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.
With exemption permits expiring in November, Zimbabweans ask Gauteng High Court to declare them permanent residents
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Moneyweb reports that the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Holders Association, representing roughly 250,000 Zimbabweans in SA, has asked the Gauteng High Court to declare its members permanent residents.
Stellenbosch teacher resigns amid allegations of sexual offences against pupil
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IOL reports that a Stellenbosch teacher has resigned after allegations of sexual offences relating to a pupil arose. The teacher who taught at Idas Valley Primary School was arrested on 22 September and was released on bail on 8 October.
Emfuleni municipal manager Lucky Leseane placed under suspension again
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IOL reports that the embattled Emfuleni Local Municipality in Gauteng has again placed its municipal manager Lucky Leseane on suspension for undisclosed reasons, notwithstanding the country facing municipal elections within the next two weeks.
Hundreds march to Union Buildings over health system corruption, tell of ignorance and bigotry on part of clinic staff
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GroundUp reports that more than 200 people marched from Loftus Stadium to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Monday to protest against corruption in the health system, which is believed to be a root cause of failing public health facilities.
Rescue under way at Northern Cape diamond mine for at least 12 illegal miners missing after tunnel collapse
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TimesLIVE reports that the rescue of at least 12 artisanal diamond miners trapped in collapsed tunnels at a diamond mine in the Northern Cape will be hazardous and difficult.
Public inquiry into Denel blast that killed eight resumed on Tuesday, 17 witnesses lined up
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News24 reports that a witness broke down during the second part of the public inquiry into the 2018 blast that killed eight people at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) plant in Macassar, which kicked off on Tuesday.
'SA becoming a dangerous place for journalists', warns Sanef after TV crew robbed at gunpoint in Cape Town
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News24 reports that two television journalists who were robbed at gunpoint in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, described the experience as one of the scariest days of their entire careers.
AMCU and other unions to take Sibanye to CCMA over wage negotiation impasse
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Mining Weekly reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), along with other trade unions in the gold mining sector, plans to take Sibanye-Stillwater to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) over a wage dispute at the miner’s gold operations.
Amid ongoing Numsa strike, Seifsa urges members to implement final wage offer
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Engineering News reports that the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) has strongly recommended that affiliated member companies should start implementing a final wage offer put forward by the federation last week.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 19 October 2021
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Taxi operator arrested for attempted murder after Western Cape traffic official almost run over during route checks
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News24 reports that a taxi operator was arrested for attempted murder after a traffic officer had to shoot at a vehicle to stop it from running him over during a volatile route inspection.
Shoprite CEO paid almost R30 million over past year, an increase of nearly 12%
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Fin24 reports that Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht, 52, earned R29.9 million over the past year, an increase of almost 12% from the previous year, when he earned R26.8 million.
Solidarity launches PAIA application regarding reported coming into effect of NHI by year-end
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Trade union Solidarity announced on Monday that it had launched an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in connection with controversial remarks made by the Health Department’s Deputy Director-General, Dr Nicolas Crisp.
Gauteng police officer killed on Saturday after being struck by drunk driver at roadblock
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News24 reports that a Gauteng police officer was killed while manning a roadblock on the West Rand on Saturday night. Warrant Officer Jan Christoffel Esterhuysen was killed after being knocked over while controlling traffic in Khutsong when a motorist allegedly failed to stop.
Business must do more to encourage vaccine uptake, says BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso
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Engineering News reports that according to Business Leadership SA (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso, there was much that business was already doing to encourage uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine, but more needed to be done.
Discovery Health warns of a pandemic of mental illness in wake of Covid-19 disruptions
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BL Premium reports that Discovery Health has sounded the alarm over a looming mental health crisis in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The medical scheme administrator has seen a marked increase in claims for psychology visits.
As Numsa’s wage strike rolls into third week, some parties meet for CCMA mediation
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BusinessLive reports that as the wage strike by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in the metals and engineering sector enters its third week, some of the parties are looking to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to break the impasse.
Village Main Reefs signs two-year wage agreement with the NUM and Uasa
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Mining Weekly reports that trade unions Uasa and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) have signed a two-year wage agreement with gold producer Village Main Reef (VMR), effective 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2023.
Inquiry into Rheinmetall Denel fatal blast in 2018 to resume on 19 October
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Engineering News reports that the Department of Employment and Labour's (DEL's) inquiry into the events that led to the 2018 fatal incident at Rheinmetall Denel Munition's facility in Macasser, in the Western Cape, is set to resume from 19 to 22 October.
‘Catastrophic’ fuel price hikes await motorists in November, AA says
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BusinessLive reports that the AA has warned that motorists could be hit with “catastrophic” fuel price hikes next month as a result of increasing oil prices.
Roundup on Monday, 18 October 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, 15 October 2021.
Governing council ‘has dismally failed Unisa’, very damning report finds
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Sunday Independent reports that, in a damning report, the governing council of the University of South Africa (Unisa), has been severely criticised for its lack of good governance and failure to safeguard the academic future of the institution.
Since beginning of lockdown last year, UIF has paid out R63bn to workers
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In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) reported that since the start of the Covid lockdown last year, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has disbursed R63 billion, bringing relief to about 5.4 million workers.
Why some SAA workers are already protesting, only three weeks after the airline returned to the skies
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Fin24 reports that only three weeks after SA Airways (SAA) took the skies after being grounded for about a year and a half, there were scenes of labour protest outside its offices.
Seifsa says its 6% wage increase offer is final
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GroundUp reports that according to the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa), the wage increase offer made the week before last to striking National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) members in the metals and engineering sector was its final, closing offer.
Solidarity claims Sibanye-Stillwater is “preparing for a strike” at its SA gold operations
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Miningmx reports that according to trade union Solidarity, Sibanye-Stillwater was spending more time preparing for a strike at its gold operations than trying to reach a new wage settlement.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 15 October 2021
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In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Minerals Council report shows mining industry shed jobs in 2020, but paid more in salaries
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Fin24 reports that data released by the Minerals Council SA (MCSA) on Thursday showed that in 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, the mining industry employed more than 9,000 fewer people than in the previous year.
Solidarity reaches wage agreement with Village Main Reef
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Mining Weekly reports that trade union Solidarity has concluded a two-year wage agreement with gold producer Village Main Reef.
Milk Producers Organisation reduces its staff complement by 60%
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Landbou reports that the Milk Producers Organisation (MPO) has reduced its workforce by about 60% as part of a process to change the strategy and structure of the organisation.