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.
Explosion at West Rand cooking oil factory leaves one dead
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Randfontein Herald reports that one man died and three others were injured following an explosion at a cooking oil factory on Main Reef Road in Robinson, on the West Rand.
Roundup of labour news on Monday, 24 April 2017
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In our Monday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Friday, 21 April 2017.
Nkandla accused ordered to face disciplinary charges‚ despite depression
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TimesLive writes that Sibusiso Chonco will have to leave his sick bed and present himself before a disciplinary hearing‚ where he is accused of wrongdoing in the awarding of the R246-million contract for upgrades to President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead.
New labour federation retains Saftu as its name despite objection
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ANA reports that delegates at the founding congress of a new trade union federation on Saturday resolved to retain the name South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu).
AfriForum seeks access to work permits of Cuban engineers employed by DWS
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Engineering News reports that civil rights organisation AfriForum has brought an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act seeking access to the work permits of 31 Cuban engineers employed by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
A high mountain lies ahead for Vavi’s federation, says Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis
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Gideon du Plessis, general secretary of trade union Solidarity, writes about the difficulties faced by Zwelinzima Vavi, former general secretary of Cosatu, and metalworkers union Numsa in bringing about the establishment of the new SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu).
Praise for Brown for rejecting Eskom’s R30m Molefe pay-out
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ANA reports that opposition parties on Sunday praised Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown for rejecting Eskom’s proposal to pay its former CEO Brian Molefe a R30 million golden handshake pension pay-out.
Teacher unions slam plan to ‘outsource’ setting of exam questions
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Mail & Guardian reports that teachers and teacher unions have slammed a Department of Basic Education (DBE) plan to outsource the setting of exam questions at a cost of millions of rands.
EFF’s bank account frozen after failure to pay out wrongfully dismissed employee
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SowetanLive reports that the Labour Court in Johannesburg has ordered the freezing of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party's bank account after it failed to pay a former employee who was dismissed two years ago but who won a case against his dismissal.
SAA cabin crew due to strike on Wednesday over meal allowance increase
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The Citizen reports that the failure by SA Airways (SAA) to pay cabin crew an increase of R507 ($39) on their meal allowance could result in major interruptions for the airline’s domestic and international flights on Wednesday.
Standard Bank’s joint CEOs bagged R89m in 2016
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Moneyweb reports that Standard Bank’s group chief executives, Ben Kruger and Sim Tshabalala, received total remuneration of nearly R45 million each in 2016, an increase of 3% on the year prior.
First of the disciplinary hearings of the Nkandla 'fall guys' kicks off on Monday
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TimesLive reports that the saga of the refurbishing of President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla home with taxpayers' money enters a new chapter on Monday as disciplinary hearings against 10 Department of Public Works (DPW) officials begin in Durban.
Eskom scrambling to find R634m to bridge the 'apartheid wage gap'
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TMG Digital/TimesLIVE reports that Eskom is scrambling to find R634m to bridge the "apartheid wage gap" in which more than 50% of its employees‚ mostly black‚ are still paid less than their white counterparts.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 22 & 23 April 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Saturday, 22 April and Sunday, 23 April 2017
Ntlemeza: I’m going to work on Monday to claim my Hawks job back
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City Press reports that dismissed Hawks boss Mthandazo Ntlemeza has vowed to report for duty on Monday to claim back the job Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has ejected him from. And he says he will go to court should anyone stand in his way.
Zero tolerance for ‘zama zamas’ as Sibanye declares war on illegal mining
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Reuters writes that illegal gold mining has plagued SA’s mining companies for decades, robbing the industry and state coffers of billions of rand through small-time pilfering as well as networks run by organised crime.
Any bid to unseat Cosatu boss “absurd”, says NUM’s Sipunzi
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IOL News reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has become the first big affiliate of Cosatu to come out in support of the federation’s embattled president, Sdumo Dlamini, saying if there were moves to oust him they were “absurd” and “illogical”.
Minister rejects Eskom’s R30m 'golden handshake' for Brian Molefe
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ANA reports that Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown has declined Eskom’s proposal to pay its former CEO Brian Molefe a R30 million pension pay-out and strongly criticised the board for leaving her in the dark about the matter.
Black Mountain Mining launches seven-year ESOP scheme
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ANA writes that Black Mountain Mining on Friday announced the establishment of a seven-year employee share ownership (ESOP) plan, the terms of which have been reached through consultation with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
Gauteng EMS paramedics ambushed, shot at in Cullinan on Saturday
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ANA reports that two people died when Gauteng emergency medical services (EMS) paramedics came under fire while they were attending to a patient in Cullinan on Saturday evening.
OR Tambo airport suspends 35 info desk staff for illegal referral commissions
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EWN reports that OR Tambo International Airport has suspended 35 of the 56 information desk staff employed by the airport, pending disciplinary procedures.
Vavi elected general secretary of new federation Saftu
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IOL News reports that the newly launched labour federation, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), has chosen its leadership at its founding congress. Former Cosatu boss Zwelinzima Vavi was elected as general secretary.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 21 April 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, 21 April 2017
Roundup of labour news on Friday, 21 April 2017
- Details
In our Friday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Thursday, 20 April 2017.
Forum to address attacks on Western Cape paramedics
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Cape Times reports that attacks on paramedics have prompted the Western Cape legislature’s standing committee on community development to hold public meetings in the areas which have been declared no-go zones and where emergency personnel have often come under attack.
Bus drivers’ strike contributed to increased Easter road death toll
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TimeLive reports that officials said on Friday that the bus strike in the week of the Easter holiday period contributed to an increase in road fatalities during that period.
Cosatu demonstrators want Absa to pay back apartheid bailout
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News24 reports that hundreds of Cosatu members marched to Absa’s head office in Johannesburg on Thursday calling for the bank to repay bailout money paid to Bankorp by the Reserve Bank during apartheid.
Ex-miners given advice on submitting queries about unclaimed pension benefits
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Fin24 writes that the Financial Services Board (FSB) is at the ready to provide support in respect of claims for billions of rands in outstanding benefits owing to former mineworkers in various pension and provident funds.
Bishop Lavis school closed on Thursday after knife attack on principal
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EWN reports that a Bishop Lavis principal stabbed on his school grounds remains in a serious condition. Bishops School of Skills principal Wayne Abrahams was stabbed in the head, neck and shoulder on Wednesday morning.
Transport union Untu warns Prasa that a strike is coming over wages
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Netwerk24 reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has warned the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) that time is running out to reach agreement on wage increases.