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.
Department of Labour’s Grayston Bridge inquiry postponed to July 2018
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ANA reports that the commission of inquiry into the Grayston Drive/M1 pedestrian and cyclist structural bridge collapse was postponed to 2018, with the possibility of 20 more witnesses being called.
SMEs were the most affected by Cosatu’s strike on Wednesday
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Business Report writes that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were among sectors affected by Cosatu’s nationwide strike on Wednesday. Analysts reckoned it was unlikely that the strike would cause a big dent on the struggling economy as it was a one-day event and not protracted.
Gigaba says he won’t risk state pensions with SOE bail-outs
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Bloomberg reports that Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday that he would not ask the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to provide funds to bail out state-owned companies (SOEs) that would put the pensions of government workers at risk.
Cosatu march aimed at boosting Ramaphosa, says commentator
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The Citizen reports writes that some commentators – including trade unions – have weighed in on Wednesday’s mass action led by trade union federation Cosatu to say that it is primarily for the benefit of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s race to the ANC’s top seat.
Chamber of Mines backs Cosatu protest as 'SA deserves better'
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Fin24 reports that the Chamber of Mines of SA (COM) has become the latest business formation to voice its support for trade union federation Cosatu’s protests against state capture and corruption.
NUM ‘not involved in Amcu killings’
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Business Report writes that as the bodies of mineworkers continue to pile up in the platinum belt in the North West, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has distanced itself from the killings.
NUM to ask big banks to help save jobs at Oakbay’s mines
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BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) plans to approach the four largest banks in a bid to save jobs at the Oakbay group’s mining operations after the company and its associates failed to secure a stay of execution in the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.
Hitmen ambush and kill deputy principal at Ekurhuleni school by pretending to be electricians
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SowetanLive reports that three assailants who ambushed an Ekurhuleni primary school deputy principal on Tuesday allegedly gained access to the school under the pretext of being electricians.
Finance ministry and PIC try to paper over the cracks
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BusinessLive reports that a highly charged meeting between the finance ministry and the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) ended on Tuesday afternoon with an unconvincing attempt at a united front.
Cosatu president denies 'sick leave' reports
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News24 reports that Sdumo Dlamini, Cosatu president, has dismissed media reports that "he has not been seen" at the labour federation's events since President Jacob Zuma was booed off stage at the May Day rally in Bloemfontein.
North West premier appeals for calm in platinum belt after another miner is murdered
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ANA reports that North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo appealed on Tuesday for calm in Rustenburg’s mining areas amid rising tensions following the murder of yet another Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) member.
Taxi associations: There’ll be no taxi strike on Wednesday
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EWN reports that the South African National Taxi Council and the National Taxi Alliance have dismissed rumours of a taxi strike on the N1, N12, and M1 on Wednesday in Johannesburg and surrounding areas.
Cosatu ups ante on PIC ‘capture’ by calling for moratorium on funding for any govt. institution
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BusinessLive reports that Cosatu has called for a moratorium to prevent the use of Public Investment Corporation (PIC) funds to finance any government institution.
Cosatu marches on Wednesday: What you need to know about road closures
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News24 writes that major delays are expected on city roads throughout the country on Wednesday as labour federation Cosatu embarks on a nationwide "shut down" against state capture and corruption.
Malusi Gigaba and PIC to meet on Tuesday to clear up ‘plan’ to raid pensions
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BusinessLive reports that Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and the board of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) were due to hold a crunch meeting on Tuesday to deal with reports that the government was planning to raid the fund manager to bail out struggling companies under its control.
NUM members at Northern Cape diamond mine expected to go on strike on Tuesday
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EWN reports that several hundred members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) at Petra Diamonds’ Finsch Mine in the Northern Cape were expected to go on a planned strike on Tuesday morning.
Clover says Giwusa’s resumption of strike will be ‘illegal’
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The New Age reports that Clover was due on Tuesday to be faced with an “illegal” national strike, with about 2,100 members of General Industries Workers’ Union of SA (Giwusa) intending to down tools in demand for an 11.5 % wage increase and a monthly housing subsidy of R1,500.
SA Post Office prepared for strike by CWU members
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EWN reports that the SA Post Office (Sapo) says it has contingency plans in place to deal with a strike by the Communications Workers Union (CWU).
Khulubuse faces sequestration after failing to make payment to Pamodzi liquidators
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City Press reports that Khulubuse Zuma faces sequestration and the exposure of all his financial affairs after he stopped paying his debts to the liquidators of the ruined Pamodzi gold mines.
Mpact says it’s not involved in wage talks with Numsa
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Business Report writes that Mpact, which was previously known as Mondi Packaging SA, said on Friday that it was not involved with wage negotiations with the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).
NUM and Solidarity sign three-year wage agreement with Assmang
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Mining Weekly reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Solidarity have secured a three-year wage agreement with iron-ore and manganese miner Assmang at its operations in the Northern Cape.
Teacher unions reject DA proposal of limit on principals’ right to strike
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BusinessLive reports that teachers’ unions have slated a proposal by the Democratic Alliance (DA) for a limit to be placed on the right to strike in the education sector.
Labour federation Fedusa calls for return of railway police
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ANA reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) on Monday called for urgent action to stop criminality on trains, including the reintroduction of the railway police.
Lay people from PR firm allegedly dispensing online medical advice to GEMS members
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TimesLive reports that the Government Employee Medical Scheme (GEMS) and a private public relations firm, Martina Nicholson Associations (MNA), have been accused of using lay people to give incorrect medical advice to patients who think it is a doctor offering free online help.
Organised business backs Cosatu march against state capture
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BusinessLive reports that in an unprecedented move, business organisations have thrown their weight behind Cosatu’s national protest on Wednesday against corruption and state capture.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted from Friday, 22 September to Monday, 25 September 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Friday, 22 September to Monday, 25 September 2017.
Hammanskraal bus strike to affect thousands in Pretoria again on Tuesday
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SABC News reports that thousands of commuters in the Hammanskraal area, north of Pretoria, will be stranded again on Tuesday as the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) continues with its bus strike.
Schools‚ mines and municipalities to be disrupted by Cosatu’s strike on Wednesday
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TimesLive reports that schools‚ municipalities and mines are expected to be disrupted on Wednesday as members of labour federation Cosatu march against state capture and corruption.
City of Cape Town calls for urgent arrest following murder of Golden Arrow bus driver
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EWN reports that the City of Cape Town has called on police to urgently find and arrest those responsible for the death of a Golden Arrow bus driver. The man was shot and killed while behind the wheel in Nyanga on Saturday.
NUM, AngloGold agree on retrenchment payouts prior to sale of Kopanang mine
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City Press reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and AngloGold Ashanti have reached an agreement in terms of which all workers at Kopanang mine will be paid their retrenchment packages before the company finalises the sale of the mine.