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.
Axing of Pretoria school principal who tried to kiss personal assistant stands
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The Star reports that a principal who hugged and tried to kiss his personal assistant (PA) by force claimed he was just joking with his victim when confronted via WhatsApp.
State targets disclosure of wage differentials between executives and workers
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BL Premium reports that the government’s push to compel companies to disclose the wage differentials between executives and workers is a step closer to becoming law after the cabinet approved the publication of the Companies Amendment Bill for public comment.
Patient arrested after stabbing two doctors and another patient at Kimberley hospital
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News24 reports that a patient has been arrested for allegedly stabbing two female doctors and a patient at the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley, Northern Cape. The incident occurred at the hospital's casualty unit.
UK red listing blow to SA tourism could cause lasting damage, President Ramaphosa called on to intervene
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BL Premium reports that the government and the tourism sector have reacted with dismay after the UK decided to maintain tough restrictions on travel between the two countries, despite easing them on others such as Kenya and Pakistan.
Cosatu president urges members to support ANC at local government polls
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BL Premium reports that Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi has urged members to campaign for the governing party in the local government election in spite of the legal battles the trade union federation is fighting with the ANC-led government over wages.
Roundup on Monday, 20 September 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, 17 September 2021.
Economists say municipal wage deal shows government is getting serious about spending discipline
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Fin24 reports that economists believe that the recent local government wage deal between unions and the SA Local Government Association (Salga) at the SA Local Bargaining Council was an encouraging indication that government could come to grips with spending in the coming years.
Bredasdorp company director arrested for alleged Covid-19 Ters fraud to service payroll
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News24 reports that a company director has been arrested after allegedly claiming Ters funds from the Department of Labour on behalf of his employees and using the money claimed to service his payroll.
Judge in Marikana civil lawsuit against Ramaphosa and others recuses himself because of shares in Sibanye-Stillwater
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Mail & Guardian reports that Judge Colin Lamont has recused himself from hearing a civil lawsuit brought by the Marikana victims against President Cyril Ramaphosa, the state and mining company Lonmin Plc (now owned by Sibanye-Stillwater).
Denel pays over to Solidarity millions in salary arrears pursuant to court order
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Engineering News reports that trade union Solidarity announced on Friday that state-owned defence industrial group Denel had paid it R4-million to cover the salary arrears of union members employed by Denel Dynamics and Denel Land Systems.
Company operating private prison in Limpopo probed for allegedly claiming Ters funds for dismissed and retrenched employees
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City Press reports that the company that manages the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre, a private prison in Limpopo, is under investigation for allegedly claiming more than R6 million in Covid-19 relief funds on behalf of dismissed and retrenched employees.
Municipal unions had ‘no choice but to accept’ 3.5% wage deal due to pandemic
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BL Premium writes that the two recognised unions in the local government sector wanted a bigger wage increase in recent negotiations but, in a deal largely viewed as favourable to the employers, were forced to compromise due to the negative economic climate and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Harmony Gold says critics of wage deal must see pact in context of three year output plan
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Miningmx writes that the negative aspect of Harmony Gold’s three-year wage deal signed with unions last Thursday is that it entrenches Harmony’s reputation as a high cost gold producer.
Medical aid crisis for Post Office staff with R602m in contributions not having been paid over to scheme
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Sunday Times reports that about 15,000 SA Post Office (Sapo) employees and pensioners may have no medical aid from next month after the Medipos medical scheme told them it was cutting them off because it was owned R602m in member subscriptions by the postal services.
Pepkor CEO says vaccines key to a growing SA economy and a boost in jobs
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Bloomberg reports that SA’s largest clothing retailer sees a successful Covid-19 vaccination rollout as key to reopening the economy and adding new stores, thereby helping to address the world’s highest unemployment rate.
Eastern Cape health official convicted of fraud, money laundering has R248,634 deducted from his pension entitlement
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News24 reports that the Eastern Cape health department has recovered R248,634 from a former logistics official, Baxolile Ngoloyi, after he fraudulently stole that amount of money from the department in the period between 2017 and 2018.
ConCourt slams judges who award punitive legal costs in labour cases
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The Star reports that the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has slammed Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court judges who award punitive legal costs in labour cases.
Amcu rejects forced Covid-19 vaccinations in the workplace
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BL Premium reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has joined other labour bodies in opposing mandatory vaccinations in the workplace, thereby dealing a major blow to a possible vaccine mandate.
Uber driver hospitalised after attack in Katlehong by taxi association members
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TimesLIVE reports that Gauteng public transport and roads infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo has condemned an attack on an e-hailing driver in Katlehong, and has called for law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to book.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 16 September 2021
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Gauteng education department a step closer to implementing SIU findings in R431m school decontamination scandal
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EWN reports that the Gauteng Education Department now has legal advice on how to implement recommendations of a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into a dodgy school decontamination project.
December deadline for resolution of errors with over a million outstanding Ters claims
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Moneyweb reports that according to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), it has more than a million outstanding claims on its Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) portal that stand to be closed by the end of December if claimants do not attend to the errors on their applications.
Dis-Chem acts against staff who issued fraudulent Covid vaccination certificates
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EWN reports that Dis-Chem Pharmacies has filed criminal complaints against staff who provided fraudulent Covid-19 vaccination certificates.
SAHRC raises concerns over potential abuse of rights of unvaccinated citizens
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EWN reports that while the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) does not have a position on the vaccination passport issue as yet, its chairperson, Bongani Majola, has raised concern about the potential abuse of the rights of the unvaccinated.
Government intends to launch new investment company to manage Eskom, Transnet and other SOEs
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Fin24 reports that government wants to create a new investment company that will manage its stakes in SA’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) such as Eskom, Denel and Transnet.
Mining companies launch online International Mining Safety Hub to assist in reducing fatalities
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Mining Weekly reports that a number of large mining companies have joined hands to launch the International Mining Safety (IMS) Hub – an online hub of industry-endorsed visual safety tools that allow for greater learning opportunities and improved safety for all levels of employees.
Fraud, theft and corruption charges laid against ANC's top brass by fired staffer Niehaus on Wednesday
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News24 reports that dismissed African National Congress (ANC) staffer Carl Niehaus laid fraud, theft and corruption charges against five of the ANC's top six members and the party at the Johannesburg Central police station on Wednesday.
Company director, acting municipal manager charged with tender fraud of up to R21m at Mafube Local Municipality
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News24 reports that a company director who has been charged with fraud alongside a former acting municipal manager in the Free State, has been released on R7,000 bail.
Six-month prison term for man who stole R50,000 and laptops from employer, then staged robbery
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News24 reports that a 28-year-old Johannesburg man who stole R50,000 and two laptops from his employer and then faked a robbery has been sentenced to six months in prison.
Numsa inches closer to a wage strike in the metals and engineering industries sector
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Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has called for the issuing of a certificate of non-resolution amid its wage deadlock with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa).