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.
Saftu president in new Labour Court challenge to Numsa national congress
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Sunday Independent reports that SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) president Ruth Ntlokotse has launched another Labour Court bid to overturn the outcomes of several National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) gatherings held last year.
No May salaries for Ditsobotla employees as municipality’s downward spiral continues
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The Citizen reports that employees at the coalition-led Ditsobotla Local Municipality are at their wit’s end after they were told this week that they will not receive their May salaries.
Despite years of safety warnings, Mthatha prison guard dies in fire at shacks used as barracks
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News24 reports that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) continues to use corrugated iron sheet structures on prison grounds as barracks for employees at Mthatha prison.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 25 May 2023
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Eskom’s lack of professionalism on full display in current wage negotiations
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Financial Mail writes that Eskom and its three representative unions, namely the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and Solidarity, resumed their third and final round of wage negotiations this week.
Security guards and cleaners march in Pretoria to demand permanent jobs for 4,000 workers
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GroundUp reports that hundreds of security officers and cleaners working for 22 companies contracted to the City of Tshwane marched in Pretoria’s city centre on Wednesday, demanding permanent employment with the City.
Patel says government in talks to shield carmakers from load-shedding
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BL Premium reports that trade, industry & competition minister Ebrahim Patel said on Wednesday that government was in talks with the car manufacturing industry to probe ways in which it could be protected from load-shedding.
Treasury's stance on public sector wage increases unrealistic, says Sachs
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Fin24 reports that Michael Sachs, deputy chair of the Finance and Fiscal Commission, says the fact that National Treasury did not budget for public-sector wage increases this year was not realistic or credible.
Debt-laden Nampak flags job cuts, salary freezes and overtime reduction as it battles cash crunch
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BL Premium reports that debt-laden Nampak is preparing for huge job cuts, salary freezes and a reduction in overtime as it battles a cash crunch that eroded its share value over the past five years.
Police Ministry claims progress in dealing with Eskom-related crime
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BL Premium reports that the SA Police Service (SAPS) has taken several measures to address the crime at Eskom that former CEO André de Ruyter says is crippling the power utility.
Senior cops at Tshwane Academy redeployed over Bheki Cele’s demand to be served a grilled pork meal
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Sunday World reports that top police officers at the SAPS Tshwane Academy were unceremoniously removed from their posts after defying instruction to prepare grilled pork for Police Minister Bheki Cele’s lunch.
Western Cape rail network security guards demand their salaries after not being paid for two months
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Cape Argus reports that security workers from Chippa Training Academy (CTA), a company owned by soccer club boss Chippa Mpengesi, held a protest on Monday outside Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) offices at Cape Town train station and handed over a memorandum with their grievances.
Sacked Hawks Western Cape head must be reinstated, with R1.9m backpay
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News24 reports that an arbitration panel has ordered the reinstatement of the former head of the Hawks in the Western Cape after she was fired for an alleged breach of security and dishonesty.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 24 May 2023
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
SAPS recruiting retired detectives to boost crime intelligence, says Cele
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News24 reports that according to Police Minister Bheki Cele, the SA Police Service (SAPS) is recruiting retired detectives "in good standing" to Crime Intelligence to increase its capacity to deal with crime.
Saftu to protest outside DPE on Friday over decision to appeal load-shedding court ruling
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The Star reports that the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) intends to protest outside the offices of Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) on Friday.
Officials from KZN premier’s office in court over R24 million catering tender fraud
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Daily News reports that officials from the Office of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier, including the Chief Financial Officer, who were arrested in 2020 for fraud, corruption and money laundering, appeared in the Durban High Court on Tuesday.
Police officer among two women arrested in Durban with R6m worth of pure cocaine
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Daily News reports that a police officer was one of two women arrested for being in possession of pure cocaine with a street value of R6 million in Durban on Monday.
Eskom to get new CEO within a month or so, Pravin Gordhan tells MPs
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BL Premium reports that according to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, the process of appointing a new Eskom CEO to replace André de Ruyter is nearing completion.
Unions reject Eskom’s revised 4.5% wage offer, leaving parties far apart
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BL Premium reports that Eskom revised a wage offer from 3.75% to 4.5%, effective 1 July 2023, during the third and final round of wage talks at the central bargaining forum on Tuesday.
North West teacher threatens to sue education department following assault by learner, a staff member and a SGB member
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The Citizen reports that a North West mathematics teacher is threatening to sue the Department of Basic Education following severe injuries received after an alleged assault by a pupil who had been misbehaving, a gardener who is the pupil’s father, and a member of the school governing body (SGB).
UCT council chairperson resigns amid probe into governance crisis
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News24 reports that University of Cape Town (UCT) Council chair Babalwa Ngonyama has tendered her resignation, which was effective immediately. Citing the impact of the "current circumstances on [her] wellness and health", she said she considered her "unreserved commitment… which was and is to put the interests of the institution first and foremost at all times".
More than 100 nursing students in limbo as Gauteng health department can’t absorb them
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TimesLIVE reports that more than 100 nursing students who were given bursaries by the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) say they are in limbo as the department does not have funds to place them for community service and absorb them for employment.
Denosa in Gauteng calls on national government to intervene over water crisis in Hammanskraal
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The Star reports that the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) in Gauteng has called on the national government to intervene in respect of the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal.
After two fatal crashes, Satawu says 'exploitation' of long-distance bus drivers needs to be addressed by the labour department
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News24 reports that the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) has raised concerns over recent long-distance bus crashes in which 10 people were killed in two separate incidents in the Western Cape.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 23 May 2023
- Details
In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Electricity minister corrects ANC’s Mbalula and says power cuts won't stop by the end of December
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TimesLIVE reports that Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has disputed ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula's sentiments that load-shedding will stop before the end of this year.
Load-shedding taking a huge toll on business operations and profits
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Bloomberg News reports that Netcare, SA’s largest private health care network, expects diesel costs to more than quadruple to R165m this year as it runs generators to help contain the impact of rolling blackouts.
Minerals Council's Roger Baxter will stay on as CEO until end of June while ‘diplomatic’ successor is sought
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Business Times reports that the Minerals Council SA (MCSA), which was previously called the Chamber of Mines, has delayed the departure of its outgoing CEO, Roger Baxter, while the search for his successor continues.
Numsa wants Gordhan to account for Takatso SAA merger process
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The Star reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has once again slammed the proposed merger between SA Airways (SAA) and Takatso Aviation, which the Competition Commission recently provisionally approved.