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.
Minister reveals that only 53% of SA's senior municipal managers meet minimum competency levels
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News24 reports that information that came to light in a parliamentary reply last week revealed that not only are SA’s municipalities in a financial and political mess, but they also appear to be led by incompetent officials.
Roundup on Monday, 19 April 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, 16 April 2021.
Radiation therapists leave Charlotte Maxeke in droves over pay disparity
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SowetanLive reports that even as the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital faces cancer treatment backlogs, radiation therapists are leaving the institution in droves because of disputed salary scales.
Nehawu calls for immediate investigation into Friday’s fire at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Joburg
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The Citizen reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) called for an immediate investigation after fire ravaged through the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital dispensary section, including a PPE storeroom, on Friday.
Unisa legal services executive hauls vice-chancellor to court over suspension
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TimesLIVE reports that Unisa’s executive director of legal services, Adv Modidima Mannya, has hauled vice-chancellor Prof Puleng LenkaBula to court after she suspended him for, among other things, allegedly abusing his position.
Lack of functional fire hydrants ‘part of a bigger problem’ at Charlotte Maxeke hospital
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The Citizen reports that an alleged lack of functional fire hydrants with a fire which wouldn’t die down led to the mass evacuation of patients at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital.
Advisers recommend that shareholders reject incoming Glencore CEO's proposed pay package
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Mining Weekly reports that proxy advisers Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis have recommended that Glencore’s shareholders should reject a proposed pay package for incoming CEO Gary Nagle at the firm's annual general meeting (AGM) later this month.
Employment Equity Amendment Bill unconstitutional, says Busa
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BL Premium reports that two business organisations argued in parliament on Thursday that proposed legislation which would give Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister the power to set sectoral targets for employment equity was unconstitutional in its current form.
Numsa and NUM seek 15% wage increases at Eskom, while Solidarity wants 9.5%
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Bloomberg reports that the two biggest unions representing workers at Eskom are seeking 15% wage increases, adding to the woes confronting the loss-making state-owned power utility.
Solidarity and AfriForum tell court that Tourism Equity Fund is unlawful
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BL Premium reports that trade union Solidarity and lobby group AfriForum argued in the Pretoria High Court on Friday that the R1.2bn Tourism Equity Fund was unlawful because tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane established it without the go-ahead from her trade, industry & competition counterpart, Ebrahim Patel, as required by law.
Public Servants Association threatens industrial action over 0% wage offer from government
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BL Premium reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents over 235,000 workers, has threatened to go on strike after the government formally tabled a 0% wage increase for the 2021/2022 financial year.
Robben Island Museum in ‘financial crisis mode' with 50% salary cuts looming from June
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TimesLIVE reports that the Robben Island Museum is in the midst of a financial crisis, which it once again is blaming on the effects of Covid-19 on the tourism sector rather than on mismanagement of funds.
SANDF member and six other suspects due in dock for protest action in Limpopo
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TimesLIVE reports that a 53-year-old member of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) is among seven suspects who were scheduled to appear on Thursday at the Namakgale Magistrate's Court in connection with public violence that erupted in Phalaborwa, Namakgale and Lulekane last Friday.
Senior North West prosecutor facing charges of sexual exploitation of a minor suspended
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TimesLIVE reports that a senior North West prosecutor, who stands accused of a raft of sexual offences against a minor, has been suspended.
Reserve Bank warns of negative impact of slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations
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Moneyweb reports that the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) released its bi-annual Monetary Policy Review (MPR) on Wednesday, in which it warned that the economy could be further negatively impacted by the emergence of new waves of Covid-19 infections should the country not reach herd immunity.
Court orders suspended North West municipal manager’s reinstatement, with mayor and others to pay punitive costs
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Moneyweb reports that the North West High Court has ordered the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District (DRSMD) Municipal Council, its speaker and mayor to foot the court bill for unlawfully suspending the municipal manager, Jerry Mononela, after claiming he was guilty of financial misconduct.
DA’s Madikizela refuses to resign as Western Cape leader despite qualifications scandal
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BL Premium reports that Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela, who is facing an internal qualifications probe following reports that he does not hold a Bcom degree as previously claimed, says he takes full responsibility for not disclosing the correct information on his CV.
Banks give their backing to tenor of controversial Employment Equity Amendment Bill
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BL Premium reports that the Banking Association SA (Basa), which represents all registered banks in the country, has thrown its weight behind legislation to compel businesses to meet employment equity goals.
SAA appoints Thomas Kgokolo as interim CEO, taking business rescue process a step closer to completion
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BL Premium reports that SA Airways (AA) has appointed Thomas Kgokolo as interim CEO, the interim board chair Geoff Qhena announced to staff on Wednesday.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 14 April 2021
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In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 14 April 2021.
Leaked letter from business rescuers shows striking SAA pilots could have received almost R1bn by now
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News24 reports that according to a letter dated 9 April 2021 from the SAA business rescue practitioners (BRPs) to the SAA Pilots Association (Saapa), if striking members of the association had accepted the BRPs’ latest offer, an amount totalling R704 million would have been paid out to them last week.
Two police officers charged with stealing cash from CIT heist scene in Vaal Rand
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The Citizen reports that two police officers have been arrested by the Serious Corruption Investigation team in the Vaal Rand in Gauteng on charges of theft and defeating the ends of justice.
Former Nelson Mandela Bay human settlements boss ordered to pay back overpayment of R11.3m on Seaview property
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HeraldLive reports that former Nelson Mandela Bay municipality human settlements executive director Lindile Petuna must fork out more than R11m to reimburse the city after it overpaid a Seaview property owner in 2015 on his recommendation.
Condemnation of director-general’s ‘race baiting’ tweets against SAA Pilots Association
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The Citizen reports that according to SA Airways Pilots Association (Saapa) spokesperson Grant Back, it was regrettable that a government official had resorted to race-baiting and blatantly false accusations against his association.
Two police officers and civilian arrested in connection with truck hijackings on R59, N3 and other Gauteng routes
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TimesLIVE reports that a VIP protection unit officer and a flying squad police officer have been arrested for alleged involvement with a syndicate which has been hijacking trucks on freeways in Gauteng.
Sactwu concludes 5.5% wage negotiations for woven cotton textile sector
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The Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) announced on Tuesday that it had concluded its outstanding wage negotiations for the Woven Cotton textile sub-sector.
SA Bureau of Standards hopes to save R150m by retrenching 170 employees
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The Star reports that yet another public entity has embarked on a process that could result in the retrenchment of employees, barely a month after the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) let over 600 employees go.
Road passenger bus sector reaches 4% wage increase agreement
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News24 reports that the SA Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBAC) has announced that on Tuesday employers and trade unions in the road passenger sector reached a 4% wage increase agreement for the coming year.
R1m reward for information on Gugulethu cash-in-transit heist in which a security guard was killed in explosion to open safe
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News24 reports that a security guard was killed in an explosion during a cash-in-transit (CIT) heist in Gugulethu, Cape Town, on Monday afternoon, while three others were left injured.
Eskom’s De Ruyter inquiry also puts procurement chief on the spot to prove racism allegations
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BL Premium writes that Eskom’s chief procurement officer, Solly Tshitangano, who has accused CEO André de Ruyter of racism, could be in the firing line himself should the probe that he has called for finds that his claims have no substance.