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.
Tshwane metro cops accused of kidnapping, extortion to make representations to DPP not to prosecute them
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News24 reports that three Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) officers accused of kidnapping a man and extorting him will be making representations to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on why they should not be prosecuted.
Wesizwe Platinum operations resume at flagship mine after month-long strike
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BL Premium reports that Wesizwe Platinum said on Tuesday the month-long unprotected strike at its flagship mine has been resolved, paving the way for the immediate resumptions of operations.
ConCourt sends dispute over Rand Refinery dismissal back to Labour Court
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BL Premium reports that Rand Refinery has partly succeeded in court proceedings over a labour dispute with a former employee involving allegations of the theft of gold bars and perjury.
Court to hear case on who qualifies for maternity leave and who does not
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BL Premium reports that parents and civil rights groups are challenging SA maternity leave law because it discriminates between parents who have given birth and those who have not, such as fathers and adoptive parents.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 23 August 2023
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Six Eastern Cape emergency medical services officials arrested over alleged fraudulent matric qualifications
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Cape Times reports that six emergency medical services officials are expected in the Zwelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to face charges that include fraud and forgery after they allegedly submitted fraudulent matric certificates.
Msunduzi finds it difficult to discipline employees due to intimidation of staff
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The Mercury reports that the Msunduzi Municipality has had to call on experts from neighbouring municipalities to assist with disciplining its errant employees because staff are refusing to take part in disciplinary processes against their colleagues due to intimidation.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 22 August 2023
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Mpumalanga police in search of suspects who fatally shot cop during business robbery on Monday
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IOL reports that a police officer was shot and killed while attending a business burglary at Masoyi outside White River during the early hours of Monday morning. His colleague was rushed to the hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds.
NCOP extends deadline for public to comment on NHI Bill to mid-September
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IOL reports that the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has extended the deadline for submissions on the National Health Insurance Bill (NHI) until the middle of September.
SA auditing firms struggling with shortage of skills due to low maths literacy and emigration
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BL Premium reports that the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (Irba) has warned that the auditing profession in SA is battling a shortage of skills, due partly to low maths literacy and emigration.
Fired Prasa chair wants his job back... and a R500,000 'stipend' covering the period since his dismissal
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Fin24 reports that Leonard Ramatlakane, who was fired as Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) following an investigation into his discounted lease of a Prasa house, wants his job back.
Electronics factory burns down in Ga-Rankuwa on Sunday, no injuries reported
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The Citizen reports that the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department has advised that a fire that gutted an electronics factory in Ga-Rankuwa is being investigated.
DMRE to spend R2m to rehabilitate 24 mine shafts in Riverlea
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EWN reports that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is to spend almost R2 million to rehabilitate 24 mine shafts in Riverlea, south of Johannesburg.
Cumesh Moodliar appointed new CEO of Investec Bank
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BL Premium reports that Investec Bank has announced that Cumesh Moodliar will take over from current CEO Richard Wainwright, who announced in May that he planned to step down in 2024.
Court restates order that deputy DG fired by ‘gung-ho’ minister over 'stuck in lift incident' can return to work
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News24 reports that the Johannesburg Labour Court has ruled that the deputy director-general (DG) of corporate services in the Department of Human Settlements, Nelly Letsholonyane, may return to work after she was fired by Minister Mamoloko Kubayi in April.
After backlash, Transnet says CEO was quoted 'out of context' about truck drivers losing jobs when rail networks recover
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Fin24 reports that Transnet CEO Portia Derby's concerns around potential job losses in the trucking industry when the country's ailing rail networks start to recover have not landed well in some quarters.
Unisa council wants court to stop Blade Nzimande from placing university under administration
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Sunday Times reports that Unisa’s council is to make an urgent application in the North Gauteng high court on Tuesday to interdict Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande from placing the institution under administration.
KZN leads in fraudulent Ters claims from UIF
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Mail & Guardian reports that employers and officials who defrauded the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) of millions of rands by submitting falsified claims under the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) during the Covid-19 pandemic face the full might of the law and being forced to pay back the money.
Thirty arrested in Stilfontein on Friday as North West clamps down on illegal miners
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News24 reports that a joint North West law enforcement operation ended with the arrest of 30 suspected illegal miners at the Scott Shaft in Stilfontein.
Takealot’s Superbalist clothing division to cut jobs in face of increasing competition
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BL Premium reports that Takealot’s online clothing division, Superbalist, has started a section 189 process to reduce staff as it battles a weak economy and increased competition from clothing retailers.
Cosatu says cabinet must halt 'shocking attempt to undermine the Constitution' with intelligence bill
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News24 reports that trade union federation Cosatu has come out in strong opposition to the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (GILAB), which Cabinet approved in May.
HPCSA plagued by mismanagement, unfairly punishing doctors
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News24 reports that the Competition Commission has confirmed that for 12 years, illegal and anti-competitive behaviour has engulfed the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA).
Axed constitutional development deputy director-general sues over 'victimisation and harassment'
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News24 reports that axed constitutional development deputy director-general Dr Gabriella la Foy is suing the justice department for R9 million – after spending nearly five years of her almost seven-year term on suspension and facing repeated, largely repudiated, claims of wrongdoing.
Transport unions Untu and Satawu claim that Transnet privatisation will lead to job losses
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BL Premium reports that according to a legal opinion obtained by the two biggest unions at Transnet, the state-owned logistics company is likely to reduce its more than 55,000-strong workforce should it go ahead with the partial privatisation of its flagship Durban container terminal (DCT 2).
Cope calls for urgent intervention as Samwu Tshwane strike looks set to continue
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EWN reports that the Congress of the People (Cope) has called for intervention in the tension between the City of Tshwane and striking municipal workers.
City of Cape Town increases reward in connection LEAP officer's murder to R1.35 million
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News24 reports that the City of Cape Town has upped a reward to R1.35 million after the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officer Zamikhaya Kwinana was shot and killed.
Roundup on Monday, 21 August 2023 of weekend labour reports
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In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 18 August 2023.
Manufacturing still shedding jobs due to power outages, weak demand and rising input costs
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Business Times reports that employment in SA is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, but the manufacturing sector, faced with load-shedding, weak demand, rising costs and poor municipal services, continues to shed jobs.
Farm jobs reached a seven-year high in second quarter
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Wandile Sihlobo, agricultural economist, writes that SA’s farm jobs were up 2% y/y in the second quarter of 2023, with 894,000 people employed.