Today's Labour News

newsThis 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.

‘Appropriate action’ to be taken against Gauteng teacher seen on video roughly combing pupil’s hair

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education90TimesLIVE reports that according to Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, “appropriate action” will be taken against a teacher who was caught on video roughly combing a pupil’s hair.

Saccawu threatens strike at Massmart over retrenchments

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saccawu thumb100 BusinessLive reports that the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) is threatening to embark on industrial action at retail giant Massmart over potential retrenchments that could result in more than 100 workers losing their jobs.

Exxaro Resources announces five-year TB initiative at Grootegeluk

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exxaroMining Weekly reports that coal and heavy minerals producer Exxaro Resources has announced a R19.7-million, five-year tuberculosis (TB) initiative at its Grootegeluk mine in Limpopo’s Waterberg district.

Law does not allow firing of worker who flouts Covid-19 regulations outside of work, labour department asserts

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gavel thumb100 TimesLIVE reports that according to the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), the Occupational Health and Safety Act does not give employers a right to discipline employees who flout Covid-19 regulations outside of work.

Animal rights report reveals that big cat breeding facilities 'exploit workers' as well as animals

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newsNews24 reports that a report by animal welfare organisation Four Paws has found that not only are big cats at breeding farms exploited, but the workers on such farms face exploitation as well.

Thousands of 'uninvited' job applicants turn up at new hospital in KwaMashu, forcing assessment tests to be suspended

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kznlogo thumb100 Independent Media reports that the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health was forced on Monday to suspend its plans to host assessment tests for nurses at the Dr Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in KwaMashu after thousands of people showed up.

Employers and unions need to decide on how to tackle non-vaccinated workers, says Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis

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gideonduplessisGideon du Plessis, general secretary of trade union Solidarity, writes that the vaccination of health workers against Covid-19 has proceeded without encountering any significant resistance from their ranks.

National Treasury warns municipalities to budget for affordable salary increases only

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salgbc thumb100 Independent Media reports that municipalities have been warned to only budget for affordable salary increases this year.

Taxi industry wants cash-strapped government to implement long-awaited subsidy

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fikilembalulaBusinessLive reports that SA’s taxi industry still expects the government to implement a subsidy for the sector, in line with transport minister Fikile Mbalula’s promises during the national taxi indaba last year.

Former Nelson Mandela Bay clerk guilty of 448 counts of fraud and forgery to be sentenced in May

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nelsonmandelabayTimesLIVE reports that a 48-year-old former administration clerk of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro will be sentenced on 4 May for fraud and forgery.

Five Matjhabeng municipal employees in court in Free State on fraud and forgery charges

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handcuffsNews24 reports that five Free State municipal employees have been arrested during an operation by the Hawks' National Clean Audit Task Team.

Cash-strapped Denel appoints Thandeka Sabela as acting finance chief

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DenelReuters reports that state-owned defence company Denel has appointed Thandeka Sabela as acting chief financial officer (CFO).

February’s consumer inflation slipped to 2.9%, taking it below the Reserve Bank's target range

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Stats SAFin24 reports that consumer inflation data released by Statistics SA on Wednesday showed that February inflation slipped to 2.9% year-on-year, from 3.2% in January.

Labour stakeholders warn that Covid-19 retrenchments to spill into 2021

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CCMABL Premium reports that the jobs bloodbath caused by Covid-19 is expected to go up in 2021 and while the economy lost 2.2-million jobs last year, business expects SA to lose up to 4-million jobs as a result of the pandemic.

Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 23 March 2021

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news shutterstockIn our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Tuesday, 23 March 2021.

Planned protest on Artscape Plaza in Cape Town over arts funding delayed

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newsCape Argus reports that Cape Town artists, creatives and performers had been expected take to the streets in artistic protest and in solidarity with artists from across the country in the ongoing protest against the mismanagement of funds meant to assist the entertainment industry, but they had to postpone their protest.

Teachers fearful after panga-carrying gang shuts down Mpumalanga school

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education blackboard thumb medium80 92SowetanLive reports that there was uncertainty on Tuesday about whether schooling would resume at a Mpumalanga school after it was forced to shut down when a gang stormed it last week.

Artists vow to continue with sit-in at National Arts Council over R300m fund saga

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protestThe Star reports that after a virtual meeting held over the weekend to address the ongoing Presidential Empowerment Stimulus Programme (PESP) fund saga, artists have vowed to continue their sit-in at the National Arts Council (NAC) until there is a resolution.

Budget cuts to labour department’s inspectorate will give bad bosses a pass

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southafricalogoMail & Guardian reports that budget cuts to the Department of Employment & Labour’s (DEL’s) inspectorate have sparked concerns that “unscrupulous employers” will go unchecked while workplace safety deteriorates.

SCA rules that SA Navy’s recruitment age requirement of 18 to 22 not discriminatory

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navyCape Times reports that the SA Navy has successfully challenged a Limpopo High Court decision declaring its recruitment age requirement invalid. This was after the Tebeila Institute, which took on the Navy, could not prove its case at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).

Ex-Denel COO unsuccessful in his appeal against conviction of rape and indecent assault of former colleague

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gavel thumb100 The Citizen reports that the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has thrown out former Denel boss and convicted sex pest Koos Venter’s bid to overturn his multiple rape and indecent assault convictions.

Samwu to demand salary hike of R4,000 a month at upcoming municipal wage negotiations

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samwu thumb medium80 78The Citizen reports that following its recent collective bargaining conference, the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) intends to demand a R4,000 monthly salary hike at municipalities.

EAAB says it has issued most of the outstanding fidelity fund certificates required by estate agents to practice

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EAABBL Premium reports that the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB), the body responsible for regulating and controlling certain activities of estate agents, says it has issued most of the outstanding certificates required by estate agents to practice.

SA Medical Association’s legal battle with trade union over subscriptions deducted over past 20 years continues

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samalogo thumb medium85 87BL Premium reports that the SA Medical Association (Sama) and the SA Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) have been in a long-standing dispute over whether Sama owes Samatu millions of rand in deductions paid over the past 20 years.

Reward offered after two Best Care ambulances petrol-bombed on Friday night

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ambulanceThe Citizen reports that two Best Care Emergency Medical Service ambulances were targeted in a petrol-bombing attack at the company’s premises in the Mountain View in the Pretoria area on Friday night.

Roundup on Tuesday, 23 March 2021 of weekend labour reports

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news shutterstockIn our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 19 March 2021.

SAA nears takeoff, but no management team in place to fly the airline

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saa thumb medium95 76Business Times writes that the SA Airways (SAA) rescue saga seems to be drawing to a close, with its business rescue practitioners (BRPs) indicating on Friday that they hoped to complete the process and hand the airline back to its interim board by the end of this month.

Impala invests R10m over four years in bursary programme, launches new Future Women in Mining bursary

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implatsMining Weekly reports that Impala Platinum (Implats) will be investing R10-million over the next four years into the 2021 intake of bursars.

Deputy Minister tells MPs that wage demands of public sector unions will be heard with ‘an open mind’

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boardroomtableBL Premium reports that a senior government official has signalled that public-sector union wage demands could still be open for discussion, despite the Treasury indicating that the state could not afford salary increases.

SAA business rescue over by end of March, but no date for when flights will resume

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saa thumb medium95 76BL Premium reports that the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) of SA Airways (SAA) intend to hand back the company by the end of March.