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 recent gold wage talks “constructive” as AMCU and NUM call meeting to weigh offer
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Miningmx reports that Sibanye-Stillwater has described wage discussions with unions as “constructive” ahead of a mass meeting on Friday called by the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (AMCU) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), its coalition partner.
Solidarity’s legal team urgently considering legal action over high fuel prices
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On Thursday, Solidarity announced that its legal team was urgently investigating various legal routes in order to combat rising fuel prices.
Marikana miners start court battle for compensation of R1b as well as an apology and reconciliation from Ramaphosa
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TimesLive reports that an attorney for miners wounded and arrested during the “Marikana massacre” in August 2012 is hoping their civil suit for almost R1bn in compensation ends with an unconditional apology from President Cyril Ramaphosa.
PIC refuses to give details on suspension of COO Vuyani Hako
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BL Premium reports that the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has refused to give reasons for the precautionary suspension of its COO Vuyani Hako, although it did say the matter was not linked to the resignation of two other senior executives announced on the same day.
Government and unions to meet again next week after failing to agree on public sector pay increases
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BL Premium reports that parties to the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) are to meet again next week after failing this week to broker a wage hike deal for the 2022/2023 financial year.
SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni fired after disciplinary inquiry
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News24 reports that the CEO of SA National Parks (SANParks), who was acquitted on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in October last year, has been fired.
Labour department closes Musina primary school due to large bat infestation
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SA Gov News reports that a Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) inspector has closed a school following a proactive inspection that took place on Friday at Sigonde Primary School in Musina, Limpopo.
Public Servants Association suspends wage strike at SARS until end of the week
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Fin24 reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents around half of the employees in the bargaining at the SA Revenue Service (SARS), has put its strike on hold as it waits for the employer to respond to its demands.
Comair and Numsa to meet on Thursday amid fear of jobs bloodbath
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BL Premium reports that the largest union at Comair, which has been scrambling for cash since at least January to make up for losses caused by the Omicron-induced travel bans, says it will meet the airline’s management team on Thursday amid fears of job losses after the company indefinitely grounded all flights.
State will stick to fiscal discipline to cover R4.5bn fuel levy relief
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BL Premium reports that in anticipation of a huge fuel price increase, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has proposed a two-month extension of the reduction in the general fuel levy at an additional cost of R4.5bn that has not been fully funded.
Consumers paying nearly R473 a month more for basic food than in May 2021
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TimesLive reports that the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine war, unrest and the KwaZulu-Natal floods have contributed to South Africans forking out nearly 12% more for basic food items compared to a year ago.
As chicken prices surge, local producers deny they are profiteering
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BusinessLive reports that with the price of chicken soaring and set to hit record highs, local poultry producers have dismissed suggestions that they are profiteering at the expense of consumers.
Teacher shot dead on Tuesday outside North West school while sitting in her car
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News24 reports that a North West primary school teacher was shot dead on Tuesday morning while sitting in her car in front of the school gate in Geelhoutpark, Rustenburg.
Woolworths, Dis-Chem drop mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for employees
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News24 reports that after months of enforcing Covid-19 vaccination mandates in the workplace, some companies are starting to relax their requirements for employees.
Ball is in Sibanye-Stillwater’s court, say striking miners’ unions as they await feedback
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TimesLive reports that talks between unions representing striking Sibanye-Stillwater gold sector mineworkers and the company continued to hang in the balance on Tuesday.
Saica and global accounting body CIMA agree on new path to dual designation status
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BL Premium reports that the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica), the oversight body for the local accounting profession, has signed an agreement with its global counterpart, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), that will make it easier for their members to achieve the professional designations of the respective organisations.
Cosatu, Saftu slam Ramaphosa's new BBBEE advisory council, saying move is ‘meaningless in face of an imploding country'
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SowetanLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to establish a new broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) advisory council has appeased organised black business, much to the annoyance of labour.
Reduction in general fuel levy extended for two more months
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Fin24 reports that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) announced on Tuesday that the price of 95-octane unleaded petrol would rise by R2.33 a litre on Wednesday, while 93-octane unleaded petrol would go up by R2.43 a litre.
SA’s unemployment rate improved modestly to 34.5% in the first quarter of 2022
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Engineering News reports that the official SA unemployment rate decreased by 0.8 of a percentage point to 34.5% in the first quarter of this year, compared with the unemployment rate of 35.3% in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 1 June 2022
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Over 450 youth job opportunities created in ICT sector
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The Star reports that over 450 young South Africans will be given an opportunity to break into the workforce, learn skills in the ever-growing ICT sector and contribute to their communities.
Covid-19 command council to live on as pandemic not yet over, says Cyril Ramaphosa
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TimesLive reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa says the national coronavirus command council (NCCC) will continue to meet, despite the state of disaster over the pandemic having been lifted.
With huge fuel price hike looming, South Africans waiting for government announcement on levy
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EWN reports that government is still looking at its options even as the country faces a petrol price crisis, with an increase of around R3.80 a litre to take the price to about R25 a litre in June.
Most sectors in SA are hiring again, matching or exceeding levels last seen before the Covid-19 pandemic
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Business Insider SA reports that SA’s job market is slowly recovering after two years of layoffs and reduced hiring activity, with businesses in most sectors now actively looking to employ.
It's business as usual for SARS despite ongoing wage strike
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Fin24 reports that the SA Revenue Service (SARS) maintains that it will continue to run all of its operations – including customs and excise – without a hitch despite the national strike by unions at the tax body, which began last week.
New MEIBC main agreement introduces SMME dispensation
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Engineering News reports that the Consolidated Employers’ Organisation (CEO) has secured a “landmark” victory for its members after lengthy discussions with other stakeholders at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC).
Many dissenting Capitec shareholders vote against R177m package paid to top three executives
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Fin24 reports that shareholders who hold almost half of Capitec's shares have voted against the remuneration package of R177 million paid to its top three executives in the past year.
North West teacher fired for fondling and kissing Grade 9 pupil
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News24 reports that a North West teacher has been fired after the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) found him guilty of sexually harassing a 15-year-old Grade 9 pupil.
Seven red flags to look out for to avoid job scams
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Business Report writes that the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has warned the public of over 50 job scams falsely claiming to be from the department.
Eskom's De Ruyter threatened to quit three months into the job, telling board chairman 'either accuser goes, or I go'
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News24 reports that André de Ruyter, Eskom's chief executive, threatened to resign his position a mere three months into his tenure when Sifiso Dabengwa, an Eskom board member, falsely accused him of misleading the board after he cancelled a R14 billion fuel oil tender.