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.
Cosatu to take to the streets over unemployment after its September congress
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BusinessLive reports that labour federation Cosatu is planning to roll out a mass action campaign after its September national congress, a move that will fuel the simmering tension between it and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 14 August 2018
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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, 14 August 2018.
Car guard relives horror of vicious attack by motorist on colleague who was left to die
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SowetanLive reports that a car guard who witnessed a vicious attack on his colleague has described how the deceased man endured a beating from an angry motorist who jumped on him with both his feet, thudding into the fallen man's face.
Gwede Mantashe says Gold Fields stands risk of breaking the law with job cuts
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The Citizen reports that in a statement issued on Tuesday, Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said he was concerned by Gold Fields’ plan to retrench more than 1,500 employees at its troubled South Deep mine.
Two ‘R14m theft’ professors take University of Johannesburg to court to clear their names
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The Citizen reports that two former university professors alleged to have swindled more than R14 million out of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) want to clear their names.
Military veterans shut down Msunduzi municipal offices on Monday over jobs, tenders
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ANA reports that a number of uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) members staged a sit-in at the Msunduzi municipality offices in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday demanding jobs and tenders.
Bombela faces court action by Fedusa over non-disclosure of Gautrain financials
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ANA reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) on Monday threatened to take the Bombela Operating Company (BOC), which runs the Gautrain, to the Constitutional Court for allegedly refusing to disclose its financial statements.
Academic studies resume at University of Fort Hare after eight-week strike
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GroundUp reports that after eight weeks of deadlocked wage negotiations and disruptions at the University of Fort Hare‚ the second semester officially started on Monday.
Retrenchments in mines around Sun City a ‘grave’ threat to business
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Timeslive reports that staff retrenchments in mines surrounding the Sun City resort in the North West have a “grave” impact on the establishment‚ parliament’s portfolio committee on economic development was told on Monday during an oversight visit.
Court declines to set aside suspension of doctor with ‘bipolar disorder and psychotic tendencies’
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The Citizen reports that a North West doctor who is under investigation by the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) after a baby girl and two other patients died, has lost his legal bid to keep on practising pending a misconduct hearing.
Sactwu suspends prolonged footwear strike, pending settlement ballot
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ANA reports that the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) on Monday suspended a wage strike in the footwear industry pending a settlement ballot. The strike entered its fifth week on the previous Monday.
Image of TVET colleges set to get a makeover to make them ‘the first choice’
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BusinessLive reports that according to higher education and training minister Naledi Pandor, the government is on a mission to boost the allure and efficiency of technical and vocational education training (TVET) colleges.
Pravin Gordhan will not step in on Eskom standoff with unions
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BusinessLive reports that the standoff between Eskom and trade unions is set to continue this week after a meeting with public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan could not be secured.
Gold Fields plans to cut up to 1,560 jobs at South Deep mine
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BusinessLive reports that Gold Fields is preparing to lay off up to 1,560 people at its loss-making South Deep mine, the gold producer indicated in a statement on Tuesday.
Full Gautrain service back on track after two-week strike by Untu members ends
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BusinessLive reports that the Gautrain strike has ended, with operating company Bombela agreeing to give workers an 8% salary increase backdated to 15 July.
Esor Construction applies for business rescue, with 1,400 jobs threatened
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BusinessLive reports that another decades-old construction firm has been pushed to the brink of collapse, with engineering and building group Esor on Monday applying for business rescue of its largest subsidiary, Esor Construction.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 13 August 2018
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 13 August 2018.
Cosatu threatens ANC over alleged government plan to cut public sector jobs
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Fin24 reports that Cosatu has given government an ultimatum to stop discussing the fate of public servants unilaterally or risk losing the ANC-allied labour federation’s support at next year’s general election.
Samwu blames jobs-for-pals for ongoing Pikitup protests in Joburg
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The Sunday Independent reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has blamed misconduct and a jobs-for-pals syndicate at the Johannesburg city council for the ongoing protests by former Pikitup workers.
Temporary teachers in Limpopo unpaid since assuming duty in June
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The Citizen reports temporary teachers in Limpopo who assumed their duties at the start of June have seemingly gone unpaid due to the department of education’s ‘heavy workload’.
Untu members accept wage deal to end two-week Gautrain wage strike
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Fin24 reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has concluded a wage deal with the Bombela Operating Company (BOC), which runs the Gautrain, ending a two-week long wage strike.
Eskom wants an ‘expeditious’ wage deal, but vows to take action against striking workers
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ANA reports that Eskom on Monday vowed to take disciplinary action against its employees who had embarked on industrial action and damaged infrastructure even as the power utility and unions failed to reach an agreement in protracted wage negotiations.
CEO of civil engineering body commits to diversity training over 'antagonistic' column
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Fin24 reports that the CEO of the SA Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), Manglin Pillay, has apologised “unreservedly” for his article published in the institution's official magazine that questioned the place of women in the engineering field.
Samwumed medical aid scheme alleged to have become a ‘slush fund’ for curator
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BusinessLive reports that the 13 dismissed trustees of a medical aid scheme for unionised municipal workers, Samwumed, are contesting the curatorship order on the scheme.
Incapacity leave at KZN department of health of 5,007 days in five months
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The Citizen reports that a reply to questions by the Democratic Alliance in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) legislature has revealed that 85 staff members within the provincial department of health amassed a staggering 5,007 days of various forms of incapacity leave during just the past five months.
Crew of crashed Wonderboom plane ‘weren’t qualified’, preliminary report finds
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The Citizen reports that the vintage Convair 340/440aircraft that crashed at Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria North, in July had an unqualified crew on board.
Benoni security guard shot in the chest, in critical condition
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ANA reports that on Monday a 32-year-old security guard was fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot in the chest while on night duty in Benoni on the East Rand.
Roundup on Monday, 13 August 2018 of weekend labour reports
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In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 10 August 2018.
Unions lambast Ramaphosa’s plan to cut 30,000 state jobs
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The Citizen reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is headed for his first potentially bruising duel with Cosatu as the labour federation threatens to pull out of the upcoming jobs summit, and potentially end the ruling alliance, if his government goes ahead with its alleged plan to retrench 30,000 civil servants.
Fawu’s #NotJustAJob campaign highlights threat illicit cigarette trade poses to jobs
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IOL News reports that the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) has embarked on a campaign to highlight the plight of workers who face losing their jobs to the ballooning illegal cigarette trade.