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.
Rugby players returning from overseas to benefit, as Saru increases salary caps by R18 million
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City Press reports that SA’s international rugby franchises scored a major success last week by having their current annual salary notch of R67.2 million each increased to R85 million each for the period from 1 July this year to 30 June next year.
Two Unisa council members quit over assessor's scathing report on the university
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Sunday Times reports that the Council of the University of SA (Unisa) has been hit by two resignations in the wake of a damning assessor’s report into the affairs of the embattled institution.
Suspended CEO of Denel Dynamics heads to Labour Court to keep job
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Sunday World reports that suspended CEO of a Denel subsidiary, Sello Ntsihlele, has applied to the Labour Court for an urgent interdict to stop the state utility from taking disciplinary action against him for making a protected disclosure.
Ramaphosa loses confidence of SA business over policy missteps and myriad unaddressed problems
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Bloomberg News writes that President Cyril Ramaphosa has lost the confidence of the key business constituency.
Roundup on Monday, 22 May 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, 19 May 2023.
Eastern Cape farmworker on the run after stabbing farmer days after being fired
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News24 reports that Eastern Cape police have launched a manhunt for a farmworker who allegedly stabbed a farmer who had fired him a few days prior.
Salaried South Africans are poorer as monthly income lags inflation
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BL Premium reports that the latest BankservAfrica report released this week shows how the challenging economic environment in SA has negatively affected salaries since 2018.
Last Mile Logistics, which delivers newspapers for Independent Media, months behind on payment of pension contributions
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Fin24 reports that Last Mile Logistics (LML), which delivers newspapers for Independent Media and some smaller media groups in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape, is allegedly months behind in paying staff contributions over to pension funds.
UIF warns public of latest scams on social media
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IOL reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has issued warnings to its clients and the wider public about new scams gaining traction on social media.
Numsa wage strike at Tenneco automotive company in Eastern Cape enters seventh week
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The Citizen reports that workers at Tenneco Automotive in the Eastern Cape affiliated to the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) have been on strike for seven weeks.
Cape Town's Central Line to reopen in December, but only if railway shack dwellers relocate
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News24 reports that the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has indicated that Cape Town's problematic Central Line will be reopened in December. However, this will depend on whether the shack dwellers who have occupied parts of the railway line relocate or not.
‘Decay and rot’ in Unisa exposed through report, says vindicated Nehawu
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TimesLIVE reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) wants Unisa’s vice-chancellor Prof Puleng LenkaBula removed after an independent assessor report found governance problems and procurement irregularities at the institution.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 19 May 2023
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In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Finance Minister says public sector wage hikes have painted state into fiscal corner
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BL Premium reports that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana told MPs on Tuesday that the macrofiscal position presented in his February budget had changed “adversely and significantly” and the “risks into the future remain high”.
Unemployment rate slightly higher at 32.9% due to technicality, even as SA created jobs
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Fin24 reports that the official unemployment rate increased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2023, from the fourth quarter of last year.
Setback for Absa in bid to block Sipho Pityana accessing record of decision regarding his dismissal from board
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Fin24 reports that the North Gauteng High Court has dismissed Absa's application to block Sipho Pityana from accessing the record of decision regarding his dismissal from the bank's board.
Labour department questions employment equity compliance at TFG, Truworths and Barloworld
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Moneyweb reports that retailers TFG and Truworths as well as industrial firm Barloworld are among the companies under the Department of Employment and Labour’s (DEL’s) scrutiny for allegedly failing to comply with employment equity laws.
SA has 20,000 unemployed nurses ready to alleviate pressure in public health facilities, says Denosa
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News24 reports that as the world commemorated International Nurses Day on 12 May, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) raised concerns about the shortage of nurses in public health facilities.
Exempting 'all and sundry' from load-shedding impractical, says Ramaphosa in explanation of court appeal
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TimesLIVE reports that if it were up to President Cyril Ramaphosa, he would shield schools, clinics, hospitals and police stations from rolling blackouts, but he has been informed that this would collapse the electricity grid.
Fort Hare murders: Accused will kill witnesses if granted bail, investigator tells court
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News24 reports that the team probing the murders of University of Fort Hare (UFH) officials told the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court on Thursday that it didn't have the capacity to monitor the accused should they be released on bail.
Ramokgopa's role as a minister of electricity with no power looks more redundant by the day
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Sunday Times notes in an editorial that it has been three months since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced he would appoint a minister in the Presidency to deal specifically with the country's electricity crisis.
Western Cape health department may have to freeze over 2,000 posts in order to afford higher salaries
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News24 reports that the Western Cape health department says it will have to freeze more than 2,000 posts if it does not get additional funding following the public sector wage agreement.
Solidarity threatens Gauteng premier with legal action over social welfare funding
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In a lawyer’s letter to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, trade union Solidarity has insisted that indications regarding cuts in funding meant for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from the Gauteng Department of Social Development (DSD) should be withdrawn in writing.
SA Tourism Board stands behind new bribery-accused acting CEO
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Moneyweb reports that South African Tourism’s (SAT’s) interim board is standing behind the organisation’s new acting CEO Nomasonto Ndlovu and will continue to support her as she faces anonymous whistle-blower allegations of accepting a bribe from Qatar Airways in December 2022.
Eskom employee at Tutuka power station among five in court for alleged R900,000 fraud
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TimesLIVE reports that an Eskom employee based at the Tutuka power station is among five people who appeared in the Middelburg specialised commercial crimes court on Thursday on a range of charges, including fraud.
Top lieutenants in ‘kitchen cabinet’ dumping Ramaphosa
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Mail & Guardian writes that President Cyril Ramaphosa could soon be out of key figures in his presidency after the exit of top lieutenants in his failing ‘kitchen’ cabinet.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 12 May 2023
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In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Ramaphosa to announce electricity minister's powers 'very shortly'
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TimesLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has hinted to parliament what minister of electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s responsibilities will be, but procurement will not be one of them.
NUM ‘persuaded’ to lower wage demand at Eskom from 15% to 12%
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BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which represents the majority of workers at embattled power utility Eskom, has lowered its wage demands from 15% to 12%.
Fort Hare killings: Court hears of R5m hit on vice-chancellor’s head as bail hearing resumes
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The Citizen reports that the bail application of the five men accused of the murder of two University of Fort Hare (UFH) employees resumed in the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.