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.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 25 May 2022
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Covid-19 deaths breach 101,000 as 4,200 new cases recorded on Tuesday
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TimesLive reports that according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), 4,227 new Covid-19 cases had been identified in SA on Tuesday.
Strike-hit Sibanye calls in CCMA to help, says it will honour outcome of process
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BL Premium reports that in the latest attempt to end the strike that has brought Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations to a grinding halt and has shone a harsh spotlight on his pay, CEO Neal Froneman said the company had asked the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to step in.
SARS workers picket for salary increases ahead of nationwide strike planned for Wednesday
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GroundUp reports that more than 50 SA Revenue Service (SARS) workers and supporters braved the cold and rain to picket outside the tax collector’s offices in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Amcu says wage deal agreed in principle with Anglo American Platinum
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Bloomberg reports that according to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has agreed to a new five-year wage deal.
Without legislative regulation, it’s sink or swim for workers holding it down on their own in gig economy
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Fin24 reports that without a change of mindset among those in power, SA may not fully reap the benefits of the digital economy that has birthed the growing trend of gig work.
Sibanye-Stillwater mineworkers sleeping at Union Buildings want Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in protracted wage strike
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Pretoria News reports that scores of Sibanye-Stillwater mineworkers under the banner of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) are bracing the freezing weather in Pretoria to urge President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in their four-month long wage strike.
Eskom plans to rope in veteran engineers amid skills deficit at power utility
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Business Report writes that Eskom has decided to rope in veteran engineers to mentor and upskill its power station managers in a bid to avert prevalent, unplanned breakdowns at its ageing coal-fired power stations.
Sibanye CEO Neal Froneman says “naïve” criticism of executive pay will force companies to delist from JSE
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Miningmx reports that according to Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman, growing hostility towards executive pay would drive essential skills into the private sector and even force companies to delist.
Saftu enters second day of fractious conference to elect new leadership
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EWN reports that after a day of squabbles, the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) will on Tuesday enter the second day of its conference to elect new leadership.
NUM wants Gwede Mantashe to follow through on threat to revoke Sibanye's mining rights
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Fin24 reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) wants Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to follow through on his threat to revoke Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining rights in the gold sector.
For reasons of security, Pravin Gordhan says no to state offloading bankrupt Denel
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BL Premium reports that Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) Minister Pravin Gordhan has ruled out offloading Denel, the broke state-owned arms manufacturer that is on the brink of collapse and is struggling to pay salaries.
Female doctor at Lillian Ngoyi community centre in Soweto stabbed by patient
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The Star reports that a female doctor was attacked by a patient at the Lillian Ngoyi Community Health Centre in Soweto on Thursday night and sustained injuries to her hand.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 24 May 2022
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Covid-19 cases on the decline with just over 1,600 new daily infections
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TimesLive reports that after showing high numbers of Covid-19 infections in recent weeks, the latest figures released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on Monday showed there has been a steady decline in the number of infections.
Numsa’s Irvin Jim draws first blood against Vavi in battle at congress for soul of Saftu
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TimesLive reports that Numsa leader Irvin Jim and his union drew first blood in his tussle with Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi for the soul of the trade union federation.
In bid to avert strike, SARS floats wage offer from savings, but claims it 'cannot afford' union's demands
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Fin24 reports that the SA Revenue Service (SARS) has responded to union demands for a CPI plus 7% wage increase by indicating that, while it could not afford to pay such a wage hike, it was open to making funds available to its bargaining unit employees from its 'savings' in 2021.
Delivery driver killed in Umhlanga crash on Monday
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IOL reports that a delivery driver was killed in a crash on Umhlanga Rocks Drive on Monday. The driver of the motorbike, a 34-year-old man, sustained critical injuries.
Unions and traditional council take aim at non-profit law firm in Somkhele coal mine expansion saga
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Fin24 reports that unions and a traditional council have taken aim at a non-profit law firm representing community members opposed to the expansion of a KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) coal mine, and have called on the attorneys to reveal their true motives and those of its funders.
NUM and Minerals Council at odds over whether curatorship was the right move for Ubank
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Business Times reports that a trustee of the fund that owns Ubank, which the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) placed under curatorship last week, said they could have secured investors if the central bank had given them more time.
Sibanye-Stillwater hits back after Mantashe threatens to cancel mining rights if wage strike is not settled soon
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Business Times reports that the fallout over the prolonged wage strike at Sibanye-Stillwater is intensifying, with the producer threatening legal action should Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) Minister Gwede Mantashe see through a threat to cancel the gold miner’s mining licence if there is no resolution soon.
State rejects public servants’ demand for 10% pay hike as it remains committed to keeping wage bill in check
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BL Premium reports that the government has rejected nearly all of the public sector unions’ double-digit pay hike demands in a demonstration of its commitment to keep its ballooning wage bill in check.
Gordhan announces new shareholder model for state-owned companies
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Fin24 reports that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan on Friday announced a shake-up of state-owned companies (SOEs) that will set them on a stronger commercial footing by creating a "centralised shareholder model" under a state-owned holding company.
Mantashe says fuel levy reduction won't be extended beyond May
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News24 reports that Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has indicated that the temporary reduction in the general fuel levy won't be extended beyond the end of May.
Nehawu rejects Motsoaledi's intention to classify home affairs as a security department so that Saturday work is not paid as overtime
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News24 reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) says it is "shocked" and "angered" by Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's intentions to classify the Department of Home Affairs as a security department.
We are fighting for our livelihoods, say cash-strapped Sibanye mineworkers as they reject new offers
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BusinessLive reports on the views of some of the 25,000-strong employees who have been on a wage strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations since 9 March.
Roundup on Monday, 23 May 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, 20 May 2022.
Tshwane A Re Yeng bus strike called off after Numsa settles dispute over travel allowance and other conditions
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EWN reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) says its planned shutdown of the A Re Yeng bus services in the City of Tshwane will no longer go ahead this coming week.
KZN floods led to 30,000 job losses or work disruptions, says premier Sihle Zikalala
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TimesLive reports that according to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) premier Sihle Zikalala about, 30,000 employees across the manufacturing industry are out of work because of last month’s floods that killed 448 people.
Gauteng Cosatu rallies behind Nehawu’s action at Unisa
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EWN reports that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Gauteng has thrown its weight behind protesting workers affiliated to National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) at the University of SA (Unisa) over the dismissal of five employees who are also the union’s shop stewards.