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.
Court rules that Ekurhuleni sex pest, who harassed a woman when she booked her learner’s driving test and again when she wrote it, must be fired
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GroundUp reports that it has been a long legal battle for a woman who was sexually harrassed twice by a municipal employee, when she went to book for, and then when she went to write, her driver’s licence test.
No jab, no job: CCMA rules that suspension of security firm employee at Sasol was not unfair
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Fin24 reports that the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) found in an arbitration award made on 25 January 2022 that the suspension of a security firm employee who refused to be vaccinated was not an unfair labour practice.
Prasa says it may have been paying salaries to about 3,000 ghost employees
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EWN reports that the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) may have been paying salaries to about 3,000 ghost employees for years.
Saftu’s Vavi vows to “scale up the fight” against Clover
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GroundUp reports that unions supporting striking workers of dairy producer Clover say the strike will continue and action against the company will be intensified.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 1 February 2022
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Fuel price increase to put more pressure on inflation rate
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The Citizen reports that according to economists, Wednesday’s fuel price increases will put more pressure on the inflation rate.
In second recent incident, City of Cape Town sewer staff hijacked, robbed at gunpoint in Philippi East
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News24 reports that two City of Cape Town staff members were held at gunpoint, hijacked and robbed while working in Philippi East on Sunday – months after a similar experience in the same area.
Teachers say schools are no longer safe
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Sunday Independent writes that teachers’ unions say their members feel under siege from communities who expect them to perform miracles and ensure that unqualified pupils pass and are promoted to the next grade.
Arena Holdings, publisher of Business Day and Sunday Times, makes Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for all staff
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BusinessLive reports that Arena Holdings, publisher of titles such as Business Day and the Sunday Times, indicated in a memo to staff on Monday that it would be making Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for all its employees and contractors.
RFA says foreign truck drivers' strike this week will have minimal impact, but some businesses could be hit hard
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EWN reports that the Road Freight Association (RFA) on Sunday said that although the planned stay-away by foreign truck drivers this week would likely have a minimal impact on the industry, some businesses could be hit hard.
Commission recommends that domestic workers’ minimum wage be raised to that of other workers
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Mail and Guardian reports that the National Minimum Wage Commission has recognised that the minimum wage for domestic workers should be increased to be at the same level as that of all other workers.
Public Protector finds that Putco’s Gauteng monopoly was irregularly implemented
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TimesLive reports that the Putco bus company has been enjoying a monopoly in Gauteng for more than 20 years, as its contract with the provincial roads and transport department was continuously extended without a competitive bidding process taking place.
As Covid-19 rules are eased, SA scraps isolation for cases with no symptoms
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BusinessLive reports that along with several new measures put in place as part of adjusted alert level 1 regulations, the Presidency announced on Monday night that people who test positive for Covid-19 without symptoms no longer have to isolate.
Commercial crimes court convicts former Prasa engineering head over fake qualifications
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TimesLive reports that the Johannesburg commercial crimes court on Monday convicted former Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) head of engineering services, Daniel Mthimkhulu, of fraud for faking his academic qualifications to earn a bigger salary.
High Court dismisses former CEO Peter Moyo’s R250m claim against Old Mutual
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BL Premium reports that Old Mutual has succeeded in having the R250m damages claim lodged against it by former CEO Peter Moyo thrown out with costs, due to a lack of evidence that it had done anything wrong.
Major fuel price hikes to kick in on Wednesday
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TimesLive reports that motorists will be hit with major fuel price hikes on Wednesday, with petrol going up 53c/l and diesel by up to 80c. Illuminating paraffin will rise by 101c/l.
Old Mutual applies to have ‘fatally flawed’ damages case brought by axed CEO Peter Moyo thrown out
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BL Premium reports that Old Mutual has asked the presiding judge in the case brought against it by former CEO Peter Moyo to dismiss his contractual and delictual claims against the company and certain directors on the grounds that his case was “fatally flawed” due to a lack of evidence.
Axed SABC news head Phathsiwa Magopeni reportedly set to legally challenge dismissal
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News24 reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) advised on Saturday that Phathsiwa Magopeni, the public broadcaster’s axed head of news, intended to legally challenge her dismissal.
Chieftaincy dispute curtails production at Richards Bay Minerals
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Mail & Guardian reports that mining giant Rio Tinto has again “curtailed” production at its Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) operations because of a fresh outbreak of violence sparked by tension around a decade-long dispute over the chieftainship in the area.
Eskom Pension and Provident Fund appoints chartered accountant Thandie Mashego as new CFO
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BL Premium reports that the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund (EPPF) has appointed Thandie Mashego as its new CFO.
Broke ANC discussed retrenchments at last week’s NEC meeting
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BusinessLive reports that the ANC has been urged to immediately start retrenching staff to restore the party’s financial health.
Numsa wants wage hike of R4,200 (54%) for lowest paid bus drivers
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Fin24 reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Friday it would be tabling an ambitious set of demands for consideration at the SA Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBAC), including a 54% wage hike for the lowest-paid bus drivers.
Eleven zama-zamas arrested at Chromnet mine in Northam area, assets worth over R3m seized by Hawks
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TimesLive reports that eleven suspected illegal miners (zama zamas) were arrested at the Chromnet mine in the Northam area, Limpopo, on Thursday.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 28 January 2022
- Details
In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Cuba gets unregistered Covid-19 drugs back, but there’s no sign of SA taxpayers’ cash
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BL Premium reports that almost two months after it was ordered by the health regulator to return an unregistered Covid-19 drug obtained from Cuba, the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has complied.
Western Cape premier to meet with independent advocate over Albert Fritz sexual assault allegations
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News24 reports that Western Cape Premier Alan Winde says his government fully supports any inquiry by police into the sexual assault allegations levelled against suspended Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz.
President’s economic council advises against basic income grant
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BL Premium reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s panel of economic advisers has recommended the extension of the emergency Covid-19 social grant for a period “of a few months” after the end of the national state of disaster. But, it stayed on script with existing Treasury policy on extending social welfare payments.
Nehawu to approach high court to force ANC to pay outstanding salaries of striking staffers
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IOL reports that ANC employees continue to suffer due to the failure by the ruling party since last year to pay their outstanding salaries.
Hundreds of people conned out of R800 in scam over cleaning jobs at Somerset Hospital in Cape Town
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GroundUp reports that police in Kraaifontein, Cape Town, are investigating a case of fraud after 230 people in the community were conned by a cleaning company called Aico n Thabie Services.
Military veterans being trained as Prasa guards
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News24 reports that military veterans are being trained to guard the Passenger Rail Agency of SA's (Prasa’s) rail network against the rampant plundering that has left some stations gutted and chunks of track missing from railway lines.