and implement more socialist policies to retain jobs in the mining sector.
Jobs Summit must address ‘job-destroying’ laws, says Institute of Race Relations
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ANA reports that the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) said on Thursday that the two-day jobs summit should address “job-destroying” policies such as the government’s plans to amend the constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation.
Basic education department dismisses claims of teachers leaving SA ‘in droves’
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The Citizen reports that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has dismissed media reports claiming that teachers were leaving the public education system in droves.
SA call centres set for a big jobs windfall from Brexit
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Reuters reports that SA’s burgeoning call-services sector, which gets more than half its work from Britain, could attract larger inflows as the effect of Brexit weighs and UK companies seek savings by moving operations offshore.
Finance chief quits Alexander Forbes, just eight days after CEO was fired
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BusinessLive reports that another top Alexander Forbes executive has resigned, just eight days after CEO Andrew Darfoor was fired. SA’s largest pension fund administrator said Naidene Ford-Hoon would leave her role as CFO and director on 31 December.
Quotes from economists and analysts about the Jobs Summit
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BusinessLive reports that government, business and labour are convening today for a two-day summit to focus on the unemployment crisis, amid criticism that this will be another talk shop.
Insurer Liberty insists its organisational redesign is not about job cuts
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BusinessLive reports that Liberty, SA’s third-largest life insurer, has been talking to staff amid concern that its "organisational redesign" would result in hundreds of job losses.
DA wants government to hand over authority for Metrorail to municipalities in Western Cape
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The Citizen reports that the recently announced Western Cape premier candidate for the Democratic Alliance (DA), Alan Winde, has vowed to continue to put pressure on the national government to hand over the authority for Metrorail to municipalities in the Western Cape so that they could effectively manage the daily operation of the region’s trains.
Construction sector job losses continue with Group Five shedding 1,000 jobs in past year
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Business Report writes that the jobs bloodbath in SA’s beleaguered construction sector is continuing, with construction and engineering company Group Five reducing its headcount by about 1,000 people in the past year, including the retrenchment of 600 permanent employees.
Two officials fired, seven arrested on charges of corruption in Mantashe’s DMR clean-up
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EWN reports that Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has revealed that seven suspects linked to his department have been arrested on charges of corruption in a clean-up of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).
EFF to open criminal case against fired DJ Sasha Martinengo
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The Citizen reports that the EFF has hit out at former Hot 91.9FM breakfast show host Sasha Martinengo, who was fired on Wednesday for referring to Julius Malema as ‘a monkey’ on live air.
Bus operators, still coping with 9% wage hike following strike, feel higher diesel price pain
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The Citizen reports that the Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) says the latest surge in fuel prices will cost bus companies millions to stay on the road. This was in response to the latest fuel price increase of 8.6% at midnight on Tuesday.
Cape Town activist group plans mass protest on Thursday over Metrorail's poor services
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EWN reports that activist group ‘Unite Behind’ is planning a mass protest in Cape Town on Thursday against Metrorail's poor services. The organisation said it would also launch its #DelayRepay campaign.
Fears that record fuel price hike could lead to job cuts
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EWN reports that there are concerns from workers and the business sector that this week’s record fuel price hike could lead to job cuts and, in worst case scenarios, the forced closure of small enterprises.
Undisclosed ‘agreement’ sees public enterprises director-general leaving public service
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ANA reports that the public enterprises ministry has confirmed that director-general Richard Seleke will be leaving the public service.
SANDF soldier who murdered colleague who was his girlfriend in DRC loses appeal
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Timeslive reports that a soldier who shot dead his girlfriend while they were both deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has failed in his appeal against a 20-year sentence for murder.
Cape Town factory gutted by blaze on Wednesday, no injuries reported
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ANA reports that dozens of firefighters were dispatched to Blackheath outside Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon to extinguish a blaze at a factory in Range Road.
Three unions sign three-year wage deal with Harmony Gold
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Reuters reports that Harmony Gold said on Wednesday that it had signed a three-year wage agreement with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Solidarity and Uasa, effective from 1 July 2018.