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.
Poor economic growth hits the young severely
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City Press writes that the unemployment rate of 53% among South Africans between the ages of 15 and 24 shows that young people are the worst hit by poor economic growth. This was shown by a report on SA released last week by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Two mining groups announce financial provisions for silicosis settlements
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City Press reports that Anglo American announced last week a $101m (R1.3bn) “best estimate” for settling its liability in the now 13-year-old legal battle to compensate mineworkers suffering from lung diseases.
Zwane 'worst mines minister since 1994', says NUM
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ANA reports that that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Monday that Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, under whom the industry continued to bleed jobs, was the worst minister the country had had since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
Numsa says it pays its staff 'every 25th of the month‚ without fail'
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TimesLive reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) on Monday took issue with a leaked letter reported on by Business Day on Friday. The letter contained a series of allegations‚ including that Numsa was in dire financial straits and might have to retrench staff.
SANParks bookings for 2018 open from Tuesday despite worker strike
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EWN reports that according to SA National Parks (SANParks), people can start booking their 2018 holidays from Tuesday despite the ongoing strike.
Sibanye Gold suspended 52 women who refused strip search, claims NUM
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AFP reports that, according to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Sibanye Gold suspended dozens of women on Friday after they refused to strip as part of measures to stop workers delivering food to illegal miners.
Sadtu asserts that St. John's racial incident tip of iceberg
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SABC News reports that the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has weighed in on the racial incident at St. John's College in Johannesburg, saying it was just a tip of the iceberg.
Patients plan to sue Pietermaritzburg private hospital over bogus doctor
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Sunday Tribune reports that patients treated by an unregistered doctor at the Daymed Private Hospital in Pietermaritzburg plan to sue the facility.
NUM to march on Tuesday against AngloGold’s retrenchment plans
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Fin24 reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Matlosana region will embark on a protest march against AngloGold Ashanti on Tuesday.
SANParks says all national parks fully operational despite strike
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EWN reports that officials of South African National Parks (SANParks) say all their nature reserves are fully operational despite an ongoing strike. Some employees downed tools recently over a salary dispute.
Striking NHLS employees to discuss new offer on Monday
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EWN reports that striking employees at the state-run National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) will discuss a new salary package offer from management when they meet on Monday.
Numsa to consult members over possibility of an engineering sector strike
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On Friday, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) issued a statement indicating that at its Central Committee (CC) meeting held from 24 to 28 July 2017 the “looming” strike in the metal and engineering industries sector was considered.
Home Affairs offices remained closed again this Saturday
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EWN reports that offices of the Department of Home Affairs across the country were not open on Saturday. The department asked the public to remain patient as its dispute with staff over Saturday working hours remained unresolved.
One SANDF soldier dead, 42 others injured in bus crash on N12
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ANA reports that one SA National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier died and over 40 other soldiers were injured on Friday when a military bus overturned at around 10am on the N12 highway from Kimberley to Saldanha.
Strike at Mdantsane FM radio station continues
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DispatchLive reports that Mdantsane FM workers have vowed to continue with their strike until the entire Mdantsane FM board comes to listen to their grievances.
Sanef consulting lawyers after BLF harass journalists at event
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EWN reports that the SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) has indicated that it is consulting with its lawyers after members of the Black First Land First (BLF) disrupted a town hall meeting held to discuss leaked Gupta emails and state capture.
Over one million more could be unemployed in SA by end-2018
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Fin24 reports that Momentum and Unisa conservatively estimate that a million more South Africans could be unemployed by the end of 2018.
Labour Appeal Court made a mistake with its ruling on labour brokers, says DA
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The Citizen reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) supports the decision by labour brokers to appeal the ruling of the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) that ‘brokered’ employees automatically become employees of the client company after three months.
Nehawu to brief the media on the NHLS strike on Monday
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The National Education Health & Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) announced on Friday that it was currently consulting its members on the offer tabled by the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) on Friday morning and would brief the media on the outcomes of that process on Monday.
‘Just pay us, even if it’s in an envelope’, ANN7 employees tell management
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The Citizen reports that the latest decision by India’s Bank of Baroda to close the accounts of Gupta family-owned companies at the end of August has left employees at the Midrand-based ANN7 broadcaster in a pickle.
TVET exams for certain subjects postponed after papers leaked
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Netwerk24 reports that the examinations of thousands of students at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges nationwide have been postponed by ten days after some exam papers leaked out.
Numsa allegedly faces financial troubles, R500m reserve fund ‘raided’
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The Citizen writes that, according to a report in Business Day on Friday, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is facing a serious internal rebellion and its finances are alleged to be in disarray.
Dlamini-Zuma courts Numsa’s Irvin Jim, but union members not happy
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BusinessLive writes that in a bid to establish a working class support base, ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has met the general secretary of former Cosatu affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).
10111 call centre operators to go back on strike on Friday afternoon
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EWN reports that that the SA Policing Union (Sapu) has confirmed that its members working at 10111 call centres will again go on strike on Friday afternoon.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 27 July 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Thursday, 27 July 2017.
Thirty-six suspects arrested after raid on illegal mining operations in Roodepoort
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TimesLive reports that 34 suspected undocumented immigrants were due to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after they were arrested during a raid on illegal mining operations.
Anglo, gold producers set aside substantial funds for lung disease settlement claims
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Bloomberg News reports that South African mining firms, including Anglo American, are preparing a billion rand settlement with as many as 100,000 former workers who suffer from debilitating and deadly lung diseases caused by exposure to dust from working underground.
NHLS requests urgent meeting with unions in attempt to end strike
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EWN reports that the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) has asked for an urgent meeting with unions to thrash out a deal to end the current strike that commenced on Wednesday.
With 3,000 jobs at risk, Zwane approves Lonmin’s bid for Anglo’s Pandora stake
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Mining Weekly reports that Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) Minister Mosebenzi Zwane has given platinum producer Lonmin the go-ahead to acquire Anglo American Platinum’s (Amplats’) 42.5% stake in the Pandora platinum joint venture (JV) operation.
Armed guards for Cape Town’s central railway line
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Cape Times reports that following a spate of robberies and attacks on Metrorail employees and commuters, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) will use armed security guards on Cape Town’s central line.