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.
Schools are high risk areas for sexual abuse by teachers and caretakers: Shabangu
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City Press reports that Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Women, Susan Shabangu, said on Saturday that schools, which were meant to be safe havens for children, were now high risk areas for them to be sexually abused by teachers and caretakers.
Scarcity of cardiac specialists at public hospitals a worry
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SABC News reports that a number of cardiac specialists have expressed concern about the dire shortage of specialists and resources to treat patients with heart-related illnesses at public hospitals.
S&P downgrade will lead to SA job losses, warns economist
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Fin24 reports that according to Lesiba Mothata, chief economist at Alexander Forbes Investments, South African jobs will be lost as a direct result of Friday night's downgrade of SA's long-term local currency debt to junk status by S&P Global Ratings.
Desperate student doctors without intern placements for 2018 turn to social media
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eNCA reports that frustrated student doctors are using social media, under the hashtag #UnemployedDoctors, to complain about their uncertain futures.
UIF to visit employers in various towns in the Northern Cape
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The Department of Labour reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) will be conducting a door-to-door campaign in Olifantshoek, Postmasburg, Danielskuil, Lime Acres and Kathu in the Northern Cape from Monday, 27 November.
IMD report shows SA lagging globally in developing employee talent
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Fin24 reports that a lack of development of employees beyond schooling was one of the weaknesses that dragged down SA’s competitiveness in the IMD World Talent Ranking report for 2017.
Hearing of Chamber’s application to set aside Mining Charter III postponed until February
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Miningmx reports that the High Court has postponed a hearing into the revised Mining Charter, which had been set for 13 and 14 December, deciding instead that the scale and complexity of the matter required a three day inquiry.
Fears for Prasa officer's life after shootout at Cape Town station
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Cape Times reports on a shootout at the Bonteheuwel-Netreg station on Thursday that saw a 31-year-old Metrorail Protection Service (MPS) official rushed to Groote Schuur Hospital.
Klipspruit West Clinic reopened after closure due to security threats to patients and staff
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TimesLive reports that operations have resumed at the Klipspruit West Clinic after it was closed due to security threats to patients and staff.
Former public works official and four alleged accomplices in court in R3.6m fraud case
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BusinessLive reports that a former public works official was due appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of fraud‚ corruption and money laundering.
Popcru reacts to appointment of new police boss
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IOL News reports that the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) on Thursday reacted to the appointment of General Khehla John Sitole as the new national police commissioner.
Nehawu tells KZN to 'fix the mess' at the health department or face an all-out strike
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ANA reports that the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has warned of an all-out strike if the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) government does not “step up in fixing the mess” at the provincial health department.
Draft bills on introduction of national minimum wage go before Parliament
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BusinessLive reports that the Department of Labour has introduced draft bills in Parliament providing for the national minimum wage (NMW) agreed upon through lengthy negotiations within the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).
Timor-Leste embassy claims diplomatic immunity over unfair sacking of pregnant employee
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The Citizen reports that a young mother is struggling despite winning a court battle for unfair dismissal against the Timor-Leste embassy in Pretoria.
City of Joburg to engage Department of Mineral Resources on illegal mining
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TimesLive reports that Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba says he will be engaging with mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane on how they can work together to avert the serious threat to the city posed by illegal mining.
Brian Molefe's pension payout was unlawful, says Solidarity
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EWN reports that according to trade union Solidarity, legal correspondence with former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe and the power utility’s board has revealed clear evidence that his R30 million pension payout amounted to criminal conduct.
Brown says Molefe didn’t correct her when she referred to his ‘resignation’ from Eskom
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ANA reports that Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown on Wednesday told a parliamentary inquiry she was convinced that former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe had resigned from the state-owned power utility.
Police exchange fire with illegal miners at Dawn Park: four killed‚ 17 arrested
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TimesLive reports that four illegal miners were killed and 17 were arrested following a shoot-out with the police at an open field in Dawn Park‚ east of Johannesburg‚ on Thursday morning.
Prasa concerned by overcrowding of trains in Western Cape
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EWN reports that the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has expressed concern after videos recently surfaced on social media showing Metrorail passengers riding on top of moving trains and clinging onto the sides of carriages.
NUM announces new coal industry wage deal, but strike at Kangra to proceed
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Miningmx reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) confirmed on Thursday it had signed a new, three-year agreement with coal mining members of the Chamber of Mines.
Auditor-general finds payment of SARS performance bonuses unlawful
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BusinessLive reports that the auditor-general has found that the SA Revenue Service (SARS) has failed to comply with legislation by unlawfully paying bonuses to staff without the approval of the Finance Minister.
Government plans to reduce number of Setas through mergers
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BusinessLive reports that the government is looking to reduce the number of sector education and training authorities (Setas) as part of broader plans to revamp the post-school education and training system.
Cosatu wants ANC to change its constitution to limit Zuma’s power to reshuffle his Cabinet
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Bloomberg reports that union federation Cosatu is looking to alter the balance of power in its alliance with the ANC and wants the party to change its constitution to limit the president’s power to reshuffle his Cabinet.
Career officer Khehla Sitole gets national police commissioner job
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BusinessLive reports that Gen Khehla Sitole has been appointed as the new national police commissioner by President Jacob Zuma.
Tough demands from public service unions as wage talks start
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BusinessLive reports that acting director-general at the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), Sam Vukela, appeared before Parliament’s portfolio committee on public service and administration on Wednesday.
Gold mining silicosis case nears out-of-court settlement
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Reuters reports that lawyers acting for thousands of miners who contracted fatal lung diseases silicosis and tuberculosis in mines said on Tuesday settlement talks with implicated gold companies for an out-of-court deal could be reached by December.
Consumer inflation slows to 4.8% in October, after two months of increased rates
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BusinessLive reports that consumer inflation dipped as expected in October, thanks in part to smaller fuel price increases and a continued moderation of food inflation.
National Assembly approves sugar tax, with task team to monitor effect on job losses
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BusinessLive reports that the bill providing for the implementation of a tax on sugary beverages was passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Doctor arrested for allegedly selling medical certificates in Rustenburg
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ANA reports that a 62-year-old doctor was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly selling medical certificates in Rustenburg, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in North West said.
Distribution and Warehousing Network (Dawn) has retrenched 1,300 staff in two years
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Business Report writes that Distribution and Warehousing Network (Dawn), the listed manufacturer and distributor of plumbing and hardware brands, has retrenched about 1,300 people in the past two years.