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.

Port Elizabeth police colonel fired after probe into alleged rape of girl aged eight

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sapsTimesLIVE reports that a senior Port Elizabeth (PE) policeman has been dismissed after an Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) probe into allegations that he raped a child.  

SIU gets temporary order freezing pension benefits of axed agriculture department CFO in relation to PPE contract

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SIUNews24 reports that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been granted an order to freeze the pension benefits of dismissed Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALR & RD) CFO Jacob Basil Hlatshwayo.  

Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 11 January 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
Monday, 11 January 2021.

David Makhura says Nasrec facility will be used to help as Gauteng Covid-19 hospitalisations surge

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MakhuraTimesLIVE reports that according to Gauteng premier David Makhura, Tshwane has been hardest-hit by the second wave of Covid-19 with province's highest daily infections.  

Basic Education Department says teachers won’t be forced to take Covid-19 vaccination

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education blackboard thumb medium80 92EWN reports that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) won’t be putting teachers under pressure to take the Covid-19 vaccine.  Teachers have been particularly hard hit by Covid-19, with more than 1,600 having been infected in recent months.  

Alarming increase in Covid-19 infections at Helderstroom prison in Caledon

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Correctional ServicesCape Times reports that a soaring number of more than 150 Covid-19 infections among inmates at the Helderstroom Maximum Correctional Centre in Caledon has been recorded despite efforts to contain the spread of the virus.  

Worker bust for alleged attempted theft of PPE at Eastern Cape hospital

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handcuffsNews24 reports that an Eastern Cape health worker was arrested at Frontier Hospital in Komani on Saturday for allegedly stealing personal protective equipment (PPE).  

Matric exam marking hit by mass withdrawal of markers due to Covid-19 infections and other reasons

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education90SowetanLive reports that about 2,000 matric exam markers have had to withdraw from marking the National Senior Certificate exam scripts due to various reasons, including cases of positive Covid-19 tests.  

Health department expanding capacity as hospitals buckle under Covid-19 pressure

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healthcareEWN reports that the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said capacity at both private and public health facilities was being expanded to create more space to treat Covid-19 patients.  

Samwu calls for cash-strapped Amathole District Municipality to be placed under administration

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AmatholeTimesLIVE reports that the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) has called for the Amathole District Municipality to be placed under administration.  

Following ban on alcohol sales, SAB suspends commitments on jobs, investment

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sabmillerReuters reports that South African Breweries (SAB) has suspended commitments to retain workers and investments, agreed as part of its merger with Anheuser-Busch InBev, due to SA’s decision to ban alcohol sales.  

Proposed amendments to Companies Act could expose SA’s wage gap

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earningsMoneyweb reports that the Companies Amendment Bill is expected to make some progress during 2021 after stalling somewhere along the legislative process during 2019 and 2020.  

Amid job loss concerns, KZN government commits to extending helping hand to Durban's Hilton Hotel

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kznlogo thumb100 TimesLIVE reports that the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) government has committed to working with Durban's Hilton Hotel in an attempt to ensure it reopens its doors soon.  It emerged on Saturday that the city's iconic landmark, situated next to the International Convention Centre (ICC), would be shutting its doors, temporarily.  

Crime intelligence bosses lose appeals to have suspensions overturned

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sapsTimesLIVE reports that national crime intelligence boss Lt-Gen Peter Jacobs and five other senior crime intelligence officers have lost a high court bid to have their suspensions overturned.  

Freeze for four months on payment of salaries at Amathole municipality in Eastern Cape

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AmatholeTimesLIVE reports that the Amathole municipality in the Eastern Cape will not be able to pay salaries to councillors, traditional leaders and all staff for four months beginning in February due to strained financial resources.  

Roundup on Monday, 11 January 2021 of recent labour reports

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news shutterstockIn our roundup of labour news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that recently appeared.

Desperate SAA pilots who left locked-out union to get 13th cheques and backpay still haven't been paid

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saa thumb medium95 76Fin24 reports that the SAA Pilots' Association (Saapa) wants to know why – unlike other employees at state-owned SA Airways (SAA) – their 13th cheques for 2019 have not yet been paid from the R1.5 billion in funding that the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) made available to the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) in December.  

In a smoother process than after 2020 lock-down, SA’s mines bring hundreds of thousands of employees back to work after year-end break

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miners2BL Premium reports that mining companies are applying the tough lessons they learnt in 2020 as they return 450,000 people to work after the year-end break.  

Employment and labour deputy minister Boitumelo Moloi hospitalised with Covid-19

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newsNews24 reports that Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Boitumelo Moloi has been hospitalised with Covid-19.  She was hospitalised on Tuesday and received a positive result on Wednesday, Cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams advised on Sunday.  

Solidarity and AfriForum to challenge government’s Covid-19 vaccine monopoly in court

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SolidarityBusinessLive reports that the government’s monopoly on the buying and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines is to be challenged in court by trade union Solidarity and NGO AfriForum.  They have instructed their legal team to prepare a case for such a challenge.  

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko faces disciplinary hearing for failure to disclose financial interests

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presidencyBL Premium reports that according to the Presidency, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, is to face an internal disciplinary process after failing to disclose her financial interests.  

Public sector wage demands to be known at latest in February

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southafricalogoBL Premium reports that according to unions, the government will know at the latest in February what public sector workers’ demands are for the next round of wage negotiations.  

Office of Limpopo premier ordered to pay R1.4m to unsuccessful applicant who lost job to candidate with bogus qualifications

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limpopo thumb100 News24 reports that the Office of the Premier in Limpopo has been ordered to pay the equivalent of 12 months' salary to an employee who was overlooked for a senior position in favour of a candidate who apparently misrepresented his academic qualifications.  

Covid-19 fells National Teachers’ Union leader Allen Thompson

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NatuThe Witness reports that the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) joined others on 4 January 2021 in expressing sadness at news of the death of the president of the National Teachers’ Union (Natu), Allen Thompson.  

SAA pilots head to court to interdict lockout, saying it’s unlawful and unprotected

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saa thumb medium95 76Moneyweb reports that the Airline Pilots’ Association SA (Alpa-SA) has launched an urgent process to interdict the SA Airways (SAA) business rescue practitioners (BRPs) from continuing with a lockout of its members.  

Death on Christmas Day of NUM general secretary David Sipunzi

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SipunziNews24 reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) general secretary David Sipunzi has died.  

Sars to lock down offices for two weeks from 24 December to curb spread of Covid-19

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SARSBusinessLive reports that the SA Revenue Service (Sars) will be instituting a two week lockdown of its offices due to concerns over the rise in Covid-19 cases.  

Colonel in KZN anti-corruption unit nabbed for R5,000 Christmas bribe

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sapsTimesLIVE reports that a 56-year-old senior police officer from the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Anti-Corruption unit is scheduled to appear on Wednesday in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court for corruption over an alleged R5,000 Christmas bribe.  

Two men who killed Brits cop in 2017 sentenced to life in jail

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gavel thumb100 News24 reports two men have been sentenced to life in prison for their part in the murder of a Limpopo police officer during a robbery in Letlhabile near Brits in June 2017.  

Body of Kruger Park game ranger found a month after he went missing during a routine patrol

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SANParksTimesLIVE reports that police have launched an investigation after the remains of a game ranger were found in the Kruger National Park last week.