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.
ANC KZN loses provincial spokesperson to Covid-19
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SowetanLive reports that former KwaDukuza mayor and ANC KwaZulu-Natal leader Ricardo Mthembu died on Wednesday. According to ANC insiders, he was admitted to hospital and was in an intensive care unit for a few days.
North West premier Job Mokgoro and MEC Saliva Molapisi test positive for Covid-19
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SowetanLive reports that North West premier Job Mokgoro and one of his MECs, Saliva Molapisi, have tested positive for Covid-19. This was confirmed by Mokgoro's office on Tuesday.
Five cases of Covid-19 reported at North West traffic stations
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News24 Wire reports that five cases of Covid-19 have been reported at various traffic stations in the North West, according to department of community safety and transport management spokesperson, Alpheus Koonyaditse.
Robber who abducted Durban e-hailing driver jailed for 30 years
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TimesLIVE reports that a 21-year-old man, who posed as an e-hailing customer before abducting and robbing the driver, has been served with a lengthy jail term.
UIF commissioner adamant there’s no Ters backlog
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BL Premium reports that Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) commissioner Teboho Maruping is adamant there is no backlog in the payment of Covid-19 relief benefits.
Government, unions agree to retain 1,000 more employees in new SAA through use of training lay-off scheme
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Moneyweb reports that government and unions have reached an agreement to retain an additional 1,000 employees at SA Airways (SAA), thereby doubling the number of workers who won’t be retrenched.
About 1,500 truck drivers in national protest on Tuesday over employment of foreign drivers
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BusinessLive reports that about 1,500 truck drivers abandoned their trucks across the country on Tuesday to protest against the employment of foreign drivers in the road freight and logistics industry.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 7 July 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
Tuesday, 7 July 2020.
Massmart looks to cut up to 1,800 jobs at its Game stores
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BusinessLive reports that Walmart-owned retailer Massmart says up to 1,800 jobs may be cut at its Game stores in SA as it begins formal consultations with organised labour.
Amid rising Covid-19 cases, staff at Donald Gordon Medical Centre accuse management of negligence
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The Star reports that employees at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre have alleged that coronavirus cases amongst staff are steadily increasing, but that the hospital continues to operate with little deep cleaning.
Hundreds of jobs to go as Covid-19 forces Media24 to fold two newspapers and five magazines
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TimesLIVE reports that Media24 is considering the closure of five magazines and two newspapers - along with staff cuts - in a restructuring shake-up accelerated by the "devastating" financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff at Road Lodge in Roodepoort claim 47% of them have Covid-19 because management exposed them
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The Star reports that employees of Road Lodge in Roodepoort have accused management of exposing them to danger that resulted in 47% of workers, including the general manager, testing positive for Covid-19.
High Court rules that private pre-schools can reopen
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BusinessTech reports that the Pretoria High Court has ruled that all private pre-schools and early childhood development centres may open with immediate effect, provided they do so in line with coronavirus safety measures.
Trucks block Joburg’s M1 highway in Benrose on Tuesday morning despite court ban on protest against foreign drivers
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TimesLIVE writes that Johannesburg Metro Police (JMPD) cleared the M2 highway in Benrose on Tuesday as signs emerged of a planned "shutdown" protest against the employment of foreigners in the trucking industry.
Taxi associations officially request 100% loading capacity for both local and long-distance routes
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BusinessLive reports that the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) claims its members are ready to resume long-distance operations, despite fears that this could lead to more Covid-19 cases.
High Court requires participation of community groups and labour in Minerals Council’s legal challenge to 2018 Mining Charter
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BusinessLive reports that the mining industry’s legal challenge against certain clauses in the Mining Charter took a new turn after a ruling demanded the participation of community organisations, unions and other social parties in court proceedings.
Probe into Thursday’s deadly Milnerton oil refinery blast continues
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Cape Argus reports that the probe into Thursday’s explosion at the Astron Energy SA oil refinery in Milnerton is continuing, with operations there halted. Two people died and seven were injured in the explosion.
Public Enterprises urges SAA unions to accept voluntary severance packages
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Fin24 reports that according to the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), four unions at SA Airways (SAA) and representatives of non-unionised staff have indicated an intention to sign voluntary severance package (VSP) agreements.
Gauteng wants tougher lockdown measures, but says economy won’t be touched
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BusinessLive reports that the Gauteng government has asked the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) for stricter measures in the province, including possibly cutting down on the number of people attending funerals and reintroducing a curfew.
With Safa not having approved health and safety protocols, football clubs may have started training prematurely
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BusinessLive reports that the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and National First Division (NFD) clubs may have returned to training prematurely after it emerged on Monday that the requisite health and safety compliance protocols were not approved by the SA Football Association (Safa).
Amid jobs bloodbath, CCMA faces budget cut
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Mail & Guardian reports that according to figures provided by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), more than 100,000 workers face retrenchment under the Covid-19 lockdown, which will be almost three times as many as last year.
No hard lockdown for Gauteng, but concerns over health workers getting infected with Covid-19 in the community
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Independent News reports that Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku has expressed concern over health workers in the province getting infected in the community.
Row over Wesgro CEO Tim Harris’ salary increase continues to simmer
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Cape Argus reports that the fallout over the steep salary increase afforded to Wesgro chief executive, Tim Harris, continues to simmer, with the board vice-chairman now saying that the increase was R300,000 less than initially reported.
ANC’s tripartite allies not happy with move to reinstate party officials allegedly part of VBS looting
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The Citizen reports that the tripartite alliance of the ANC, the SA Communist Party (SACP) and trade union federation Cosatu in Limpopo is divided over the ANC’s decision to reinstate two provincial bigwigs who allegedly looted VBS Mutual Bank.
Warders’ deaths at Modderbee Prison in Benoni spark fear amongst employees
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SowetanLive reports that employees at the Modderbee Prison in Benoni, Ekurhuleni, say they fear going to work after three of their colleagues died in just under two weeks. At least one of them has been confirmed of having succumbed to Covid-19.
ICTU’s objections delay CCMA consultation process over Cell C retrenchments
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Business Report writes that the Section 189 (retrenchment) consultation process at the CCMA relating to possible job cuts at Cell C was delayed on Friday due to objections raised by organised labour.
Ship repair work at Port of Mossel Bay generating jobs
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Engineering News reports that a steady flow of work at the Port of Mossel Bay’s ship repair facility is helping to create much-needed jobs in the region.
Numsa and Sacca to take legal action to prevent liquidation of SAA, call for Mboweni to be fired
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ANA reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) intend to take legal action to prevent the liquidation of South African Airways (SAA).
Nxesi welcomes arrest of five people alleged to have defrauded UIF of R5.7m in Covid-19 relief funds
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ANA reports that Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Thulas Nxesi has welcomed the arrest this past weekend of suspects accused of being part of "the enterprise that scammed R5.7 million" meant to provide relief for workers during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Gauteng's public emergency services now all fall under provincial management
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News24 reports that all of Gauteng's public emergency services now fall entirely under provincial management in a move to ensure efficiency and improve emergency response times.