In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 17 January 2018.
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Transport union UNTU scores big victory for workers on Cape Town’s Central Line ANA reports that the United National Transport Union (UNTU) has scored a significant victory with the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) agreeing to provide police escorts for its staff members on Cape Town’s Central Line. UNTU and Prasa were locked in meetings until late on Tuesday, negotiating terms under which to reopen the notorious line which runs between Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to the CBD. The busy line was suspended last week following the murder of a security guard at a station in Khayelitsha. Tens of thousands of commuters were left stranded and forced to make alternative transport arrangements after UNTU said its staff were not prepared to work on the line following the murder. In terms the agreement, UNTU said its members would only operate on the Central Line if, among other things, there were two police officers escorting the train driver, two police officers escorting the metro train guard, a police officer in the middle cab as back up, and armed guards at turnaround stations. UNTU’s Steve Harris said if Prasa or the SA Police Service failed to adhere to the agreement, the train service on the Central Line would be suspended again. The service was scheduled to resume on Wednesday afternoon. Read this report in full at The Citizen. See too, Prasa and UNTU reach an agreement over Metrorail's Cape Town’s Central Line, at Business Report. Read UNTU’s press statement in this regard at SA Labour News
Four die, ten hospitalised as two farmers' bakkies collide near East London DispatchLive reports that ten farm workers who survived a horrible accident that claimed the lives of four of their colleagues were rushed to various East London hospitals on Tuesday evening. Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo indicated that four workers died on the scene - and not six‚ as had been initially reported. “Paramedics have now confirmed that four workers died on the scene. Others sustained minor and serious injuries and have been taken to hospitals‚” he said. The four died when the bakkies belonging to farmers they are working for collided head-on on the R72 near Kidds Beach outside East London. Kupelo said it was not yet clear what had caused the accident. This short report is by Sino Majangaza is at DispatchLive Three Pollsmoor warders and three prisoners seriously injured in fight Cape Times reports that three Pollsmoor warders and three prisoners are recovering in hospital following a fight at the correctional centre on Tuesday morning. Both the warders and inmates sustained serious injuries. Correctional Services Commissioner Delekile Klaas said the warders received information that inmates were using a cellphone in their cell. When they attempted to retrieve the cellphone some inmates threw boiled water on them, resulting in their injuries. “Our Emergency Support Team (EST) were deployed to the cell in question and they used minimum force and the inmates were injured in the process,” said Klaas. “Boiling water and use (of) it against officials is rare and is new here. They (inmates) are forcing us to take these kettles away from them,” Klaas added. He indicated that he would only know the extent of the injuries of both the inmates and the officials once a doctor had provided medical reports. Read this report by Sandiso Phaliso in full at Cape Times Four injured in yet another train crash, inside depot in Ermelo TimesLive reports that four people have been injured in yet another train crash. This time‚ two goods trains collided while inside a depot in Ermelo‚ Mpumalanga‚ on Tuesday morning. ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring indicated that four passengers had sustained minor to moderate injuries. He said it was not understood what had led to the collision. Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) general manager Madelein Williams confirmed the accident and said the RSR was waiting for investigators to conclude their investigation. Tuesday’s crash comes after 19 people died and over 250 people were injured when a train‚ en route from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg‚ collided with truck‚ causing several carriages to derail and catch alight‚ on 4 January. It also follows a train collision in Germiston on 9 January which left 30 people injured. Read this report in full at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Man in Brits court on charge of attempted murder of Amcu leader ANA reports that a 36-year-old taxi driver accused of the attempted murder of an Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) leader appeared briefly in the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. The case against Simphiwe Silwane was postponed to 1 February, for a bail application to be heard before a new magistrate. The magistrate recused himself because he became aware that Silwane was linked to a case he had previously presided over. Silwane is accused of shooting at Amcu branch chairman at Western Platinum, Malibongwe Mdazo, on 22 July, in Mooinooi near Brits. Silwane was arrested in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape in December. Silwane has been charged together with Nkosinathi Mantashe and Samkelo Mkhutshwa. Mantashe is out on R10,000 bail and Mkhutshwa on R2,500 bail. They are expected to again appear in the Brits Magistrates’ Court on 31 January. A large number of Amcu members in their green union T-shirts attended the court proceeding. Read this report in full at The Citizen. Read this report in Afrikaans at Maroela Media Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Striking Dis-Chem workers demonstrate in Midrand EWN reports that Dis-Chem employees affiliated to National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw) were protesting outside the retailer's head offices in Midrand on Wednesday morning. About 500 workers were demonstrating over organisational rights for union affiliation. The union's Solly Malema said that members were being discriminated against, with some being denied a 13th cheque. “Company’s refusing to grant us the organisational rights in terms of Section 21 and during December when the company was paying annual bonuses, they completely refused to pay union members annual bonuses.” Police indicated that some roads in the area have been closed off. This short report by Kgomotso Modise is at EWN Nehawu members to go on strike at Unisa from Wednesday ANA reports that the National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) indicated that it would go on strike at the University of South Africa (Unisa) from Wednesday after wage negotiations deadlocked. The union is demanding salary increase of 12% across the board, while Unisa management is offering 6.5%. Nehawu also wants the university to absorb all contract workers with immediate effect and to stop the outsourcing of workers from labour brokers. Another demand is that all council members stop doing business with the university with immediate effect. Nehawu commented: “Our view is that they are being disingenuous when they plead poverty. In this regard, the national union has taken a decision to go on a full-blown strike in all campuses across the country until our demands are met." Read this report in full at eNCA. See too, Nehawu members to go on strike at all Unisa campuses, at EWN Nehawu and Sasco jointly shut down Unisa TimesLive reports that the SA Students Congress (Sasco) and the National Health Education and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) have joined forces to shut down the University of SA (Unisa). This forced potential students to abandon their applications and registrations at the university's Sunnyside campus in Pretoria on Wednesday. The two organisations have consolidated their myriad of demands to the university‚ with Sasco saying it was practical for students to be in solidarity with the union as the workers were their parents. Nehawu has deadlocked with Unisa management on the union’s demand for a 12% wage increase‚ with the university management offering 4.5%. Sasco is demanding‚ among other things‚ the scrapping of students’ historic debt and the abolishment of application and registration fees. Nehawu’s Ntsako Nombelane claimed that they had shut down all campuses of the university‚ saying the campuses would remain shut until their demands were met. He said they were willing to settle for 9% if the university management was willing to negotiate in good faith‚ adding that the attitude of management was to stick to its 4.5% offer. Read this report by Sipho Mabena in full at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Still no liquidity plan in place, but Denel’s sure it can pay staff in January BusinessLive reports that cash-strapped, state-owned arms manufacturer Denel says that although it is still finalising a plan to tackle its liquidity challenges, it will pay salaries and suppliers in January. With the deadline for the company’s payroll looming, staff and service providers are concerned that salaries and bills will not be paid. Denel received an emergency government loan guarantee of R580m in December to pay its 4,000 employees and suppliers. However, it is unclear how the company will raise funds to fulfil its obligations. The Treasury provided the guarantee to Denel to resolve its "immediate funding crisis", but required that parastatal needed to put a credible strategy in place. The United Association of SA’s Willie van Eeden has requested a meeting with the company’s management to hear how it plans to pay workers and suppliers. He said the union was in the dark about where Denel would get the funds. Although Denel did not answer questions, spokeswoman Pamela Malinda did say it would pay salaries and suppliers "within agreed terms". Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive Hard-pressed domestic workers reject minimum pay increase Cape Times reports that the union representing domestic workers has rejected the government’s increase in the minimum wage for domestic workers as contained in the recent amendment to the applicable sectoral determination. According to the figures set out by the Department of Labour (DOL) in the government gazette, domestic workers who work 27 hours a week or more must be paid a monthly minimum of R2,545.22 (Area A) or R2317.75 (Area ). This is a 5% increase on the 2017’s rates. The SA Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union’s Gloria Kente said: “Why must we earn less than other sectors? Domestic workers always get a small increase. We want the National Minimum Wage of R3,500. We work hard.” Kente added that it was good the department recognised domestic workers, but they were not giving the increase workers expected. She also said the department was not enforcing compliance from employers. The DOL’s deputy director for employment standards, Mathilda Bergmann, said: “Due to the introduction of the National Minimum Wage which will be implemented on May 1, 2018, the Employment Conditions Commission recommended that the minimum wage levels for domestic workers be increased by the headline CPI.” Read this report by Nicola Daniels in full at Cape Times. See too, How much you should be paying your domestic worker in 2018, at BusinessTech
Cosatu hopes freezing of assets, commission is 'beginning of end' of Gupta patronage network News24 reports that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Tuesday that it hoped freezing the assets of Gupta-linked companies McKinsey and Trillian, combined with the Commission of Inquiry into state capture, would signify the "beginning of the end of the Gupta patronage network that has wreaked havoc on our economy". The federation said in a statement: “The endemic corruption that is eating at the fabric of our society and that robs us of services needs to be cleaned up without fear or favour. We are encouraged by the ANC national executive committee's firm commitment to the fight against corruption and agree with the assertion that law enforcement agencies need to be strengthened in order to lead the fight against corruption and crime in general." Read this report by Tammy Petersen in full at News24. Read Cosatu’s press statement at Cosatu Today Other internet posting(s) in this news category
State opposes bid for man accused of rape of domestic worker to be sent for observation Pretoria News reports that the prosecutor in the case of a Bronkhorstspruit man accused of sexually assaulting his parent's domestic worker and then forcing her to perform sexual acts on his dogs argued on Tuesday that he was trying to be declared mentally challenged to avoid prosecution. Prosecutor Solly Ledallo opposed an application by the accused's family who wanted the court to send the accused to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital for observation, which could influence his criminal case. Police arrested the accused late last year for alleged crimes that attracted protest action from angry EFF and ANC members. According to the charge sheet, the suspect first held the woman against her will in a room on 23 October and damaged her cellphone. He then forced her to perform a sexual act on him before raping her. The accused also allegedly instructed the woman to have sex with the pet dogs. The accused faces 10 counts which could all be scrapped should he be declared mentally unstable. The prosecutor advised that the accused had already been seen by a psychiatrist, who, after observing him, wrote a professional medical report indicating that he was not insane. The case was postponed to 15 February for the psychiatrist to give testimony about the accused’s metal state. Read this report by James Mahlokwane in full at Pretoria News. See too, Ouers ‘weet ek het seks met huiswerker’, at Netwerk24
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Tuesday, 16 January 2018 at SA Labour News
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Get South African labour news reports at SA Labour News