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.
Female prison warder in court for possession of illegal drugs worth R870,000
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IOL reports that a 37-year-old female prison warder has appeared in the Witbank Magistrate’s Court for allegedly dealing in drugs. Tinyiko Claudia Mathebula, based at Paxton correctional services in Witbank, was arrested at around 3am on Thursday.
National Arts Council charges suspended CEO and CFO over disbursement of R300m to struggling artists during pandemic
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News24 reports that the National Arts Council (NAC), which was at the centre of corruption allegations in the disbursement of R300 million meant for artists and creatives during the Covid-19 pandemic, has charged its suspended CEO Rosemary Mangope and CFO Clifton Changfoot.
Disgruntled ANC staffers to resume picket over late salary payments on Monday
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TimesLIVE reports that ANC staff members will be bearing placards again when their suspended picket over salaries resumes on Monday.
Mango employees wait anxiously for creditors meeting on Monday
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Business Times reports that Mango’s more than 700 employees are anxiously waiting to see whether creditors will on Monday pass the low-cost carrier’s business rescue plan — which aims to get it back in the sky by December — or whether it will be amended with its business rescue practitioners having to go back to the drawing board.
Absa fires Sipho Pityana as lead independent director, but he remains a member of the board
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BL Premium reports that Absa has removed Sipho Pityana as lead independent director roughly three weeks after it emerged that he was suing the banking regulator for allegedly blocking his appointment as chair of the bank.
Steve Tshwete municipality in Mpumalanga fires hundreds of workers who took part in three-month strike
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News24 reports that the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality in Mpumalanga has fired 400 employees who participated in a three-month protest that crippled service delivery in Middelburg and caused damage to infrastructure.
Roundup on Monday, 15 November 2021 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, 12 November 2021.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 12 November 2021
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In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
R1,000 sweetener to secure 2021 public sector wage deal adds R20.5bn to government wage bill
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TimesLIVE reports that the government’s decision earlier this year to offer a R1,000 one-off gratuity to civil servants as a sweetener for them to accept a 1.5% wage increase will cost R20.5bn in the current financial year.
Former Lily Mine manager claims collapsed crown pillar was secured before 2016 collapse and tragedy
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News24 reports that according to a former Lily Mine manager, management regularly monitored the mine’s crown pillar prior to its collapse resulting in a massive sinkhole and that it had exhibited no warning signs beforehand.
Government developing comprehensive public sector remuneration strategy for medium to long term
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Engineering News reports that national government is developing a comprehensive public-sector remuneration strategy for the medium to long term.
GEPF investment portfolio grows 27.5% to top R2.09trn mark for FY2021
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Moneyweb reports that the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has reached a significant milestone in the 25th anniversary of its founding, with its investment portfolio now valued at over R2 trillion.
Basic income grant decision to be made in February, with funding likely to require substantial tax increases
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BL Premium reports that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has kicked the basic income grant can down the road, saying in his medium term budget policy statement that a decision has not yet been made and would have to be weighed up against other spending priorities.
SA’s fourth virus wave may be ‘mild’ if social distancing and curbs are continued with
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Bloomberg reports that according to Nicholas Crisp, Department of Health deputy director general and the government official running the national vaccination program, SA’s strict measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus might limit the severity of the pandemic’s next wave.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 11 November 2021
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Health and safety issues push mining unions towards culture of unity of action
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Gideon du Plessis, general secretary of trade union Solidarity, writes that in the wake of the Marikana incident in 2012 labour relations in the mining sector were characterised by rivalry between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union (Amcu).
SA Medical Association wants choice of booster shots for health workers
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Bloomberg News reports that the SA Medical Association (SAMA), which represents doctors, said there must be a choice of Covid-19 booster vaccines for health workers.
Nehawu calls for Cosatu and SACP to speedily establish a popular workers’ movement
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BL Premium reports that Cosatu’s biggest trade union affiliate has called on the labour federation and the SA Communist Party (SACP) to establish a popular movement speedily to address worker struggles and service delivery challenges.
Mango grounded by lack of funds from SAA for restart
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BL Premium reports that SA Airways’ (SAA’s) low-cost subsidiary, Mango has indefinitely postponed resuming operations due to the lack of funds. Mango was scheduled to resume flying in December, after being grounded in July.
Auditor-General concerned about non-implementation of audit action plans at SOEs
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BL Premium reports that the Auditor-General (AG) has raised a red flag at the non-implementation of audit action plans at state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which continue to rack up billions in irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
Eskom boss André de Ruyter to open criminal case after threats against him on social media
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News24 reports that on Wednesday Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha confirmed that the power utility would be opening a case of intimidation on behalf of CEO André de Ruyter following threatening social media posts.
Employee of Free State attorneys who allegedly unlawfully transferred trust funds of over R6m granted R10,000 bail
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News24 reports that the court has granted a 44-year-old woman R10,000 bail after she allegedly defrauded her employer of over R6 million between 2015 and 2019.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 10 November 2021
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Three Ermelo home affairs officials arrested for soliciting money from shops owned by foreign nationals
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TimesLIVE reports that two immigration officers and an assistant director from the department of home affairs in Ermelo were arrested for alleged corruption on Tuesday.
Toyota’s R2.6bn investment in KZN to create jobs
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SowetanLIVE reports that Toyota recently announced massive investments in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) that will lead to more jobs in the province. The first production run of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid vehicle was recently celebrated in KZN, with President Cyril Ramaphosa present to witness the achievement.
Labour Court refuses to overturn Joburg bus driver’s dismissal over commuter’s death
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The Star reports that a former Johannesburg bus driver, who was dismissed five years ago from service following an accident when a commuter fell out of the bus and was crushed to death by the bus, will not get his job back.
SA must find alternative livelihoods in shift away from coal to avoid ‘ghost towns’ in Mpumalanga, says Mantashe
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Mining Weekly reports that Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday that SA’s shift away from fossil fuels must generate alternative economic activities and livelihoods in order to avoid coal mining areas such as Mpumalanga becoming "ghost towns".
Labour wants new finance minister to boost spending through ‘mass stimulus package’ to reignite the economy
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BL Premium reports that ahead of his debut budget policy statement and a week after the ANC suffered bruising electoral losses, finance minister Enoch Godongwana is facing pressure from the party’s trade union allies to boost spending.
De Ruyter lays bare Eskom’s maintenance woes, declines to resign as CEO
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BL Premium reports that as SA staggered through another day of stage 4 load-shedding on Tuesday, Eskom CEO André de Ruyter and his top executives addressed the media and painted a picture of a company unable to do crucial maintenance because of cash flow problems and procurement delays.
AMCU expresses concern over ‘potential for unfairness’ with SA’s proposed transition from coal-based resources
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Mining Weekly reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has expressed concern over the “potential for unfairness” following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of a partnership agreement with France, Germany, the UK, the US and the European Union, whereby they committed to providing about R131-billion in finance to help SA achieve a just energy transition.