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.
Autopax workers protest over nonpayment of September salaries
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SowetanLIVE reports that employees at state-owned bus operator Autopax, who have not been paid their September salaries, say they are uncertain of their future and that of the financially-distressed company.
Paramedics, patient unscathed after large rock hurled through window of ambulance on N14 in Krugersdorp
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News24 reports that two ER24 paramedics and a patient had a very lucky escape after a large rock was thrown through the window of their ambulance on Thursday.
Fifty-six arrested, three injured as Special Task Force rescues ministers held hostage by protesting military veterans
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News24 reports that the Special Task Force stormed the St George's Conference Centre in Irene, Pretoria, on Thursday evening to rescue Defence Minister Thandi Modise, her deputy, Thabang Makwetla, and Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, after they were held hostage by disgruntled military veterans.
Numsa rejects Seifsa’s latest wage increase offer
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BL Premium reports a strike in the metals and engineering sector entered its eighth day on Thursday after the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) rejected a revised pay offer from employers’ association Seifsa (Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA).
Military veterans from Pietermaritzburg stage protest at ANC’s Joburg headquarters for benefit of R2 .2 million each
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The Witness reports that former liberation struggle ex-combatants from Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday staged a protest outside the ANC Johannesburg headquarters where they demanded benefits.
Minerals Council plans Vooma Covid-19 vaccination campaign for 18 to 22 October
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Mining Weekly reports that the Minerals Council SA (MCSA) and its members are aligned with the government’s Vooma vaccination drive and will intensify ongoing efforts by launching a focussed campaign from 18 to 22 October.
EMPD denies stalling training of recruits as a cost-saving measure, blames Covid for delay
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EWN reports that the Ekhuruleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) said that it was hoping that trainees would be able to qualify as metro cops by March next year, but warned that there were no guarantees in the middle of the pandemic.
Demawusa threatens to resume Metrobus wage strike ahead of municipal elections
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BL Premium reports that the Democratic Municipal Workers Union of SA (Demawusa), which suspended its protracted wage strike at Metrobus bus a few months ago, said on Wednesday it was engaging with its members with a view to resume it ahead of the municipal elections on 1 November.
Pretoria teacher who assaulted pupil over alleged theft of bottle of water sentenced to R10,000 fine or 10 months’ imprisonment
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SowetanLIVE reports that a primary school teacher found guilty in April of assaulting an 11-year-old grade 6 pupil over the alleged theft of a bottle of sparkling water has been sentenced to a fine of R10,000 or 10 months’ direct imprisonment.
Six years in business rescue, Lily and Barbrook mines can’t escape the court system despite an approved rescue plan
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Moneyweb reports that it’s been nearly six years since a support pillar at Vantage Goldfields’ Lily Mine in Mpumalanga collapsed, talking the lives of Solomon Nyirenda, Yvonne Mnisi and Pretty Nkambule. The company subsequently placed the Lily Mine in business rescue.
Neasa warns that Numsa’s ongoing metals and engineering strike could lead to job cuts
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Bloomberg reports that according to the National Employers Association of SA (Neasa), the ongoing strike in the metals and engineering industries is likely to lead to job cuts, further hammering a sector that has been in decline for several years.
Joburg Market senior financial controller arrested for fraud amounting to R5.5m
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EWN reports that a senior financial controller at the Joburg Market has been arrested for fraud amounting to R5.5 million.
SA officially withdraws support for Mthunzi Mdwaba to lead ILO
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BL Premium reports that the SA cabinet has officially withdrawn its support for businessperson and labour guru Mthunzi Mdwaba’s bid to lead the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Alexander Forbes’ annual survey reveals bleak retirement prospects for most SA workers
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BL Premium reports that annual member insights survey by Alexander Forbes (AF) has highlighted the dire retirement prospects facing most SA workers.
Tiger Brands gets back to baking bread following wildcat strike at Albany Bakery in Germiston
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BL Premium reports that Tiger Brands said on Tuesday that operations at its Albany Bakery in Germiston had resumed following a wildcat strike that resulted in bread shortages across Johannesburg.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 12 October 2021
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Durban woman fired for not attending work during lockdown last year wins case in the CCMA
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IOL reports that a Durban woman, who was fired for refusing to return to the office during level 3 lockdown in June last year, citing a comorbidity, has won her case in the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Against backdrop of political violence, Ramaphosa calls for Mpumalanga MEC Mandla Msibi to step aside over murder charges
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BL Premium reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa called on Mandla Msibi to immediately step aside after the MEC of agriculture in Mpumalanga appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of murder as a result of a deadly ANC branch meeting in August.
SANParks boss Mketeni ready to return to work after flop of sexual assault case
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SowetanLIVE reports that South African National Parks (SANParks) chief executive Fundisile Mketeni says he is ready to return to work after he was acquitted of assault and sexual assault charges on Monday.
Sars targets 52 firms linked to R1bn Covid PPE contracts
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Cape Times reports that the SA Revenue Service (SARS) says it has focused on 52 non-compliant companies that received R1 billion in contracts for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other Covid-19 related services.
Employee dismissed by Clover for racist rant on Facebook loses re-instatement bid
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GroundUp reports that a former employee at Clover has failed in his bid to be reinstated in his job after he was dismissed for a Facebook posting in which he said that all white people should be killed.
Tiger Brands gets labour court order against striking workers at its Albany Bakery in Germiston
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TimesLIVE reports that Tiger Brands on Monday obtained an order from the Labour Court in Johannesburg declaring the strike by workers at its Albany Bakery in Germiston as “unprotected”.
BMW's Rosslyn vehicle assembly plant hit by Numsa’s strike in metals and engineering sector
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Reuters reports that a spokesperson for BMW said on Monday that output at the company’s main vehicle assembly plant at Rosslyn had been hit by the wage strike in the metals and engineering sector.
Umgeni Water’s acting boss resigns with immediate effect, operations head appointed as new acting CEO
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Fin24 reports that Umgeni Water, SA’s second-largest water provider, advised on Monday that its acting chief executive, Nomalungelo Mkhize, had resigned with immediate effect.
Fire guts mattress factory in Joburg, no injuries reported
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News24 reports that a fire has destroyed a mattress factory in Nancefield, Johannesburg, with the owner, Imran Kazi, indicating that the factory was burnt to the ground and all the machinery was destroyed.
Workers lose R100m in wages as metals strike drags on while Numsa awaits feedback from regions
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BL Premium reports that the indefinite wage strike by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in the metals and engineering sector has cost workers R100m in lost wages, employers said on Monday.
President declares 1 November a public holiday
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News24 reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared Monday, 1 November 2021 - the date for the municipal elections - as a public holiday.
Numsa considers new offer to end metals and engineering wage strike
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Reuters reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Friday that its members were considering a new proposal to end a wage strike in the metals and engineering industries sector, which was then in its fourth day.
Widespread welcome after UK finally removes SA from its red list for fully vaccinated travellers
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BL Premium reports that SA has finally been removed from the UK’s red list, meaning that from Monday fully vaccinated travellers returning to Britain after visiting the country will no longer have to spend 10 days in quarantine.
Cosatu calls for SA’s mining sector to be shut down over centralised wage bargaining
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BusinessLive reports that Cosatu, which held a national march against job losses and retrenchments on Thursday, called on all mines in the country to be “shut down at some point” to force mining bosses to respond positively to workers’ demands.