In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared
on Monday, 6 November 2017.
|
Body of soldier slain in DRC returned to her family Daily News reports that the body of a soldier who was allegedly shot and killed by her boyfriend while on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was handed over to her family at Air Force Base Waterkloof on Saturday. Private Nomathemba Ngeleka of the SANDF 5 South African Infantry Battalion in Ladysmith died in hospital in the DRC last Friday. Her body had been brought back to the country last week. The funeral service will be held on Saturday at Xhonywa Primary school. She will be buried in a cemetary in KwaWoza village in KwaNzimakwe, on the South Coast. The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) last week indicated that Private Ngeleka had allegedly been shot by her ex-boyfriend before he turned the firearm on himself. Her father, Nkosinathi Ngeleka, said Nomathemba and her boyfriend had recently ended their relationship, but the ex-boyfriend wanted them to get back together. The man, who has not been named and who is also a soldier in the DRC, is reportedly in a critical condition at a hospital in Uganda. Read this report by Sne Masuku in full at Daily News
NUM calls for inquest into mine fatalities as two more deaths raise alarm Business Report writes that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called for an investigation into rising fatalities in the mining industry after two mineworkers died last week at AngloGold Ashanti’s (AGA’s) Mponeng mine. Six other miners are recovering in hospital following a fall-of-ground incident at the Carletonville mine that was triggered by a seismic event of 1.1 magnitude at 3.6km on Thursday. “A thorough investigation is needed to get to the bottom of the fatalities,” Erick Gcilitshana, NUM health and safety secretary said on Friday. He noted that the increasing number of fall-of-ground incidents, particularly in Klerksdorp and Carletonville, was worrying. Two mineworkers died at the Mponeng mine in October, while two others died at AGA’s Kopanang mine in September due to fall-of-ground incidents. Four mineworkers died in July at the Tau Lekoa mine (owned by Heaven Sent, a Chinese venture capital firm) following a fall-of-ground incident and five others died at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine in August. “It is a point for serious concern for us. The principals, including chief executives, unionists and the officials from the Department of Mineral Resources, need to come together and discuss safety and how to achieve the vision of zero harm,” said Gcilitshana. Read an extended summary of this report by Dineo Faku at SA Labour News Concern over high fatality rate thus far this year at SA mines The Citizen reports that according to the Chamber of Mines of SA (COM), at least 76 mineworkers have been killed and 2,156 miners sustained serious injuries since the beginning of this year. The death toll and injuries include two miners who were killed and six who sustained injuries as a result of a rockfall at AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng Mine last Thursday. According to the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), the industry recorded 73 fatalities and 2,846 serious injuries in 2016, as compared to 77 fatalities and 3,139 serious injuries in 2015. COM spokesperson Charmane Russell said: “We are extremely disappointed that we have seen a regression in the consistent improvements we have seen over the past decade.” NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu commented: “We are worried about the fatalities of mineworkers, because they do not seem to stop. We are concerned that more than 70 mineworkers have died since the beginning of the year.” A DMR spokesperson said the department was deeply worried about the unacceptably high fatalities. Read this report by Vicky Abraham in full at The Citizen NUM and Cosatu march on Monday against layoffs at Sibanye-Stillwater’s SA operations ANA reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) West Cluster were expected to march to Sibanye-Stillwater in Westonaria at noon on Monday to demand that the precious metals producer reverse plans to cut jobs. Sibanye sent retrenchment termination letters to more than 2,000 workers at its Cooke 1, 2 & 3 operations near Randfontein last week. An additional 1,350 have already elected to take voluntary separation packages, while 3,601 contractors would be displaced at the Cooke operations. NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu said they were marching to demand that the miner should reverse the retrenchments and go back to the negotiating table to save jobs. He stated that Sibanye had already instructed workers not to go underground as it was preparing to put the operations on care and maintenance and that soon after issuing workers with retrenchment notices, Sibanye “immediately hired 800 security officers to guard the operations so that workers cannot go underground.” “Why retrench workers and put mine on care and maintenance instead of selling the mine?”, Mmamburu asked. Read this report in full at The Citizen Amid share price meltdown, Lonmin to showcase social projects Reuters reports that embattled platinum producer Lonmin was due on Monday to unveil new health and road projects in a ceremony that will be overshadowed by its latest share price collapse. Lonmin, not for the first time, is facing an uncertain future after its shares lost 30% on Friday when it delayed annual financial results due this month pending the conclusion of a business review. The company said it had adequate liquidity to fund it through a review that could include the sale of assets, job cuts and the renegotiation of loan agreements. Monday’s ceremony will be held at Lonmin’s plush conference centre and game farm, a location that sets it up for a potential public relations “own goal” as trade union Solidarity has urged the company to sell the facility as it moves to cut over 1,100 jobs. “It is insensitive to retrench mine workers ... whilst enjoying the luxury of a game farm,” Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis said. In September, Lonmin advised that the Department of Mineral Resources had noted its failure to meet some of its social and labour obligations. On Monday, the company plans to show how it is now meeting those obligations, which are an added cost in a tough environment for all platinum producers. Read this report in full at EWN
Agreement with disgruntled workers will ease Ugu’s water woes IOL News reports that the KwaZulu-Natal government has stepped in to resolve a stand-off between the Ugu District Municipality and disgruntled workers who were allegedly sabotaging the water supply to some South Coast towns. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said that, following the deployment of task teams to the municipality, an agreement was reached to end the water disruptions which have crippled the areas for months. Acting Cogta MEC, Weziwe Thusi, said workers would return to work immediately and water and sanitation services would be restored soon. She appealed to municipal workers to “refrain from resorting to acts of sabotage when they are in disagreement with their employers. It is wrong and illegal and it must come to a stop.” On behalf of the provincial government, she apologised to residents. But, fed up residents did not buy it, and vowed to go ahead with a planned class action lawsuit to bring those responsible to account. Read this report by Nosipho Mngoma in full at IOL News Broadcasting union Bemawu wants to resume wage strike at SABC EWN reports that the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers’ Union (Bemawu) is trying to resume its strike over salaries at the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) after it was forced to abandon the action last week. The union called off the work stoppage on Friday, citing logistical issues. Workers are demanding a 10% salary increase. Bemawu's Hannes du Buisson advised: “We have filed a new dispute on Friday and we are awaiting on the SABC to schedule a dispute resolution meeting in respect of that new dispute and for the CCMA to issue a certificate of non-resolution, should the SABC not resolve the issue.” Last week the public broadcaster ordered staff to return to work or face disciplinary action. Meanwhile, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) is demanding a 15% hike, but its members have not been on strike. A short report by Mia Lindeque is at EWN. See too, SABC salary increase dispute yet to reach a conclusion, at TimesLive Taxi strike on Wednesday and march in Pretoria could delay matrics arriving for exams The Star reports that the National Taxi Association (NTA) plans to go on strike on Wednesday and has warned commuters to make alternative plans on that day. They plan to take over the streets of Pretoria in an effort to force the transport ministry to listen to their grievances. The strike could spell disaster for thousands of matric candidates who might not make it to school on time for their exams. NTA spokesperson Theo Malele said the march would first go to the Department of Transport offices before heading to the Union Buildings. He accused Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi of arrogance and refusing to engage with the industry and said they had issues with “the new Aarto (Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences) bill and the unworkable taxi recapitalisation process and operating licence problems.” Drivers were due to go on a march last month, but it was cancelled after Maswanganyi agreed to meet with them. Malele accused Maswanganyi of not sticking to his promise. Malele indiciated that they were expecting members from throughout the country to descend on Pretoria. Read this report by Tebogo Monama in full at The Star
Ford’s new investment of R3bn in Pretoria plant means hundreds of jobs Business Report writes that hundreds of new direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created by a new R3bn investment by the Ford Motor Company of SA (FMCSA) to further increase the manufacturing capacity of its Silverton plant in Pretoria. This will enable the company to meet growing local and international demand for the Ford Ranger. The latest investment by Ford follows its R2.5bn investment in the plant last year to produce the new Ford Everest, which created about 1,200 new jobs. Casper Kruger, MD of FMCSA, said on Friday the additional R3bn investment was a confirmation of Ford’s commitment to SA. From 2019 the plant would also start producing the Ranger Raptor. The investment excludes the R125m invested in the upgrade of the vehicle conveyor system in the plant in May this year. The increased production capacity and volumes produced will create additional direct and indirect jobs, but the manufacturer declined to quantify how many new jobs would be created. FMCSA currently has between 3,500 to 4,000 direct employees, including those at its engine plant in Struandale, Port Elizabeth. Read this report by Roy Cokayne in full at Business Report Other internet posting(s) in this news category
High anxiety amongst GEPF members over risk of ‘state capture’ of PIC Business Times reports that jittery members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) are considering resigning from the fund to get hold of their retirement savings for fear of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) falling victim to ‘state capture’. This is even though resigning would result in them having to forfeit certain benefits. The PIC manages the GEPF, which has about 1.2m active members and more than 406,000 pensioner members and beneficiaries. Financial advisers said this week the problem was weighing heavily on the minds of members of the GEPF and advisers. Craig Gradidge of Gradidge-Mahura Investments said the best advice for some retiring GEPF members used to be that they should remain in the fund and take the pension on offer, because "it was very difficult for industry products to beat". But it was near impossible to give that advice now, because members wanted to avoid anything related to the PIC. Magdeleen Cornelissen of PSG Wealth Menlyn described the challenge facing GEPF members as "one of the most debated topics in our industry". Tracy Jensen of 10X Investments said the GEPF was traditionally a hotbed of rumours, but "there is no real cause for concern for GEPF members". Read this report by Angelique Ardé in full at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
‘Nkandla’ disciplinary hearings end with officials 'punished' with suspensions of no more than two months Sunday Tribune reports that suspensions of no more than two months are all the 11 public works officials charged with flouting procurement procedures in the controversial security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla private residence got. The probe into the Department of Public Works (DPW) directors and project managers started four years ago and was concluded last week. More than R200m was improperly spent on Zuma’s private Nkandla residence. The charges brought against the group stemmed from a 2014 Special Investigations Unit (SIU) report which revealed several tender irregularities during the project. DPW spokesperson Thamsanqa Mchunu said the employees were back at work and a confidential settlement agreement had been reached. According to sources, the DPW chose to settle and not continue with the disciplinary process because it had a weak case. “It would have been a bigger public embarrassment,” said a source. Public Service Association (PSA) KZN manager Claude Naicker would not reveal the contents of the agreement. Read this report by Nokuthula Ntuli and Lungani Zungu in full at Sunday Tribune Other internet posting(s) in this news category
|
Get South African labour news reports at SA Labour News