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.
New minimum wages for farm, forestry employees from 1 March 2018
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The Department of Labour has announced that minimum wages for employees in the farm and forestry sectors are set to increase by 5.6% from 1 March 2018.
Councillors in Buffalo City Metro in line for 6% salary boost, backdated to July 2017
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DispatchLive reports that Buffalo City Metro councillors are in line to get salary increases of up to 6%, backdated to July last year.
Plea by Cosatu for Ramaphosa to intervene in Cape Town’s water crisis
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TimesLive reports that the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) in the Western Cape has called on Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the water crisis faced by the City of Cape Town.
Unisa wage strike prompts prospective students to blockade Durban road
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TimesLive reports that a strike by University of South Africa (Unisa) staff sparked renewed protest action by prospective students in Durban on Wednesday.
Consumer inflation stabilised at 4.7% in December despite leap in fuel prices
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BusinessLive reports that consumer inflation edged up as expected in December, as a hefty fuel price increase took a chunk out of consumers’ wallets but was counterbalanced by lower inflation elsewhere, including food.
Eskom's Koko breached his suspension conditions by contacting colleagues
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BusinessLive reports that embattled Eskom executive Matshela Koko, who escaped dismissal through a sham disciplinary process, broke the strict conditions of his suspension by regularly contacting Eskom employees.
Ten Limpopo traffic cops arrested for taking bribes from motorists
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TimesLive reports that ten traffic officers have been arrested in Polokwane for allegedly taking bribes from motorists who had committed offences.
National Minimum Wage Initiative objects to bill’s exclusion of contractors
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BusinessLive reports that there is mounting fear that the national minimum wage (NMW) legislation will exclude even more vulnerable workers than stipulated due to its design.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on Tuesday, 23 January 2018
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Tuesday, 23 January 2018.
Durban University of Technology's staff strike threatens start of lectures
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TimesLive reports that striking staffers at the embattled Durban University of Technology (DUT) have vowed to continue with their industrial action despite the prospect of "no work‚ no pay".
Tshwane metro yet to decide on ‘Vat Alles’ march on Friday
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Pretoria North Rekord reports that Tshwane metro police are still mulling over whether to give dismissed “operation Vat Alles” workers permission to march on Friday or not.
Oxfam urges South Africa to reduce widening wealth gap
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BusinessLive writes that according to Oxfam’s new report titled ‘Reward Work, Not Wealth’, the amount of wealth concentrated in the top 1% of society’s richest individuals came at a great cost to the working class and the poor, who were now worse off than before with the rise in inequality levels.
Six months ago after losing his arm at work, worker still waiting for compensation
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GroundUp reports on the case of Ntongenzani Ngidi (57) from KwaSithebe in Mandeni, north of Durban, who has not received any compensation after losing his arm in a work accident in August and is finding it difficult to look after himself and his family.
Denosa KZN stops its nurses from escorting patients from one health care facility to another
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Daily News reports that the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) branch of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) is stopping its members from escorting patients from one health care facility to another.
Health department shows incompetence with the placement of nurses, says Solidarity
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Maroela Media reports that in a letter addressed to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Monday, trade union Solidarity cautioned the department to comply with its statutory duty to place nurses for their community service year.
Communications minister to weigh in on SABC executive appointments saga
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BusinessLive reports that Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane will have the opportunity on Tuesday to present her side of the story to the parliamentary portfolio committee on communications in the SABC executive appointments saga.
Torching of Tshwane waste depot by former EPWP employees condemned
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Pretoria News reports that the City of Tshwane has strongly condemned the torching of its depot in Mabopane on Monday by a group of disgruntled former Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers.
Nehawu’s wage strike at Unisa may spread to UP
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Pretoria News reports that workers at the University of Pretoria (UP) could join their Unisa counterparts in a strike for higher wages, the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said on Monday.
Saftu welcomes Singh’s resignation from Eskom, calls for him and Koko to be criminally charged
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ANA reports that the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) on Tuesday welcomed the resignation of Eskom’s chief financial officer, Anoj Singh, and called for him to be criminally charged for corruption and impropriety.
Metrorail advises Cape Town central line to remain suspended until further notice
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News24 reports that Cape Town train commuters have no option but to rely on alternative transport until the central line is operational.
Wits University workers to down tools on Tuesday over wage dispute
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SABC News reports that workers at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) were expected to go on strike on Tuesday following a wage dispute with management.
Worker dies allegedly helping boss at illegal mine to get rid of explosives
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News24 reports that a 53-year-old man has died after allegedly trying to get rid of explosives for his boss, who had been arrested on a charge of illegal operating a chrome mining in Limpopo.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on Monday, 22 January 2018
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Monday, 22 January 2018.
South Africa’s richest take home half of all income: Oxfam report
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BusinessTech reports that British think tank and charity group Oxfam has published its annual inequality report, claiming that levels of inequality have increased across the globe over the past year.
Joburg Metro cops injured in two separate attacks over weekend
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TimesLive reports that two Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers have been discharged from hospital after they were attacked by a taxi driver and passengers in Cosmo City on Saturday.
Why skills mismatch and joblessness stem from failed education system
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BusinessLive writes that the persistent problem of skills mismatch in the labour market has not only become a significant contributor to the unemployment crisis, but is also a signifier of an ineffective education system unable to meet the economy’s needs.
Savage zama zama killings on East Rand continue unabated
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The Star reports that the family of a murdered illegal miner ambushed in the escalating zama zama turf war have been moved to a place of safety as fears of revenge attacks between rival mining groups grip the community of the N12 informal settlement in Cloverdene, Benoni.
Fawu and Tongaat-Hulett Starch reach agreement ending two-week strike
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The New Age reports that following a stand-off of more than two weeks between the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) and Tongaat-Hulett Starch (THS), the parties have reached a settlement.
Cosatu calls on national government to urgently intervene in Cape Town water crisis
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EWN reports that labour federation Cosatu has called on national government to urgently intervene in Cape Town's water crisis. On Sunday, the federation led a march to the city’s civic center.
Battle between SABC board and minister over top jobs continues
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City Press writes that with the three top positions at the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) filled by acting executives, the public broadcaster’s board and Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane cannot agree who has the final say in making the permanent appointments.