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.
Investigation finds cause of fire at Rheinmetall Denel Munition to have been electrical fault in light fixture
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Cape Argus reports that months after a fire broke out in a building at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) plant in Somerset West, an internal investigation has finally found the cause.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 9 March 2022
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Eastern Cape correctional centre gate guards attacked, robbed on prison grounds
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News24 reports that Eastern Cape police are searching for seven armed men who attacked and robbed prison guards at the gates of Mdantsane Correctional Centre in the Eastern Cape last week.
SA mines are already reducing foreign labour, says Minerals Council SA
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Fin24 reports that the Minerals Council SA (MCSA) said on Monday that mining companies operating in SA have already undertaken to reduce their component of foreign labour in the light of mounting pressure from surrounding communities.
Government Employee Pension Fund (GEPF) grants its pensioners a 5.5% increase from 1 April 2022
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Moneyweb reports that the Government Employee Pension Fund (GEPF) has announced that its pensioners will receive an annual pension increase of 5.5% from 1 April 2020.
Sibanye’s Froneman stands resolute as Amcu, NUM submit strike notice
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Mining Weekly reports that ahead of the planned start of strike action by many employees of Sibanye-Stillwater’s SA gold mines from the evening shift on Wednesday, CEO Neal Froneman has remained steadfast, stating that the offer made on 4 February in an attempt to reach agreement on wages was “final”.
NUM and Amcu to strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold mines from evening shift on Wednesday
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BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) will embark on a strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations from the evening shift on Wednesday after failing to reach agreement with management over pay.
Doctors rally against increases in HPCSA registration fee, which has increased by nearly 30% in the past two years
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The Citizen reports that doctors have resorted to signing a petition to try and stop the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) from yet again increasing registration fees.
Limpopo’s special economic zones expected to create 21,000 jobs, but EFF says it’s all talk but no action
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The Citizen reports that Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha hopes that setting up special economic zones (SEZs) will salvage the province’s economy, currently ravaged by mass job losses, poverty and underdevelopment.
Sting operation leads to arrest of KwaZulu-Natal traffic cop for allegedly taking a bribe
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News24 reports that a KwaZulu-Natal traffic cop was arrested on Friday on charges of corruption after allegedly taking a bribe.
Mbalula refuses to engage with ‘angry and violent’ driving instructors over NaTIS system
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EWN reports that Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Monday warned that those who threatened employees at driver testing centres would be dealt with accordingly.
As fuel price rises, taxi operators mull fare hikes
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SowetanLive reports that taxi operators say rising fuel costs could lead to increases in fares as they seek to recover losses.
Universities get an ultimatum to drop Covid-19 mandates by Tuesday or face court action
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TimesLive reports that the Universities Alliance SA (Uasa) has demanded that universities reconsider and abandon their vaccine mandate policies by the close of business on Tuesday.
Government to oppose Solidarity’s court application to lift state of disaster
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Solidarity reports that the government has announced that it would be opposing the trade union’s court application to lift the state of disaster. The case is set to be heard on 20 April.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 8 March 2022
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Free State teacher fired for 'hugging, kissing' a pupil at school
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News24 reports that a Free State teacher has been dismissed after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a Welkom secondary school pupil in November 2018.
Principal of Grosvenor Girls' High School in Durban suspended amid racism row
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News24 reports that the principal of Grosvenor Girls' High School in Durban has been put on precautionary suspension while an independent panel investigates allegations of racism and financial irregularity at the school.
Former Western Cape MEC Albert Fritz denied access to full report on alleged sexual misconduct
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News24 reports that former Western Cape Community and Safety MEC Albert Fritz has been denied access to the full report compiled by Advocate Jennifer Williams into allegations against him of sexual misconduct.
Gauteng health department pays outstanding salaries of medical interns
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News24 reports that the Gauteng Department of Health has paid the outstanding salaries of more than 50 medical interns who for the past two months did not receive their salaries.
Tshiamiso Trust starts to clear backlog of 12,000 silicosis and tuberculosis claims
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Mining Weekly reports that the Tshiamiso Trust, created to settle silicosis and tuberculosis (TB) class action suits against six mining companies, has started a process of responding to 12,000 claimants on the outcome of their claims following a backlog of up to eight months for claims lodged before April 2021.
SA-based Cuban doctors take home salaries even as intern doctors at Bara remain unpaid
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The Citizen reports that the Department of Health continues to pay expert Cuban doctors high salaries despite expired contracts, even as doctors at Chris Hani remain unpaid.
Roundup on Monday, 7 March 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, 4 March 2022.
ConCourt limits interdicts against strikers as a group where only some of those on strike commit violence
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GroundUp reports that the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has delivered an important judgment on interdicts against striking workers.
CCMA in last-ditch mediation on Monday to avert wage strike at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold mines
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BL Premium reports that in a final attempt to try to break a wage deadlock, the CCMA will on Monday facilitate a meeting between Sibanye-Stillwater management and a coalition of three mining unions that have voted to strike for higher wages at the company’s gold operations.
Four suspended officials still under investigation in Albert Fritz sexual misconduct matter
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EWN reports that while former Western Cape Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz's fate has been sealed, four officials in his former department are still under investigation.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 3 March 2022
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Solidarity accepts Sibanye-Stillwater’s 5% pay rise at gold mines
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BL Premium reports that Solidarity, which has about 700 members at Sibanye-Stillwater’s gold operations, has accepted the company’s revised wage offer.
State Security Agency finally gets a permanent head
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TimesLive reports that the State Security Agency finally has a new permanent director-general (DG), after former deputy energy minister Thembisile Majola was appointed to the post on Monday night.
City of Joburg to fire more than 100 employees who were permanently employed ’unlawfully’
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IOL reports that more than 100 employees of the City of Johannesburg are facing the chop after new council bosses said their contracts were unlawfully changed to permanent positions.
Hospital porters who lost their jobs when new contractor was appointed, protested and blocked entrance to Groote Schuur on Tuesday
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GroundUp reports that the entrance to Groote Schuur hospital was blocked with burning rubbish bins and portable toilets shortly after noon on Tuesday by hospital porters who lost their jobs after a new company took over the portering contract from 1 March.