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.
Vaccine programme for educators, support staff gaining momentum, says basic education department
- Details
EWN reports that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) on Wednesday said the Covid-19 vaccination programme in the sector was gaining momentum.
Public Protector finds Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula irregularly hired, paid advisors
- Details
Independent Media reports that Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has found that Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula irregularly appointed and paid three advisors millions of rand without the required approval of the Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Relief as health department kick starts process of medical intern placements
- Details
ANA reports that according to the national Department of Health (DOH), it has begun the allocation of medical graduates to provinces, in batches.
Transport union Untu accepts Transnet’s final 5% wage increase offer
- Details
Engineering News reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has accepted Transnet’s revised final wage offer for this year, after an overwhelming response from the majority of the union’s branches to accept the offer.
Three officials in court for allegedly defrauding Mpumalanga education department of R6.4m
- Details
News24 reports that three suspects appeared in the Mbombela Magistrate's Court in Mpumalanga on Monday on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering after allegedly defrauding the Department of Education of more than R6.4 million.
In urgent court application, SAB to fight booze ban to protect jobs and livelihoods in the sector
- Details
The Citizen reports that SA Breweries (SAB) announced on Wednesday it would be pursuing urgent legal action in a bid to challenge the government’s fourth ban of alcohol sales for on-site and off-site consumption.
Three men get life in jail for deadly bombing of mineworkers’ bus in 2018
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that three men convicted of murder related to the 2018 deadly torching of a bus that was transporting mineworkers have each been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Public inquiry into deadly 2018 Denel explosion postponed due to new Covid-19 lockdown regulations
- Details
News24 reports that the public inquiry into the 2018 Rheinmetall Denel Munition explosion that left eight people dead has been postponed.
Rio Tinto declares force majeure at its violence-hit Richards Bay Minerals operation
- Details
BL Premium reports that Rio Tinto declared force majeure at its Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) operation in SA, after the murder of a senior manager and continuing violence in surrounding communities disrupted business.
Employees of Air Traffic and Navigation Services could face job cuts
- Details
Fin24 reports that employees of Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) were informed on Tuesday of a possible retrenchment process in terms of the Labour Relations Act.
Nursing union Denosa welcomes stricter curbs
- Details
ANA reports that the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) has welcomed the stricter level 4 restrictions announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday in an effort to contain the runaway spread of Covid-19 across the country.
Brave paramedics rush towards gunshots and save victim of drive-by shooting in Cape Town
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that while paramedics were parked at a Cape Town hospital on Tuesday, they heard multiple gunshots nearby and rushed in the direction of the bangs.
Average pay for domestic workers in SA below living wage
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that as indicated in the fourth annual SweepSouth report on pay and working conditions for domestic work across Africa, domestic workers' earnings are falling below the living wage in SA.
Business part of push to get UIF’s Ters scheme reinstated
- Details
Fin24 reports that the business sector is part of a push to get government to reinstate the Unemployment Insurance Fund's (UIF’s) Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (Ters).
Suspended OR Tambo Airport general manager exits ACSA through mutual separation agreement
- Details
Fin24 reports that suspended general manager of OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Bongiwe Pityi-Vokwana, is no longer employed by Airports Company SA (ACSA).
Income support for workers laid-off under level 4 restrictions being considered at Nedlac
- Details
BL Premium reports that the social partners in the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) are thrashing out a plan to provide income support for workers who will be laid off in economic sectors that will have to close over the next two weeks under level 4 of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Wine industry in urgent court bid to challenge ban on liquor sales in Western Cape
- Details
BL Premium reports that Vinpro has filed an urgent interdict to lift the ban on the sale of alcohol in the Western Cape and has asked the court to allow for the provincial government to make its own rules on liquor sales.
After Gqeberha worker killed by tiger, manager received death threats and park vandalised
- Details
News24 reports that the manager of the Seaview Predator Park in Gqeberha, where a Siberian tiger killed an employee on 16 June, is living in fear after receiving death threats. The park has also been vandalised.
Journalists next in line for Covid-19 jabs, says Sanef
- Details
News24 reports that according to the SA National Editors' Forum (Sanef), journalists will be prioritised for vaccination under the country's Covid-19 vaccine rollout programme.
Federation of school governing bodies outraged over ‘u-turn’ allegedly excluding non-teaching SGB staff from vaccination programme
- Details
News24 reports that the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African School (Fedsas) is outraged at what it claims to be a "u-turn" by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) regarding the vaccination of certain education sector employees.
Bheki Cele warns that police will enforce lockdown regulations strictly
- Details
BL Premium reports that Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Tuesday that police would enforce strict adherence to the two-week, adjusted level 4 lockdown regulations announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday.
Three former West Rand municipal executives allegedly involved in VBS Bank scandal granted R50,000 bail each
- Details
News24 reports that three former West Rand district municipality executives allegedly linked to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal have been granted R50,000 bail each.
Morning roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 29 June 2021
- Details
In our early morning roundup, see summaries
of our selection of recent South African labour-
labour-related reports.
Domestic workers hit by Covid-19 blues
- Details
Cape Argus reports that Sweep South revealed on Sunday how domestic workers have felt the wrath of the Covid-19 pandemic – with depression being a common diagnosis.
As lockdown level 4 brings winter holidays forward, schools to reopen on 19 July
- Details
Independent Media reports that Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Angie Motshekga has advised that private and public schools will close on Wednesday, with 19 July marked as the new return date for learners.
Sibanye-Stillwater inoculates an initial 779 employees at its SA operations, offers wider assistance
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that Sibanye-Stillwater has inoculated an initial 779 employees with the Covid-19 vaccine in line with the government’s roll-out strategy in SA.
With no Ters and no support, ‘restaurants will be destroyed', while deliveries won't save us, industry warns
- Details
Fin24 reports when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that SA would move to more stringent level 4 lockdown regulations, he indicated that until 11 July restaurants and other eateries would only be permitted to sell food for takeaway or delivery.
SAA Technical staff get to go home with full pay, but Mango employees aren’t that lucky
- Details
Fin24 reports that employees of low-cost state-owned airline Mango did not get salary payments for June – but fellow SA Airways (SAA) subsidiary SAA Technical (SAAT) did manage to pay full salaries for the month.
Mineworker killed in fall-of-ground at Impala Platinum’s 16 Shaft
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that according to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), a mineworker was killed in a fall-of-ground incident at Impala Platinum’s Impala Rustenburg 16 shaft on 25 June.
Liquor industry bodies mulling legal action against government’s fourth ban on liquor sales
- Details
News24 reports that foretelling job losses and the demise of small businesses, liquor industry bodies are considering legal action against the government’s decision to ban alcohol sales for the fourth time since SA’s Covid-19 lockdown began nearly 15 months ago.