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.
Marches in eight provinces by thousands of community health workers for permanent employment
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GroundUp reports that thousands of community health workers, supported by National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) members, marched in eight provinces on Thursday, demanding to be employed permanently by the health department.
Gwede Mantashe concerned at multiple deaths as mining sector fails to reduce fatalities in 2020
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Miningmx reports that mining fatalities in SA increased in 2020 year-on-year with the number of multiple fatalities per accident also rising.
AFU freezes R111m Ters payment to businessman who claimed for 6,647 people but was the only worker
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TimesLIVE reports that in October, Thabo Abel Simbini, through his business Impossible Services (Pty) Ltd, made the devastating revelation that he had to lay off 6,647 employees because of the coronavirus.
Cosatu drags SA to ILO over non-implementation of public sector salary increases
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BL Premium reports that in the latest sign of growing frustrations with its ally the ANC over the non-implementation of wage increases for public servants, union federation Cosatu says it will report SA to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for undermining collective bargaining agreements.
Government confirms that 13 trucks attacked or torched in past month alone
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TimesLIVE reports that dozens of trucks have been attacked or torched on SA's roads in the past eight months, with 13 incidents in the past month alone.
Gauteng health employee who won nine-year battle over dismissal gets order for attachment of department’s assets
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SowetanLive reports that a Gauteng health employee who has been embroiled in a protracted legal battle with the government over her dismissal nine years ago has claimed another victory after the Labour Court authorised a sheriff of the court to attach the department's assets.
Teacher unions accuse district officials for matric exam leaks
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SowetanLive reports that teacher unions have taken aim at district officials of the Department of Basic Education (DBE), blaming them for the matric exam paper leaks.
Ndabeni-Abrahams left frustrated about SABC skills audit and retraining of staff
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SowetanLive reports that the board of the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams are headed for another collision course over the retrenchment of staff.
Gauteng Health on a drive to fill CEO positions at three hospitals
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The Star reports that the Gauteng Health Department has advertised chief executive positions for three hospitals and plans on headhunting a candidate for one more facility.
Anglo American, Minerals Council gear up to combat gender-based violence
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Mining Weekly reports that the mining industry is taking further steps to address gender-based violence (GBV), with Anglo American introducing wide-ranging measures to address GBV and harassment across its mines and mining communities in SA.
Saice launches new career growth platform for engineers
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Engineering News reports that the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (Saice) has launched an innovative new platform – Saice Connect – that enables its members to network and engage with potential employers and like-minded individuals.
Construction Industry Development Board acts on conviction that creation of construction jobs is at centre of economic recovery
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Engineering News reports that in a sector hit hard by job losses and a general lack of work, initiatives in the construction industry designed to support the growth, and survival, of emerging contractors, should attract greater public attention and draw the support from established companies in the construction industry.
FairPlay teams up with trade unions to launch ‘buy local chicken’ campaign with aim of creating jobs
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Engineering News reports that nonprofit trade movement FairPlay, together with Proudly South African and trade unions, have launched a campaign to promote the consumption of local chicken.
Unprecedented clamour by shareholders at Woolies AGM against Moir’s exit package
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Moneyweb reports that in what was largely seen as a protest against a generous exit package granted to former Woolworths CEO Ian Moir, an unprecedented 82.24% of shareholders voted against the group’s remuneration implementation report at the annual general meeting (AGM) on Wednesday.
Consumer inflation quickens on food costs in October to seven-month high of 3.3%
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Bloomberg reports that SA’s consumer inflation unexpectedly accelerated in October to the highest rate in seven months, driven by food, non-alcoholic beverages, housing and utilities.
President Ramaphosa assembles ministerial team to look into torching of trucks on freeways
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BL Premium reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has assembled a team of ministers to look into the torching of trucks, which has cost the economy R2bn.
Senwes accused by Solidarity of undermining wage negotiations at grain industry bargaining council
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Trade union Solidarity has “strongly condemned” the actions of Senwes during negotiations between trade unions and several employers who form part of the Bargaining Council for the Grain Industry.
Calls for Diwali to be declared a public holiday
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The Citizen reports that Hindu groups are calling for the most important national festival for the religion, Deepavali or Diwali, to be considered for inclusion on the SA calendar as a public holiday in terms of the Public Holidays Act of 1994.
Protests disrupt, halt operations at cement industry transport companies over non-compliance with bargaining council agreement
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Moneyweb reports that the operations of several transport companies have been disrupted – and in some cases halted – by protests led by the SA National Cargo Transport Drivers Association (Sancatdra).
SA Medical Association probes claims that medical interns pay for posts at preferred hospitals
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News24 reports that the SA Medical Association (SAMA) is to investigate allegations that medical interns have been paying for placements at preferred hospitals. In a statement, the association said trading options were being advertised on social media.
Overcrowded Durban trains ‘posing health risk’
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The Citizen reports that while SA continues to endure hundreds of Covid-19 deaths weekly, commuters in Durban say they have no choice but to use overcrowded trains as the cheapest way to get to work.
Rapist who lured unemployed women with promise of work sentenced to three life terms plus 134 years
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News24 reports that the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has sentenced a serial rapist from Kagiso to three life terms and 134 years imprisonment. Percy Matimba Chauke, 36, faced nine counts of rape, six of robbery and one of theft.
Solidarity warns that flawed junior doctor placement system threatens long-term sustainability of health sector
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On Tuesday, trade union Solidarity highlighted the “inefficient and harmful process” by which junior health practitioners were placed for internships.
Two trucks petrol bombed in Mpumalanga on Tuesday morning
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News24 reports that two truck drivers narrowly escaped infernos when their trucks were petrol bombed in Mpumalanga during the early hours of Tuesday morning.
‘Drivers live in fear every day’, as trucks run the gauntlet of the N3 highway from hell
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TimesLIVE reports that the N3, one of SA’s busiest trucking routes, has become the most fearful route for truck drivers.
Labour Minister warns of UIF collapse if Ters benefit should be extended again
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Bloomberg reports that Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has warned that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) could collapse if it is forced to again extend special benefits to workers who have lost income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
SABC puts job cuts on hold until end of December to allow for further consultations
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BL Premium reports that after resolving last week to extend consultations by seven days, the board of the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said on Tuesday it had agreed to halt the retrenchment process until the end of December to allow for further consultations.
Ingonyama Trust puts staff cuts on hold at least until after appointment of new board in January
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Mail & Guardian reports that wide-ranging retrenchments at the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) have been put on hold — at least until after the appointment of a new board by land reform minister Thoko Didiza in January.
Netcare sending extra staff to its Eastern Cape hospitals as Covid-19 cases surge in the province
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BL Premium reports that private hospital group Netcare is sending additional staff to its Eastern Cape facilities and is considering suspending elective surgery as the region grapples with a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 23 November 2020
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In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 23 November 2020.