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.
Unemployed doctors ‘too choosy’ over where they work, claims health department
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The Citizen reports that the Department of Health says placing young doctors for community service has become “complicated”, as most prefer working in urban areas rather than in poorer and rural communities.
Rosslyn industrial hub declared safe following gas leak on Saturday
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SowetanLive reports that a major industrial hub in Rosslyn, north of Pretoria, has been declared safe after Saturday's gas leak that led to temporary closure of factories, shops, petrol stations and even a police station.
Armed robbers arrived at Joburg factory in cars marked ‘Department of Labour’, ‘UIF’, not knowing cops were waiting
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IOL reports that 10 men, travelling in vehicles branded with Department of Employment & Labour (DEL) and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) insignia were arrested after they attempted to rob the Golden Fry Factory, which produces cooking oil in Eikenhof, south of Joburg.
Police officers facing disciplinary action after cables stolen right in front of Reiger Park police station
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The Citizen reports that the Ekurhuleni police district management taking disciplinary action against officers who did nothing to stop cables from being stolen in Reiger Park.
Eskom claims it has no plans to get rid of some 500 white maintenance staffers, but Solidarity remains unconvinced
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Fin24 reports that state-owned power utility Eskom said on Friday that it had "neither plans nor decision to retrench any employees, whatever their gender or race."
Ramaphosa expected to announce emergency energy support package plan soon
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BusinessLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa will soon announce an emergency government package that will cushion consumers and businesses against the worsening electricity crisis, which is expected to slash SA’s growth by as much as 2 percentage points in 2023.
Parolee arrested for allegedly robbing Gauteng deputy police commissioner at gunpoint
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News24 reports that a parolee has been arrested in connection with the robbery of Gauteng deputy police commissioner Major-General Tommy Mthombeni.
Three senior officials at Limpopo agriculture department hauled to court for alleged R2m flood fund fraud
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SowetanLive reports that three senior officials employed by the Limpopo department of agriculture and four farmers are set to appear in court for allegedly defrauding the department of R2m.
Roundup on Monday, 30 January 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, 27 January 2023.
Ending loadshedding is SA’s most pressing challenge, Ramaphosa tells ANC lekgotla
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TimesLive reports that ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that interventions to end loadshedding would take a while to have an effect and power cuts would be with the country for some time.
Employment equity fines on cards for non-compliant JSE-listed companies
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BL Premium reports that the government intends to penalise JSE-listed companies not complying with employment equity targets with a minimum fine of R1.5m.
As loadshedding crisis unfolds, SA gold miners at most risk of early closures, job losses
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Miningmx reports that while Eskom loadshedding hurts all mining activity in SA, it’s the marginal businesses such as gold mining where the damage is the greatest.
Four severely injured in Western Cape factory fall on Friday
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TimesLive reports that four men suffered severe injuries after falling from a height while working at a factory in Burgundy Estate in Cape Town.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 27 January 2023
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In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 26 January 2023
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
All jobs at Denny Mushrooms farm go up in smoke as a result of arson attack in September
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BL Premium reports that KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN’s)largest mushroom farm, Denny Mushrooms, has retrenched all its staff, leaving hundreds of workers jobless after an alleged arson attack brought the operation to its knees last September.
African Farmers’ Association urges farmers to protect workers during heatwave
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TimesLive reports that the African Farmers' Association of SA (Afasa) has asked farmers to take precautionary measures in light of the heatwave that has struck the country.
PSA condemns Limpopo health MEC for chastising clinic staff publicly
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TimesLive reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA) in Limpopo has condemned Dr Phophi Ramathuba, provincial MEC for health, for her approach in dealing with service delivery at health facilities.
Security company contracted to North West health department accused of UIF fraud, unfair treatment of employees
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The Citizen reports that more than 200 security guards employed by Mazaxa construction and projects, contracted to the North West Department of Health, have accusing the company of a range of transgressions.
Supermarket employee stabbed to death on Sunday at East London mall
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Cape Times reports that Checkers staff and customers who witnessed the murder of an employee at a supermarket in Vincent Balfour Park, East London, have been offered trauma counselling following the incident on Sunday.
Joburg primary school teacher dismissed for sexual assault of male teen during private maths lessons
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TimesLive reports that a Johannesburg primary school teacher has been dismissed after admitting to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old pupil during private maths lessons.
Abuse of cadre deployment policy no reason to ditch it, ANC’s counsel tells court
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BL Premium reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s legal representative argued in the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday that the fact that a policy might be abused was not enough to have it declared invalid and unconstitutional.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 25 January 2023
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 24 January 2023
- Details
In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Ramaphosa says load-shedding can’t be ended overnight, citizens must be realistic about the challenges
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TimesLive reports according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, it may be easy to “blame our present woes on dysfunctionality” at Eskom, but a combination of factors have contributed to SA’s power crisis.
BlueRock forced to suspended Kareevlei operations following unscheduled DMRE safety inspection
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Mining Weekly reports that diamond miner BlueRock Diamonds has suspended operations at its Kareevlei mine following an unscheduled visit by officials of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 20 January.
SA approaches Karpowership about rapid deployment of ship-mounted electricity generators
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Bloomberg News reports that according to sources familiar with the situation, SA has made fresh inquiries about securing electricity supply from Turkey’s Karpowership as it battles its worst ever power outages.
Union representing UCT academics says it won't budge on its 6% wage increase demand
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EWN reports that the University of Cape Town (UCT) academics' union says it won’t budge on its 6% wage increase demand. Talks between UCT management and the union have been ongoing since November 2022.
Cost of most grades of fuel expected to rise in February
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BL Premium reports that following significant petrol and diesel price decreases in January, motorists face a mixed bag next month, with most types of fuel to cost more.
Police captain stabbed to death in Khayelitsha on Saturday night
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EWN reports that detectives are on the hunt for the killer of a police captain, who was stabbed to death on Saturday night in Khayelitsha.