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.
Former public protector COO’s court challenge of her axing dismissed
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the Pretoria High Court has dismissed former public protector COO Basani Baloyi’s urgent challenge to her firing, which she argued was driven by ulterior and politically motivated purposes.
GEPF retreats from investment in SOE basket cases
- Details
Financial Mail reports that the country’s largest investor in the bonds of SA’s beleaguered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has drawn a line in the sand and is slowly withdrawing support for basket cases such as Eskom.
NUM president’s attack on mine proto teams “a disgrace”
- Details
Allan Seccombe writes that for a mining company to deal with four deaths and the difficult, dangerous recovery of those bodies is one thing, but to deal with an unfounded, racist diatribe from a union about those rescue efforts adds a nasty and unnecessary element.
NUM to protest on Eskom CEO’s first day at work on 15 January
- Details
Fin24 reports that incoming Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter can expect a rocky start to his tenure as boss of the troubled state-owned power utility, as the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) plans to demonstrate and hand him a memorandum on his first day in the office.
Over 150 doctors and health professionals in Limpopo facing axe at end of December
- Details
EWN reports that over 150 community service doctors and other health professionals in Limpopo will be without a job come the end of December.
Cape Town’s central train line still suspended as officials seek cable theft, safety solution
- Details
News24Wire reports that train commuters who use Cape Town's central line are still without rail services as continued fears over cable theft, safety and subsequent repairs have hindered Metrorail's services.
Miners survive on charity while battle for Koornfontein coal mine drags on
- Details
Moneyweb reports that Koornfontein coal miners have been without pay for nearly two years, after the catastrophic involvement of the Guptas brought the company to its knees.
Michael Bagraim says UIF website is broken and department doesn’t even understand what’s wrong
- Details
In a letter to the editor of Business Day, Michael Bagraim, MP and Democratic Alliance (DA) employment and labour spokesperson, writes that he has had numerous, countrywide complaints about the Department of Employment and Labour’s website and U-filing.
At 3.6% in November, consumer inflation slowed to lowest level since December 2010
- Details
BusinessLive reports that consumer inflation slowed in November, hitting the lowest level since December 2010, Statistics SA indicated on Wednesday.
Rio Tinto’s Richards Bay Minerals to start operations again on Monday following stakeholder meetings
- Details
BusinessLive reports that Rio Tinto’s Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) mine, which was forced to close down two weeks ago due to violent attacks on workers, will resume production on Monday.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 11 December 2019
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 11 December 2019.
Unions froth over government plan for wage freeze, threaten protests
- Details
The Citizen reports that Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu may be facing the first major battle in his new deployment to the national Cabinet as public sector unions intend to fight his plan to freeze civil servants’ wages.
Cosatu doesn’t believe Eskom power cuts are ‘manageable’
- Details
BL Premium reports that trade union federation Cosatu does not believe that the rolling electricity blackouts that have hit the country are manageable and has called the situation a crisis.
Talks between KZN health department and unions over impasse at Durban mortuary to resume
- Details
EWN reports that talks were set to resume on Wednesday morning between the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) and the Public and Allied Workers Union of SA (Pawusa) over the impasse at Durban’s Gale Street mortuary.
Getting unions on mining company boards is the best way to revive SA economy, says Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis
- Details
Gideon du Plessis, general secretary at trade union Solidarity, writes that at last year’s Mining Charter III negotiations, trade unions campaigned for employee representation on company boards.
Acting CFO at Mooi River municipality on special leave after allegedly attempting to bribe Auditor-General staffer
- Details
The Mercury reports that the acting chief financial officer (CFO) of the Mooi Mpofana Municipality in Mooi River has been placed on special leave following an allegation that she had tried to bribe a staff member from the Office of the Auditor-General (A-G).
Funeral cover fraud a huge challenge for life insurers, with buying and renting of dead bodies a popular practice
- Details
BusinessLive reports that rampant fraud remains a challenge for SA life insurers, which detected 3,708 fraudulent and dishonest claims to the value of R1.06bn in 2018.
New Chief of the Army Lieutenant General Thabiso Mokhosi dies after one month in job
- Details
News24 reports that Lieutenant General Thabiso Mokhosi, Chief of the South African Army, died on Tuesday in a Pretoria hospital following a short illness.
Manpower survey shows weakest hiring intentions in five years
- Details
Business Report writes that the latest survey by the Manpower Group of hiring intentions for the first quarter of 2020 does not provide any relief for job seekers. It shows employers looking to add to their staff to be at their weakest level in five years.
Comair ditches joint-CEO model after criticism at AGM of the arrangement
- Details
BusinessLive reports that Comair, the operator of kulula.com and British Airways in SA, has appointed Wrenelle Stander as group CEO, with immediate effect.
Mines closed for a second day on Tuesday because of safety concerns over load-shedding
- Details
BusinessLive reports that most of SA’s underground mines suspended work for a second shift on Tuesday due to uncertainty about electricity supply from Eskom.
Manufacturing production fell for a fifth consecutive month in October
- Details
BusinessLive reports that manufacturing production declined for a fifth consecutive month in October, figures from Stats SA revealed on Tuesday.
SA employees work some of the longest hours in the world
- Details
BusinessTech reports that data compiled by Oxford University researchers at Our World in Data shows that South African employees work some of the longest hours in the world – but other data published by the group shows that we’re not very productive.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 10 December 2019
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Tuesday, 10 December 2019.
Four Kruger Park rangers accused of poaching back on the job
- Details
The Lowvelder reports that four Kruger National Park (KNP) rangers are back at work after they were arrested on poaching-related charges earlier this year.
Eskom power cuts having devastating impact on small businesses, Uasa warns
- Details
ANA reports that according to the United Association of SA (Uasa), rolling blackouts by state-owned electricity utility Eskom were hurting small businesses the most, as many could not afford fuel-powered generators for alternative sources of energy.
Five KZN cops arrested for allegedly colluding with ambulance services and tow truck companies
- Details
News24 reports that five police officials were among eight suspects who appeared before the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court on corruption charges on Monday.
Ramaphosa insists state-owned enterprises can be saved and ‘won’t be sold’
- Details
The Citizen reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa has allayed fears that the government is planning to privatise state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and has given the assurance that the state’s ownership would continue.
Sadtu says Mashaba 'should hang his head in shame' over his teacher comments
- Details
Independent News reports that the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has reacted angrily to comments attributed to former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba that the Cosatu affiliate was protecting unqualified and incompetent teachers.
Mchunu wields cost-saving axe on ministers’ perks
- Details
The Star reports that cabinet ministers have been left with no choice but to tighten their belts further as the Department of Public Service and Administration has indicated that it will not be held liable for any costs incurred by executive members.