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.
Health experts call on mines to refocus on HIV, TB
- Details
The Citizen reports that health experts in the mining industry have launched an intensive campaign to return the industry’s focus to tuberculosis (TB), HIV and noncommunicable diseases.
Many SA teachers regret their career choice because of high stress levels
- Details
Sowetan reports that according to a new research, one in five teachers in SA regrets being in the profession. This was one of the key findings of a global study involving 260,000 teachers from 15,000 schools in 48 countries.
According to FNB estimates, 2-million persons didn’t get paid in April
- Details
BL Premium reports that data analysis by FNB of billions of transactions running through its accounts over the lockdown indicates that 2-million people did not receive salaries in April, underscoring the huge significance of government interventions.
Miner who was allegedly called 'monkey' and 'jou ma se p***' by mine captain receives death threats as warning to drop case
- Details
News24 reports that a miner has allegedly received death threats from people warning him to drop a case after he reported his mine captain for using abusive language.
Nehawu vows to go ahead with national strike over employment conditions of community healthcare workers
- Details
Saturday Citizen reports that the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has vowed to forge ahead with plans for a national strike over the employment conditions of community healthcare workers.
Five out of 10 senior Treasury posts still not permanently filled a year after pledge to fast-track appointments
- Details
BL Premium reports that the Treasury is still working on permanent appointments in critical senior roles, despite undertakings more than a year ago to get a special dispensation from the cabinet to fast-track the filling of posts.
Sibanye-Stillwater, NUM and Amcu ink three-year wage agreement for Kroondal
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater has concluded a three-year wage agreement in respect of its Kroondal operation, which forms part of its SA platinum group metal (PGM) operations.
Three SANParks employees arrested with rhino horns outside gates of Kruger Park
- Details
News24 reports that three SA National Parks (SANParks) employees, among them two security guards, have been arrested in possession of fresh rhino horns outside the gates of the Kruger National Park.
CEO of Bheki Mlangeni Hospital in Soweto given 'precautionary transfer' over alleged misconduct
- Details
News24 reports that the Gauteng Department of Health (DoH) has given Ruth Mabyana, CEO of Bheki Mlangeni Hospital in Soweto, a "precautionary transfer" amid a misconduct debacle in which she has been implicated.
All trapped mineworkers rescued from Implats’ 20 Shaft
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that Impala Platinum (Implats) confirmed last week that, following an incident late on 21 October at its 20 Shaft, in Rustenburg, all workers had been evacuated safely from underground.
Four former top Gauteng health officials get bail in 'corruption' case that cost department R1.2bn
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that four former officials at the Gauteng department of health made their first appearance in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on Thursday to face charges relating to allegations of corruption.
Half of South Africans are unprepared financially for retirement
- Details
Moneyweb reports that SA is sitting on a ticking retirement time bomb, with National Treasury indicating that in 2019 only 6% of the country’s population was on track to retire comfortably.
President Ramaphosa underlines private sector’s role in post-Covid economic recovery
- Details
BL Premium reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday that a greater role for the private sector in boosting economic growth was envisaged in SA’s economic recovery plan.
With public servants earning millions sitting at home, retired judges to deal with backlog of disciplinary cases
- Details
Sowetan reports that the government has roped in retired judges to deal with the backlog of disciplinary cases in various state departments across the country.
Numsa to picket at offices of Retail Motor Industry Organisation and Bargaining Council on Tuesday over failure to gazette wage agreement
- Details
Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) will hold a march to all the offices of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) on Tuesday, 27 October to hand over memorandums of demands at each venue.
Community unrest over local recruitment and other issues leads to fatal shooting near Exxaro's Grootegeluk mine
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that diversified resources group Exxaro Resources reports that a local community member was killed in a shooting incident near its Grootegeluk mine on 20 October.
Economists warn that privatising Prasa will lead to a spike in train fares and job losses
- Details
BL Premium reports that plans by the government to privatise parts of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) have been roundly criticised by stakeholders, with analysts saying it will lead to a spike in train fares and more job losses.
Pravin Gordhan says funding of R10.5bn for SAA has full cabinet support
- Details
BL Premium reports that according to Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) Minister Pravin Gordhan, differences between himself and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni over funding SA Airways (SAA) were overcome by "a clear government mandate authorised by a cabinet decision" to provide the airline with R10.5bn to cover the costs of restructuring.
Severely cash-strapped Denel appeals to defence department for financial help
- Details
BL Premium reports that state-owned arms manufacturer Denel remains severely cash-strapped and needs urgent help from the Department of Defence (DoD) to ease its liquidity situation, acting CEO Talib Sadik told MPs on Wednesday.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 21 October 2020
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 21 October 2020.
Public employees must be brought up to speed to help with SA’s digital transformation
- Details
Sifiso Skenjana, who is chief economist and thought leadership executive at IQ Business, notes that the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) has released its “Digital Transformation: Seamless Citizen Experience Through Integrated Government” report, a strategic plan covering the period 2020 to 2025.
Six years in jail for Mpumalanga fraudster who sold fake tertiary qualifications
- Details
News24 reports that a self-employed salon and internet café operator based in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, has been sentenced to an effective six years behind bars for selling fake tertiary qualifications.
Numsa loses labour court battle to halt retrenchments at Barloworld Equipment
- Details
Fin24 reports that retrenchments at Barloworld Equipment are continuing following the Labour Court’s dismissal of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA’s (Numsa’s) urgent application to halt the process and reinstate its members.
Law covering deals between politically exposed people and state must change, SIU tells MPs
- Details
BL Premium reports that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) argued in parliament on Tuesday that the law dealing with politically connected individuals who did business with the state needed to be changed.
Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi won’t commit on Ters extension
- Details
Independent News reports that Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Thulas Nxesi has reiterated that the public purse is under pressure from the growing number of unemployed people.
Tsakani Maluleke on track to become SA’s first female Auditor-General
- Details
BL Premium reports that Deputy Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke is tipped to become the first female head of the chapter 9 institution after being unanimously recommended for the job by a parliamentary ad hoc committee.
NUM prepares for protected wage strike at Assmang Operations, in the Northern Cape
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has declared a wage dispute with Assmang Operations, in the Northern Cape, after it was unable to reach a wage increase agreement with the iron-ore and manganese miner.
SIU guns for correctional services CFO over PPE tenders worth more than R50m
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that Nick Ligege, CFO of the Department of Correctional Services, is being investigated by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for allegedly awarding personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders worth more than R50m to 23 companies linked “to (his) friends and family members”.
SABC newsroom broken, depleted and demoralised, editorial staff forum tells MPs
- Details
TimesLive reports that according to the SA Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC’s) editorial staff forum, bosses at the public broadcaster are presiding over a “broken, depleted and demoralised newsroom”.
Covid-hit workers face accelerated destruction of old economy jobs, but less than 30% of South Africans have digital skills
- Details
BL Premium reports that a new study shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the changing nature of work, with growing automation set to disrupt 85-million jobs globally in the coming five years, deepening existing labour market inequalities and hastening the pace of job destruction.