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.
Miner dies in rockfall at Anglo American Platinum operation in Rustenburg
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ANA reports that Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) on Monday reported a death at one of its mines in Rustenburg in the North West province.
Mpumalanga police captain killed in shoot-out at filling station
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ANA reports that a police captain was shot dead on Monday and another policeman wounded, while others were robbed of their service firearms, during a robbery at a filling station in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on Monday, 6 November 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Monday, 6 November 2017.
High anxiety amongst GEPF members over risk of state capture of PIC
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Business Times reports that jittery members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) are considering resigning from the fund to get hold of their retirement savings for fear of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) falling victim to ‘state capture’.
Amid share price meltdown, Lonmin to showcase social projects
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Reuters reports that embattled platinum producer Lonmin was due on Monday to unveil new health and road projects in a ceremony that will be overshadowed by its latest share price collapse.
Ford’s new investment of R3bn in Pretoria plant means hundreds of jobs
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Business Report writes that hundreds of new direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created by a new R3bn investment by the Ford Motor Company of SA (FMCSA) to further increase the manufacturing capacity of its Silverton plant in Pretoria.
‘Nkandla’ disciplinary hearings end with officials 'punished' with suspensions of no more than two months
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Sunday Tribune reports that suspensions of no more than two months are all the 11 public works officials charged with flouting procurement procedures in the controversial security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla private residence got.
Concern over high fatality rate thus far this year at SA mines
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The Citizen reports that according to the Chamber of Mines of SA (COM), at least 76 mineworkers have been killed and 2,156 miners sustained serious injuries since the beginning of this year.
Taxi strike on Wednesday and march in Pretoria could delay matrics arriving for exams
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The Star reports that the National Taxi Association (NTA) plans to go on strike on Wednesday and has warned commuters to make alternative plans on that day.
NUM and Cosatu to march on Monday against layoffs at Sibanye-Stillwater’s SA operations
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ANA reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) West Cluster were expected to march to Sibanye-Stillwater in Westonaria at noon on Monday to demand that the precious metals producer reverse plans to cut jobs.
Broadcasting union Bemawu wants to resume wage strike at SABC
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EWN reports that the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers’ Union (Bemawu) is trying to resume its strike over salaries at the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) after it was forced to abandon the action last week.
Body of soldier slain in DRC returned to her family
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Daily News reports that the body of a soldier who was allegedly shot and killed by her boyfriend while on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was handed over to her family at Air Force Base Waterkloof on Saturday.
Agreement with disgruntled workers will ease Ugu’s water woes
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IOL News reports that the KwaZulu-Natal government has stepped in to resolve a stand-off between the Ugu District Municipality and disgruntled workers who were allegedly sabotaging the water supply to some South Coast towns.
NUM calls for inquest into mine fatalities as two more deaths raise alarm
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Business Report writes that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called for an investigation into rising fatalities in the mining industry after two mineworkers died last week at AngloGold Ashanti’s (AGA’s) Mponeng mine.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted from Friday, 3 November to Sunday, 5 November 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet from Friday, 3 November to Sunday, 5 November 2017.
Pilot study at Lonmin indicates sexual harassment of women “common and pervasive”
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Miningmx reports that a pilot study commissioned last year by platinum producer Lonmin acknowledged that sexual harassment of female employees at the company’s facilities, near Rustenburg, was “common and pervasive”.
Popcru gives SACP ultimatum on purging of capture of Luthuli House
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Sunday Independent reports that the unambiguous message given by the Police, Prisons and Civil Rights Union (Popcru) to the SA Communist Party (SACP) on Saturday was that the party must purge the capture of the ANC and Luthuli House by the Guptas or be on its own politically.
Lily Mine to stay closed despite talk of IDC cash injection
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City Press reports that Mpumalanga’s Lily Mine will remain closed for now, contrary to reports of a R319 million cash injection from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
Ex-Amcu members live in terror after fleeing platinum belt
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City Press reports that two former Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) members claim the union is running a well-managed project to kill rivals and rule the North West platinum belt.
Manufacturing sector to unveil plan to create one million jobs over 10 years
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eNCA reports that the manufacturing sector says it remains a job-creating engine in the economy, with the Manufacturing Circle to launch its Map to a Million plan soon, which will outline a plan to create one-million direct jobs over a 10-year period.
Disgruntled Samwu members cause water cuts on KZN South Coast
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The Independent on Saturday reports that disgruntled members of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) have been holding KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) South Coast residents to ransom, cutting water supplies from Hibberdene to Port Edward.
Transnet trainee marine pilot drowns at sea after falling from ladder
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Sunday Tribune reports that a trainee marine pilot fell into rough seas and drowned while trying to board a sailing vessel last week.
Brakpan gardener killed in dog attack on Friday
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The Citizen reports that a man in his 30s sustained fatal injuries when he was attacked by two dogs at about 8am on Friday at an address along Muir Avenue in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni.
Unions have mixed reactions to R20 national minimum wage announcement
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Business Report writes that union rivalry came to the fore again last week when SA’s labour unions reacted differently to the R20 an hour national minimum wage (NMW) approved by cabinet.
Former Home Affairs employee arrested for issuing fraudulent permits for R10,000
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EWN reports that a former 34-year-old female employee at the Department of Home Affairs has been arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Anti-Corruption Unit for issuing allegedly fraudulent permits.
Political parties unite to condemn alleged rape, bestiality acts against domestic worker
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ANA reports that on Thursday a 45 year-old man accused of first raping, and then forcing his domestic worker to perform sex acts with his dog abandoned his bail application in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court.
Joblessness is here to stay, even if economic growth returns
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Business Times writes that SA’s jobs market is entering a new era in which it could absorb less labour than in the past - even if growth returns to the economy.
Agriculture sector shed 109,000 jobs in first three quarters of 2017
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Fin24 reports that the combined agricultural job cuts for the past three quarters of 2017 reached 109,000, of which about 84% were in the Western Cape.
Reconfigure the alliance or we will rebel, Popcru president tells union’s conference
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News24 reports that Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) president Zizamele Cebekhulu said on Saturday that if the proposal for a reconfigured alliance was not accepted by the ANC, they were going to rebel.
Worker plunges 10m after falling through roof
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TimesLive reports that a 38-year-old man sustained multiple injuries‚ including suspected back injuries‚ when he fell through a roof of a building and plummeted more than 10 metres to the ground in an industrial area in Vanderbijlpark on Thursday afternoon.