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.
Gauteng DA concerned about high number of acting hospital CEOs, Makhura's failed promise to fill vacancies
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News24 reports that according to the Democratic Alliance (DA), Gauteng hospitals have a high CEO turnover because the wrong people are chosen for the posts, who are then suspended or fired.
Health Minister Phaahla places David Motau, CEO of Health Professions Council, on suspension again
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EWN reports that Health Minister Joe Phaahla has placed the Health Professions Council of SA’s (HPCSA’s) CEO and registrar on precautionary suspension pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct.
No plans to scrap school holidays in October, Minister Angie Motshekga tells MPs
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TimesLIVE reports that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has denied that it plans to scrap this year’s spring holidays due to lost teaching time.
ANC offices shut down nationwide from Thursday as staff go on 'wildcat strike' over unpaid salaries
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TimesLIVE reports that African National Congress (ANC) offices will be closed from Thursday as staff strike over unpaid salaries and other grievances.
Unblocking skilled immigration a priority for joint Treasury and Presidency delivery unit Operation Vulindlela
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BusinessLive reports that Operation Vulindlela, the joint delivery unit in the Treasury and the Presidency, is overseeing a review of the work permit regime, which has been a constraint on growth and investment for at least two decades.
Despite employment gains in Q2, Agri SA concerned about skilled workforce decline in agriculture
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Engineering News reports that the agricultural sector is one of few that observed employment gains over the second quarter of this year, adding 69,000 people to its combined workforce. But industry body Agri SA is concerned about a decline in the skilled workforce in the sector.
Busa and BLSA say that unemployment figures show structural crisis
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Engineering News reports that business organisations Business Unity SA (Busa) and Business Leadership SA (BLSA) said in separate statements that the unemployment figures released on Tuesday reflected a structural crisis.
More than 120,000 mineworkers now vaccinated against Covid-19
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Mining Weekly reports that the parliamentary portfolio committee on mineral resources and energy has welcomed the vaccination of more than 120,000 mineworkers, or about 20% of the sector’s employees, against Covid-19.
Treasury says public sector wage deal for 2021/2022 will cost R20bn
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Reuters reports that National Treasury advised on Wednesday that the wage agreement between the government and civil servants for the 2021/22 fiscal year will cost about R20 billion.
SAA to return to skies in late September, status of subsidiaries unclear
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BL Premium reports that South African Airways (SAA) plans to resume flights again as of 23 September after a 15-month grounding of its aircraft.
MPs told state is finalising financial aid for Denel, which is unable to pay staff and suppliers
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BL Premium reports that an intergovernmental team representing the departments of public enterprises, defence and the Treasury are working on a plan to provide financial support for bankrupt state-owned arms manufacturer Denel.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 25 August 2021
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
One in three South Africans are looking for jobs, and it could get even worse
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Fin24 reports that SA’s official unemployment rate for the second quarter worsened to a record of 34.4%, and economists expect this to worsen if the impact of the unrest in July is taken into account.
West Coast towns hit hard by Covid-19 third wave, with lack of safety protocols and vaccine hesitancy behind outbreaks
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News24 reports that rural areas along the West Coast have seen a rise in Covid-19 infections during the third wave, with small towns bearing the brunt of cluster outbreaks.
Policy implementation is needed to reverse unemployment, says Seifsa
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Engineering News reports that Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern African (Seifsa) chief economist Chifipa Mhango said on Tuesday that government needed to urgently focus on job creation efforts as it tried to revive the economy.
Soldiers deployed in KZN in wake of recent unrest left by SANDF to go hungry
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Daily News reports that starving military forces deployed in July to defuse tensions in the wake of the recent civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng are crying out for help.
Fears for safety of Numsa members after assassination of recruiter outside Rustenburg CCMA offices
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The Star reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) says its members at Implats mine in Rustenburg are under threat, following the assassination of a union recruiter Malibongwe Mdazo last week.
Finance committee proceeds to consider DA-proposed pension fund bill to permit loans to members
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BusinessLive reports that on Tuesday parliament’s finance committee proceeded with consideration of a DA-proposed bill, notwithstanding Treasury’s undertaking that a pension fund reform bill would be released for public comment later in 2021.
Denel operating without a tax clearance certificate, given a week by Sars to pay PAYE and VAT
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BL Premium reports that Denel is operating without a tax clearance certificate and can be held criminally liable for breaking tax law.
ConCourt told that state’s reneging on 2018 wage agreement undermined collective bargaining
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BL Premium reports that public sector unions told the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) on Tuesday that the government’s reneging on aspects of the 2018 wage agreement damaged the trust between it and employees.
Slain Gauteng health official was witness in SIU’s investigation into PPE purchase irregularities
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TimesLIVE reports that senior Gauteng health department finance officer Babita Deokaran, who was gunned down outside her Johannesburg South home on Monday, was a witness in the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigation into PPE purchase irregularities.
SA’s record 34.4% jobless rate in second quarter likely to worsen due to impact of unrest
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BL Premium reports that SA’s official unemployment rate, which reached a record 34.4% in the second quarter of 2021, is likely to worsen once the impact of the unrest that swept across parts of the country in July is reflected in future data.
Richards Bay Minerals restarts operations after weeks of engagement to stabilise security situation
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BL Premium reports that Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) has restarted operations after stabilising the security situation around the mine.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 24 August 2021
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In our Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
Anti-vaxxer protest highlights debate around mandatory jabs, with labour law professor noting that the public interest can limit individual rights
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EWN reports that with SA’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout now in full swing, there are mixed views and questions about whether vaccinations will eventually become mandatory.
Numsa starts nationwide demonstrations over wage negotiations
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Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has started with nationwide demonstrations, even while wage negotiations with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) are ongoing.
Four Durban metro policemen and a retired officer succumb to Covid-19 in a week
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Independent Media reports that four Durban Metro police officers and a retired officer died from Covid-19 complications in a week.
UIF to open online applications for unrest relief scheme on 25 August
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Engineering News reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) will start accepting applications for the Workers Affected by Unrest (WABU): Temporary Financial Relief Scheme from 25 August.
Gauteng education department official loses job for sending unsolicited porn videos to client
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The Star reports that a Gauteng Department of Basic Education official has paid the price for sexually harassing a client of the department by sending her unsolicited pornographic videos.
Technical problems put brakes on Metrorail’s train services in parts of Gauteng
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Independent Media reported on Monday on Metrorail’s temporary suspension of some services in Gauteng due to technical problems relating to diesel locomotives.