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.
Funding shortage torpedoes Productivity SA’s Turnaround Solutions job-saving project
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the government’s jobs-saving programme‚ led by the Department of Labour’s Productivity SA‚ has been suspended as a result of funding shortages.
Numsa and NUM take Eskom’s latest wage offer back to members
- Details
ANA reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Friday that it would be taking the latest wage offer made by power utility Eskom to its members for ratification.
Gautrain workers threaten to intensify their wage strike
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has threatened to intensify its Gautrain wage strike, which saw more than 300 Gautrain employees taking industrial action this week.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Thursday, 2 August 2018
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Thursday, 2 August 2018.
Solidarity accepts Eskom’s wage offer and will assist in stabilising power grid
- Details
In a statement on Thursday, trade union Solidarity announced that it had accepted Eskom’s offer of a wage increase of 7.5% for this year, a 7% increase for years two and three with a guaranteed increase equal to the CPI on housing, as well as a once-off cash payment of R5,000 after taxes.
Mineral resources minister says Implats job cuts ‘reckless’ and ‘arrogant’
- Details
Reuters reports that Mineral Resources Minister, Gwede Mantashe, has urged platinum producer Impala Platinum to reconsider its plans to slash its workforce by a third over two years, calling the firm’s actions “careless”.
Tom Moyane eyes court bid to stop SARS disciplinary hearing
- Details
BusinessLive reports that suspended SA Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Tom Moyane is preparing to go to court as he continues his bid to halt processes to uncover actions that led to the destruction of the tax agency under his watch.
Higher education department intervenes in University of Fort Hare wage impasse
- Details
SABC News reports that the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is engaging with stakeholders at Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape to find a solution to the eight week-long strike over wages.
Prasa keeps trains running after securing temporary safety permit to end of August
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has issued the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) with a temporary safety permit to allow trains to continue operating.
Transport union welcomes appointment of Siza Mzimela as acting SA Express CEO
- Details
ANA reports that the National Transport Movement (NTM) on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of Siza Mzimela as acting chief executive of beleaguered airline, SA Express (SAX).
Cyril Ramaphosa choosing ANC over country, says Solidarity
- Details
ANA reports that trade union Solidarity said on Wednesday that the ruling ANC showed its true colours when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the party was in support of changing the Constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation.
City of Joburg created 109,000 new jobs in first two quarters, says Mashaba
- Details
ANA reports that Mayor Herman Mashaba on Thursday announced that the City of Johannesburg had created "109 000 new jobs in the first two quarters of 2018 and reduced the expanded unemployment rate from 32.3% to 30.8%".
'Uncontrollable' fuel and energy costs added to jobs losses, says Seifsa
- Details
Fin24 reports that the loss of 105,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector in the second quarter of 2018 highlighted subdued domestic demand for industry, and uncertainty over global growth.
Ramaphosa initiates process to suspend NPA’s Jiba, Mrwebi
- Details
BusinessLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has dropped his predecessor Jacob Zuma’s legal battle to protect controversial prosecutions heavyweights Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi
Uber partners with Chubb to cover SA drivers for death or injury
- Details
BusinessLive reports that Uber is partnering with security and insurance company Chubb to cover its South African drivers in case of death or injury.
Higher Education Department wants to name and shame those with bogus degrees
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has proposed naming and shaming fraudsters who claim fake qualifications in an online public register administered by the SA Qualifications Authority (Saqa).
As it bleeds jobs, manufacturing sector concerned about its future
- Details
BusinessLive reports that as the manufacturing sector bleeds jobs, factory owners are worried about its future. This comes as employment statistics released on Tuesday showed that the sector lost 55,000 jobs year-on-year in the second quarter.
Trade and Industry at odds with Treasury over Employment Creation Fund
- Details
BusinessLive reports that hundreds of millions of rand meant for beneficiaries of the Employment Creation Fund (ECF) have not been disbursed, allegedly because of a dispute between the Treasury and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Impala Platinum to cut 13,000 jobs within two years in sweeping overhaul
- Details
BusinessLive reports that Impala Platinum (Implats) is cutting its future production to 520,000oz of platinum and slashing the number of its mines to six from 11, with 13,000 jobs to go within two years.
Striking Untu members call for commuters to boycott Gautrain
- Details
Fin24 reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has appealed to commuters to boycott the Gautrain and support its "friendly employees" as the strike entered the fourth day on Thursday.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 1 August 2018
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 1 August 2018.
Sabotage has nothing to do with Eskom wage talks, says Solidarity
- Details
EWN reports that trade union Solidarity said on Tuesday that Eskom and the police should act swiftly against striking Eskom workers who were purposefully sabotaging the running of power stations.
De Beers to proceed with closure of Voorspoed mine after failing to find a buyer
- Details
BusinessLive reports that De Beers is closing its Voorspoed mine after failing to find a suitable buyer for the 700,000-carats-a-year operation, but the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has stepped in to try and find a buyer before the end of August.
Fatal attack on KNP staffer clouds World Ranger Day celebration
- Details
The Citizen writes that it used to be creatures with teeth and poisonous plants that SANParks rangers had to watch out for, but now their most dangerous foes are human predators armed with rifles and a shopping list for environmental contraband.
Tom Moyane loses all objections in SARS disciplinary inquiry
- Details
BusinessLive reports that suspended SA Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Tom Moyane has lost all the objections he lodged against the disciplinary inquiry he is facing.
SA faces being plunged into darkness as Eskom pay talks hit a wall
- Details
The Star reports that electricity users should brace for indeterminate load shedding as wage negotiations between Eskom and its protesting employees hit a brick wall.
Suspected train arsonist held after fire at Cape Town station
- Details
Timeslive reports that police arrested a suspect who attempted to torch a train on Tuesday at Cape Town station.
Gautrain moves to normalise peak period operations, as Untu strike continues
- Details
Fin24 reports that as the indefinite Gautrain strike continued into a third day on Wednesday, management expanded the limited operations and opened the Rosebank station where bus routes will also be operated during peak periods.
Municipal workers get 7% wage rise from July, with extra 0.5% for lowest paid from October
- Details
The Citizen reports that the arbitrator in the wage dispute in the municipal sector issued his arbitration award on Tuesday and ruled in favour of the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu).
SANDF withdraws its medical emergency services from the North West
- Details
News24 reports that according to SA National Defence Force (SANDF) chief General Solly Shoke, restoring the North West to some normality was a "mission accomplished" and the military would be pulling out of the province with immediate effect.