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.
Neasa to approach Constitutional Court over extension of MEIBC Main Agreement to nonparties
- Details
Engineering News reports that following dismissals by the Labour Court (LC) and the Labour Appeal Court (LAC) of the National Employers Association of SA’s (Neasa’s) applications for interdicting the extension of the Main Agreement in the metals and engineering industry, the employer’s association plans to file a petition at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).
eThekwini municipal truck driver arrested for alleged theft over five years of diesel
- Details
TimesLive reports that an eThekwini municipal truck driver was arrested on Monday for allegedly stealing diesel over five years.
KZN cop killer shot dead in shoot-out with police
- Details
TimesLive reports that a suspect who was being sought for the murder of a KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police officer was shot dead when he attempted to kill more police officers during a shoot-out in Inanda on Tuesday morning.
ANC staffers called out for failing to pitch up for daily duty
- Details
TimesLive reports that ANC staff members have been called out for failing to report for duty daily as per their employment contracts.
Calm restored to Durban suburb after residents blocked roads, burnt tyres in protest against power outages
- Details
News24 reports that residents from Phoenix, Durban, took to the streets on Monday to protest against power outages after they had suffered multiple days in the dark.
SAPS ordered to pay damages of R300,000 to senior officer falsely accused of racism
- Details
GroundUp reports that the SA Police Service (SAPS) has been ordered to pay R300,000 in compensation to a senior police officer for failing to take action against two subordinates who “disparaged and humiliated her” and falsely accused her of racism.
Cape Town's Central Line still running a limited service, but it may be fully restored by the end of February
- Details
EWN reports that Cape Town's Central Line is still running a limited service, but it may be fully restored by the end of February. The line, which is one of the City’s busiest, has not been fully open since 2019, due to cable theft, vandalism and squatters on the tracks.
Lawyers issue letter of demand to Gordhan, Eskom over load shedding
- Details
News24 reports that several high-profile law firms, leaders and NPOs have threatened Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter with legal action over their failure to provide a stable power supply to the country.
Poultry sector warns of rising prices due to load-shedding
- Details
BL Premium reports that SA’s poultry industry has warned that prices will surge exponentially if the government does not move to zero-rate chicken, as the sector is hamstrung by intensified load-shedding.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 17 January 2023
- Details
In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
British American Tobacco may have to retrench even more local workers as its cigarette sales fall 40%
- Details
Fin24 reports that SA’s largest tobacco manufacturer, British American Tobacco SA (BATSA), says falling cigarette sales mean it may have to cut another 200 jobs at its local operations.
Durban Metro Police looking to hire 200 traffic officers, with submissions open until midday on Friday
- Details
IOL reports that Durban Metro Police is looking to fill at least 200 vacancies, with submissions open until midday on Friday.
Cosatu affiliate Ceppwawu given until September to hold national congress to elect new leaders
- Details
Sunday Independent reports that one of Cosatu’s troubled affiliates must hold its long-delayed national congress by the end of September after years of bickering among its leaders, mainly over the mismanagement of investments worth billions of rand.
NUM pushes back against RBCT’s decision to end Optimum’s use of terminal to export coal
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Highveld Region has noted “with regret” the decision taken by the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) board in terms of which Optimum Colliery, which remains under business rescue, will no longer be allowed to export coal using the allocated terminal.
Petra’s historic Koffiefontein diamond mine to be placed on care and maintenance
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that Petra Diamonds announced on Monday that the historic Koffiefontein diamond mine was to be placed on care and maintenance.
Minimum wages may be hiked by more than 8%, according to proposal by National Minimum Wage Commission
- Details
Fin24 reports that the national minimum wage could be hiked by more than 8% this year, according to a new proposal by the Department of Employment and Labour's (DEL’s) National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission.
Eskom’s power price hike widely rejected as ‘unfair, unjust and cruel’
- Details
BL Premium reports that business, political parties and trade unions have decried the National Energy Regulator of SA’s (Nersa’s) “tough decision” to let Eskom implement a 18.65% price hike for 2023/2024, saying it meant hard-pressed consumers would pay more for electricity they did not receive due to increased rolling blackouts.
Government red tape chokes off supply of specialist nurses
- Details
BL Premium reports that SA’s pipeline for training specialist nurses has been virtually throttled by the government’s botched transition to new qualifications.
Roundup on Monday, 16 January 2023 of weekend labour reports
- Details
In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 13 January 2023.
Overcrowding in prisons continues to be a major problem for correctional officers, says Popcru
- Details
IOL reports that according to the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), overcrowding in prisons continues to be a major issue for correctional officials.
SA companies set to hike pay by 6.1% on average in 2023
- Details
BL Premium reports that SA employers are planning to increase their staff budgets to enable pay increases of 6.1% on average in 2023 as they battle to attract and retain staff in the present inflationary cycle.
Labour department calls for official hearing after death of two poultry workers at Astral facility in Paarl
- Details
News24 reports that Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Thulas Nxesi has called for an official hearing following the death of two poultry workers and injuries to five other people at the Astral Foods facility in Paarl last week.
Seven zama zamas arrested for illegal chrome mining in Limpopo
- Details
IOL reports that seven suspected illegal miners (zama zamas) were arrested mining chrome at Mooihoek Mountain, Driekop in Limpopo.
Tshwane family forced to pay gravedigging cost for loved one amid service provider strike
- Details
Eyewitness News reports that a family in Tshwane had to fork out money to hire equipment to dig a grave so that they could bury their loved one this past weekend.
Cosatu tells ANC’s newly elected leaders not to take alliance partners for granted
- Details
BL Premium reports that Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi warned on Tuesday that the newly elected leaders of the ANC must not take their alliance partners for granted.
Field ranger severely injured in Kruger National Park elephant attack
- Details
News24 reports that a South African National Parks (SANParks) field ranger was airlifted to hospital after sustaining severe injuries in an elephant attack during a morning patrol on Tuesday.
Former Umgeni Water employee who lied about engineering degree ordered to repay over R2m he earned over eight years
- Details
News24 reports that a man who presented Umgeni Water with a fake chemical engineering degree has been ordered to repay the R2.2 million he earned over the eight years he worked there.
Suspension of public servants on full pay a concern for Public Service Commission
- Details
BL Premium reports that the Public Service Commission (PSC) is concerned about the management of discipline in government.
Rea Vaya resumes bus services in Joburg after suspension due to driver dispute
- Details
EWN reports that the City of Johannesburg has announced the resumption of Rea Vaya bus services from Tuesday after suspension due to a driver dispute.
Newly elected ANC leaders to meet Cosatu over workers' issues, including public sector wage increases
- Details
SowetanLive reports that hours after being elected, the new ANC top seven scheduled a meeting with the leadership of Cosatu to discuss the plight of workers, including the stalemate over public sector wages.