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.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 25 April 2024
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
'Extortionists' shoot dead two Cape Town security guards escorting workers doing sewer pipe repairs
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TimesLIVE reports that the City of Cape Town has pointed the finger at alleged extortionists after two armed security guards escorting city staff carrying out repairs to a sewer pipe in Philippi, Cape Town, were shot dead on Tuesday.
Two suspects arrested in Roodepoort after Sassa employee blows whistle on attempted corruption
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TimesLIVE reports that two suspects who allegedly tried to bribe a SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) official to register elderly people for social grants outside the normal procedure were arrested in Roodepoort on Wednesday after the whistle was blown on them.
Survey reveals that average wage increases are beating inflation, but it's still not enough
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Fin24 writes that Old Mutual's Remchannel unit reports that average wage increases are beating the consumer price index (CPI), though they are not necessarily keeping pace with a sharp rise in essentials, such as food.
Post Office temporarily halts job cuts as it eyes bailout from UIF relief scheme
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Fin24 reports that the SA Post Office (SAPO) has temporarily suspended retrenchments after its business rescue practitioners (BRPs) launched an urgent application for assistance from the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF’s) Temporary Employment Relief Scheme (TERS).
Eastern Cape health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo arrested for alleged matric certificate fraud
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TimesLIVE reports that Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo was arrested by the Hawks on Wednesday for allegedly submitting a falsely certified copy of his matric certificate to secure his appointment as deputy director of communications.
No public transport relief in sight for Tongaat workers as Prasa passes the buck
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GroundUp reports that workers commuting between Tongaat and Durban have been struggling with high transport costs since the connecting northern rail line stopped operating four years ago.
Worker representatives call for tighter legislation to govern mining employee share incentive schemes
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Business Report writes that workers representatives have called for tighter legislation, through the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), to govern employee share ownership schemes (Esops) in SA mining companies.
Court interpreter lands in the dock after allegedly soliciting R30,000 ‘bribe for sweets’
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SowetanLive reports that a court interpreter allegedly solicited a R30,000 bribe from the sister of an accused, claiming she would use it to “buy sweets” for the magistrate who would grant the accused bail in return.
Former municipal clerk who increased her own and colleague’s salaries without authorisation sentenced
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IOL News reports that a former municipal clerk, Ntombozuko Mgoqi, has been convicted on charges of fraud and theft and sentenced in the Peddie Regional Court in the Eastern Cape.
Ramaphosa lauds employee share ownership schemes at inaugural Esops conference
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Fin24 reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa indicated on Tuesday that SA's employee share ownership schemes (Esops) had come a long way since their early days of empowerment 20 years ago, with more than a half a million workers now participants.
Transport minister says Central Line to Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain in Cape Town will now be fully operational in May
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GroundUp reports that full operation of the Metrorail Central Line, which services Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain in Cape Town, has been delayed by another month, to May, according to Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga.
Households strain to afford basics including food and electricity
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TimesLIVE reports that nearly half of SA adults are struggling to afford food and electricity, highlighting the pressing financial challenges consumers are facing, with fewer jobs in the formal economy and a small number of low-earners in the informal sector.
Vavi feels cheated over fake honorary doctorate from Trinity International Bible University
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SowetanLive reports that trade unionist Zwelinzima Vavi says he feels cheated after he learnt that the honorary doctorate he cherished for six years was conferred by an unregistered institution.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
Instructor at Phillipi Police Training Academy arrested for rape of female trainee
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IOL News reports that a police training instructor has been arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on a charge that he allegedly raped a female police trainee.
Learners and teachers march for safer schools in Nelson Mandela Bay
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GroundUp reports that learners, parents and teachers marched through the streets of Nelson Mandela Bay metro to the Motherwell Police station on Friday, demanding that the spaces in and around schools be made safer.
Suspended Lotto secretary ordered to pay punitive costs for wasting court’s time with urgent bid to stop disciplinary hearing
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Fin24 reports that a judge of the High Court in Johannesburg has imposed a punitive costs order against suspended National Lotteries Commission (NLC) secretary Nompumelelo Nene for wasting the court's time.
Cosatu welcomes setting aside of R5 billion contract awarded to Thuja Capital for a jobs creation project
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Cape Times reports that labour federation Cosatu has welcomed a Pretoria High Court judgement that set aside the R5 billion contract awarded to Thuja Capital for a jobs creation project.
Minister launches Labour Activation Programme in the Western Cape
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The Star reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) embarked on a groundbreaking Labour Activation Programme for the Western Cape at the Northlink College Campus Hall, in Bellville, on Wednesday last week.
Abuse in eThekwini of Presidential employment programme flagged
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The Mercury reports that the Presidential Employment Programme (PEP) in eThekwini Municipality has been flagged for irregularities after it emerged that more than half-a-million rand has been paid to people who were not supposed to benefit from the programme.
Cape Town trains 1,000 new metro police officers to help SAPS fight crime
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TimesLIVE reports that the City of Cape Town is training 1,000 potential new metro police officers as part of an 18-month full-time learnership which includes extensive physical training, training on legislation, theory and practical experience.
Tshwane City Manager rejects perception of a 'blacklist' targeting senior managers
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News24 reports that Tshwane's City manager, Johan Mettler, has sought to dispel perceptions that a targeted purge of senior managers was taking place.
Second retired SANDF general arrested and charged for alleged irregularities in R2m military tender
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News24 reports that a second retired SA National Defence Force (SANDF) brigadier general has been arrested and charged with fraud in connection with a R2 million tender for heat-resistant buffs and military goggles for soldiers undertaking peacekeeping missions in the Darfur region of Sudan in 2016.
Department of Higher Education slams Trinity International Bible University over honorary doctorates
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Sunday Tribune reports that veteran actor Sello Maake KaNcube recently took to social media to announce that he was now a “doctor”. He also posted pictures of himself being conferred with an honorary doctorate by the Trinity International Bible University.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 23 April 2024
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related reports.
ActionSA protests at NPA offices in Pretoria at inaction over Lily Mine tragedy
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The Mercury reports that ActionSA on Monday held a picket in front of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) offices in Pretoria with the families of those killed in the Lily Mine tragedy of 2016.
Cape Town employee receiving trauma counselling after team robbed at knifepoint in Elsies River
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Cape Argus reports that a Cape Town Water and Sanitation worker is receiving trauma counselling after the City’s team was robbed at knifepoint while fixing sewer overflow in Elsies River.
FSCA’s latest list shows 4,000 employers sitting on pension fund contributions that haven’t been paid over to funds
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Fin24 reports that according to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), naming and shaming employers who have not paid retirement fund contributions over into the retirement fund set up for their employees has been a "good move" that made several employers pay attention to their debt.
Trio accused of assassination of Rand Water executive make brief court appearance
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TimesLIVE reports that three men alleged to be behind the brazen assassination of Rand Water executive Teboho Joala and his bodyguard Sifiso Shange in January appeared in the Lenasia Magistrate's Court on Monday.