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.
Sibanye-Stillwater says miners taken hostage at K3 shaft in May is typical of social unrest
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Miningmx writes that about 50 employees at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Marikana mine were held hostage over two nights in May, according to a letter addressed by the company to the alleged perpetrator, the Marikana Unemployment Forum.
SA Reserve Bank becoming reckless on interest rates, claims Cosatu
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The Citizen reports that according to trade union federation Cosatu, the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) is moving from being tolerably assertive to becoming overzealously reckless on interest rates.
Vavi spars with Numsa ahead of metalworker union’s congress
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City Press reports that the rift between National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) general secretary Irvin Jim and SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) boss Zwelinzima Vavi is overshadowing the forthcoming Numsa congress (also known as the “metalworkers’ parliament”).
Seifsa relaunches its training centre in Actonville, Benoni
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Engineering News reports that the Steel and Engineering Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) on 22 July officially relaunched its Seifsa Training Centre (STC) in Actonville, Benoni.
Row over race hinders Eskom’s efforts to keep lights on amid skills crisis
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Sunday Times reports that as SA faces its biggest power crisis in the democratic era, Eskom executives are divided on the critical skills deficit hindering the power utility’s ability to provide electricity.
Roundup on Monday, 25 July 2022 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, 22 July 2022.
Labour Court nullifies mass Numsa suspensions and interdicts congress
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BusinessLive reports that the Labour Court in Johannesburg has nullified the mass suspension of dissenting National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) office bearers as well as the placing under administration of the union’s largest region, Mpumalanga, by the central committee.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 22 July 2022
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In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Cosatu slams Eskort for dismissing 1 500 workers in Heidelberg after strike
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Fin24 reports that according to labour federation Cosatu, meat processing company Eskort has undertaken a mass dismissal of its employees at an operation in Heidelberg, Gauteng.
Over 50 officials banned from Numsa conference as shop steward drama gets worse
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Fin24 reports that National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) shop stewards from around the country learned on Wednesday that they would be barred from attending the union's national conference next week.
As it confronts inflation with the biggest interest rate increase in two decades, Reserve Bank signals more hikes ahead
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BL Premium reports that on Thursday the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) surprised with the highest increase in borrowing costs in two decades, underlining governor Lesetja Kganyago’s determination to tame rampant inflation and also signalling an acceleration in the pace of interest rate hikes.
NUM becomes part of the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council
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Engineering News reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has become a member of the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) after completing a membership verification process.
Load-shedding not going away until we have sufficient capacity, Eskom warns
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TimesLive reports that according to Eskom’s spokesperson, Sikonathi Mantshantsha, load-shedding will continue until capacity of 4,000MW-6,000MW of capacity is created.
Cosatu vows to push more businesses to reverse vaccine mandates, dismissals
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Fin24 reports that labour federation Cosatu says it will push back hard against companies that impose any form of Covid-19 vaccination mandate on their employees – and will fight for those who lost their jobs because they refused to be vaccinated to be reinstated.
'2% is a shame', say Gauteng nurses as they march for better salaries, back pay
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TimesLive reports that Gauteng healthcare workers marched through the Johannesburg CBD on Wednesday to hand over a memorandum of demands.
Numsa second deputy president says she was suspended to prevent her from running for union president
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Fin24 reports that National Union of Metalworkers of SA’s (Numsa’s) second deputy president, Ruth Ntlokotse, has claimed in court papers that her suspension was aimed at preventing her from running to be elected the union's president at its forthcoming conference.
Solidarity warns it will go to court if Eskom’s application for a levy on consumers who generate power themselves is approved
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On Wednesday, Solidarity issued a statement describing Eskom’s latest application to the National Energy Regulator of SA (NERSA) as absurd, irrational and unlawful.
Cosatu to march on 4 August in Cape Town to protest about government’s “lacklustre” approach to rising crime
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GroundUp reports that unions affiliated to the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) are calling members out on strike on 4 August in protest against the government’s “lacklustre” approach to rising crime rates in Cape Town.
Higher-than-expected consumer inflation puts 75 basis points interest rate hike on the cards
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BL Premium reports that consumer inflation came in worse than expected in June, raising fears that higher fuel and food prices might now feed into more generalised price pressures across the economy, further pressing the Reserve Bank to up the pace of interest rate hikes.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 21 July 2022
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Government asks for trade union Solidarity’s help with Eskom skills crisis
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News24 Wire reports that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has asked trade union Solidarity to provide a list of people with the necessary technical skills to help government address the skills crisis at Eskom.
SA’s gold and platinum mines mark six months without fall-of-ground fatalities
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Mining Weekly reports that the Minerals Council SA (MCSA) reports that SA achieved a record six months without a mining fatality caused by a fall-of-ground (Fog) incident in its gold and platinum mines.
Numsa rejects MTN’s potential acquisition of Telkom
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Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) says the planned buyout of telecommunications group Telkom by MTN should be rejected as the privatisation of the partially state-owned enterprise (SOE) will be detrimental to the working class and the economy.
Public Servants Association calls for Ramaphosa’s intervention to end SARS wage strike
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BL Premium reports that with renewed strike action at the SA Revenue Service (SARS) entering its second week, another 10 branches across the country have been closed since Tuesday, bringing the total number to almost 50.
At 7.4% in June, consumer inflation reaches 13-year high
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BL Premium reports that Statistics SA advised on Wednesday that consumer price inflation reached a 13-year high in June. The consumer price index (CPI) accelerated to 7.4% from 6.5% in May, well above the upper band of the SA Reserve Bank’s inflation targeting range of 3%-6%.
UIF hopes to recover R1.8bn lost to failed investments in Bounty Brands
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EWN reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is hopeful that it can still recover the almost R1.8 billion in public money that it lost on two failed investments in Bounty Brands.
Treasury warns that officials must pay suppliers on time or face disciplinary action
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Fin24 reports that National Treasury warned on Monday that government officials responsible for the billions of rands worth of late and non-payment of invoices by national and provincial departments needed to be monitored and punished.
Ramaphosa meets business leaders on plan to tackle energy crisis, who warn that ‘the trick will always be execution’
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BL Premium reports that as President Cyril Ramaphosa mulls his response to the energy crisis gripping the country, Business Unity SA (Busa) on Tuesday called for a more focused partnership between the government and private sector.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 20 July 2022
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
De Lille and Gungubele lose another court bid to block suspended public works DG Sam Vukela from returning to work
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TimesLive reports that Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele have lost another bid to prevent suspended director-general Sam Vukela returning to work.