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.
In our roundup of weekend and recent reports,
see summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that recently appeared.
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Prasa stuck with two CEOs for the time being as talks with reinstated top boss break down over legal bills Sunday Times reports that the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) is facing a conundrum over how to deal with having two group CEOs, as separation talks between the agency and its reinstated CEO Zolani Matthews have broken down. Prasa has apparently offered to pay Matthews three months’ salary to walk away from the remaining 19 months of his contract, However, Matthews is understood to have rejected the offer and wants his job back. The CEO post is now occupied by Hishaam Emeran. Matthews was reinstated by the Labour Court in July after it ruled that his contract was still valid despite it having been terminated by the Prasa board in December 2021. The agency has paid him more than R16m for the 31 months he has spent at home. Apparently as part of the negotiations, Matthews has demanded that Prasa settle the millions of rands he spent on legal fees while fighting to get his job back. Matthews was sacked on the pretext that his dual SA/UK citizenship prevented him from obtaining a security clearance. The national transport department said its minister, Barbara Creecy, had been apprised of the Prasa situation. It said Creecy was determined to ensure that all state-owned entities reporting to her respected and complied with the rule of law. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thanduxolo Jika at Sunday Times (subscriber access only)
Police suicides of deep concern as number of cases increases Weekend Argus reports that mental health experts and police unions have called for urgent intervention to get police officers off the edge as suicide numbers continue to rise, with those seeking help also increasing. Police medical aid Polmed said more than 1,000 officers were treated for depression in the previous financial year. SA Police Service (SAPS) management also informed the police portfolio committee that there had been 33 suicides in the 2019/20 financial year, 30 in 2020/21 and 39 in the 2021/22 year. Furthermore, 38 murder-suicide incidents occurred from 2019 to 2022. In a recent incident, Anti-Gang Unit member Sergeant Raoul Murray committed suicide in his Gulley Crescent home in Eastridge on 1 August. In the same week, a police sergeant attached to the Limpopo Crime Intelligence Unit shot dead a female brigadier, who was head of provincial crime registrar, before turning the gun on himself. At the time of the Limpopo shooting Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) expressed its concern and highlighted a recent report indicating that the SAPS has been understaffed since 2017 and has lost more than 300 officers in suicides and murder-suicides. SA Policing Union spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale said they were concerned about the mental health of their members. “It is important that the employee health and wellness component across all provinces is fully capacitated. As we speak they don’t have enough psychologists, psychiatrists … to debrief our members accordingly after attending gruesome scenes,” he said. Thobakgale added that they have made a proposal that the entity should have its own structure and policy. Provincial Commissioner Thembisile Patekile said mental health was prioritised and that there were employment health and wellness services within the police. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mandilakhe Tshwete at Weekend Argus. Read too, SA police officers’ mental health back in the spotlight, at SABC News Four security guards gunned down in suspected Phoenix 'drug turf war' TimesLIVE reports that four security guards died in Phoenix when gunmen stormed a car wash and opened fire on Thursday. A fifth person was taken to hospital in a critical condition. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said a search was underway for four suspects who shot at five people in Gillham Road in Westham, Phoenix. He reported that the four suspects in a Toyota Tazz stopped at the car wash, got out the vehicle and fired shots at security guards guarding the office. “It is not yet clear what business activity is conducted at the office where the shooting happened,” said Netshiunda. Reports from the scene suggest the assassination was linked to a drug turf war. It is believed the suspects robbed the victims of their firearms before fleeing the scene. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mfundo Mkhize at TimesLIVE Joburg Public Safety blames JMPD for EFF councillor Moshe Mphahlele's death in Alexandra protest EWN reports that the Johannesburg Public Safety Department has blamed the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) for the death of EFF councillor Moshe Mphahlele, who was shot during an altercation between Alexandra residents and the police last week. Officers reportedly opened fire on disgruntled individuals who had been evicted from government-owned container flats in the township. Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku met with residents on Saturday to brief them on a possible solution to the housing dispute. He also shared an update on the investigation into Mphahlele’s death. “The autopsy that we saw when we spoke to IPID showed that Mphahlele was shot here (on the side of the head). If a councillor conducts an oversight visit SAPS and JMPD are supposed to protect that individual in the eventuality that they have to disperse a crowd. Whether with water cannons, because we have a water cannon why didn’t they use it here?” he asked. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Mongezi Koko at EWN. Read too, JMPD officers suspended amidst probes into EFF councillor Moshe Mphahlele's death, at Satori News
Municipalities can’t afford their staff, let alone pay them more, claims Salga Moneyweb reports that wage negotiations at local government level will resume on 12 August, with the parties still far apart. The previous wage agreement lapsed at the end of June. The SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) are insisting on an increase of 8% and some improvement in benefits. However, the SA Local Government Association (Salga), which represents municipal employers countrywide, is only prepared to give employees covered by the bargaining agreement 3.5% more. Salga furthermore wants the majority of municipalities excluded from the agreement, claiming they simply cannot afford to pay their workers more. It says the current exemption procedure is not working as parties in the SA Local Government Bargaining Council (Salgc) as a rule oppose them. Salga says that financially distressed municipalities will only be included in the agreement if a new “user-friendly” exemption mechanism can be agreed upon. According to Salga, the 66 municipalities considered by National Treasury to be “severely financially distressed” and the 157 that are considered “financially distressed” have severe affordability issues and the parties should acknowledge this. This is the majority (86%) of municipalities as there are a total of 257 countrywide. Salga proposes that these municipalities be allowed to submit applications to pay the increases when their finances have improved substantially. They must in tandem be required to provide financial recovery plans to ensure that they do take steps to improve their finances. The salary bands applicable to employees in the bargaining unit in municipalities countrywide are listed in this report. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Antoinette Slabbert at Moneyweb
Platinum group metals sector faces 'crisis of poverty' ten times worse than coal industry Business Times reports that SA’s platinum group metals (PGM) sector, squeezed by lower prices and rising input costs, will face even more pressure to find markets for its products as the world continues to move to greener metals. According to Ntuthuzelo Mdledle, director of the African Critical Commodities Conference to be held later this month, platinum, which is used for a variety of purposes including the manufacture of catalytic converters that clean up emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles, will become redundant because of the emergence of electric battery vehicles. “Platinum is falling into disuse. Two-thirds of it is used in car exhausts to stop emissions. Now you do not need to have catalytic converters that capture emissions. So what happens to [platinum] miners?” he asked. Mdledle said PGM miners were marking down the value of their assets due to the prevailing market conditions. “There is literally going to be a crisis of poverty in PGMs that is 10 times worse than the coal industry,” he opined. Mdledle's comments came as Impala Platinum (Implats) wrote down the value of its assets by almost R20bn on Wednesday due to falling prices. The company, which is considering closing loss-making mines, said in April it would be embarking on a retrenchment process. Last month, Anglo American Platinum announced it would slash 3,700 jobs to reduce spending ahead of its demerger from parent company Anglo American. Sibanye-Stillwater is also shedding jobs. Seleho Tsatsi of Anchor Capital indicated that they expected similar announcements from other PGM miners, given the current environment of soft prices. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dineo Faku at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Home Affairs Minister Schreiber upbeat on clearing visa backlog by end of 2024 Business Times reports that Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Minister Leon Schreiber is optimistic that his department will be able to clear a backlog of more than 300,000 visa applications by Christmas. At an engagement with stakeholders in business, hosted by independent visa and work permit company Xpatweb on Thursday, Schreiber outlined his plans for the department over the next five years. He identified the clearing of the backlog as one of his top priorities. He said this was key to boosting economic activity while using the process as a trial to test what worked and what did not as he went about fixing the department. SA has a backlog of more than 300,000 visa applications stuck at local home affairs offices and foreign missions. Recently, the DHA said it had finalised 92,886 of these. Fast-tracking visas for skilled workers to enter the country has been identified as one of the key economic reforms of the government. In April, amendments were made to the country’s immigration laws, allowing foreigners earning more than R1m a year to take out digital nomad visas. Other amendments included the introduction of a new point-based system for work visas, which replaced the critical skills list. Schreiber said one of the contributing factors to delays in processing visas and other documents was that the DHA still used paper-based applications but did not have enough staff to go through them speedily. According to Schreiber, integrating better technology in the department to assist with things such as the verification of documents could reduce the pressure on employees while speeding up the rate at which applications were processed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Gloria Motsoere at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
‘Massive revolt’ in the offing against any attempt at making prescribed assets mandatory for pension funds Business Times reports that according to Fatima Vawda, CEO of investment firm 27four and a director of the Association for Savings & Investment South Africa (Asisa), if the government wants pension fund money it must produce bankable projects rather than make regulatory amendments. “The problem we have is that government has not brought any bankable projects to the market. So rather than worrying about legislative changes it should create an environment that attracts both local and foreign direct investment. Pension funds will follow,” is her answer to new Department of Trade, Industry & Competition (DTIC) Minister Parks Tau. He has tabled a proposal to amend regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act so he can use more of the country's R4-trillion retirement savings to finance government industrialisation and infrastructure initiatives. Vawda said the industry would resist any attempts at making prescribed assets mandatory, as it already invested heavily in government and SOE bonds. She commented: “The bottom line is that we will not accept any form of prescription. There will be a massive revolt if it's their intention to make it mandatory. We already invest aggressively in infrastructure through listed bonds. Where do they think the money comes from? We hold Transnet bonds, Eskom bonds, Rand Water bonds. All of that money is funding government projects.” Pointing out that nobody should put pension funds under pressure as to where and how members' assets were invested, Vawda added that if Tau's intention was to force the hand of the pension fund industry, “they're never going to be able to do it. Not in our current political environment.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chris Barron at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Acsa suspends chief information officer over biometric project ‘irregularities’ TimesLIVE reports that the chief information officer of Airports Company SA (Acsa) has been placed on precautionary suspension after “prima facie evidence of wrongdoing” was uncovered in a biometric and digital identity technology project. Spokesperson Ernest Mulibana said this was to allow Acsa to conduct further investigations. In May 2022, Acsa embarked on a procurement process for the Automated Border Control (ABC) project, e-Gates and single token for a period of 60 months. A French multinational technology company, IDEMIA, was appointed and a contract to the value of R115m was concluded. The winning bidder had a teaming agreement with a local company called InfoVerge as its black-owned B-BBEE partner. However, an impasse arose between the two business partners. “Despite Acsa’s efforts, the two business partners could not reach an amicable resolution. This resulted in InfoVerge approaching the high court Gauteng local division, seeking relief to set aside Acsa’s decision to award the tender for the provision of Automated Border Control project to IDEMIA,” said Mulibana. In the court papers, Acsa was cited as a second respondent. “Acsa is considering options in relation to the contract for the provision of the ABC project, e-Gates and single token that has been entered into with IDEMIA,”Mulibana indicated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hendrik Hancke at BusinessLive
SAPS given 10 days to explain why disciplinary process against VIP officers who assaulted civilians on N1 not concluded EWN reports that parliament's police portfolio committee has given the SA Police Service (SAPS) ten more days to explain why it has still not concluded its disciplinary process against VIP police officers who allegedly assaulted civilians on the N1 highway in Joburg over a year ago. Committee chairperson, Ian Cameron, said that failing to do so, he would insist that the police explain the delays in Parliament. In July 2023, eight officers of deputy president Paul Mashatile’s ‘blue light’ convoy were filmed accosting and assaulting civilians they had forced off the road for allegedly not obeying orders to move out of the convoy’s way. A year ago, the SAPS assured Parliament that its disciplinary process against the officers would continue independently of the criminal case the eight men were facing. Cameron said it was unclear why the SAPS was ignoring its own 2016 disciplinary regulations in that regard. "These members need to be sacked. There’s absolutely no reason to keep them in the South African Police Service. They are now a risk for the public. They are also a risk for the already damaged reputation of the SA Police Service," Cameron commented. Apparently, the officers concerned have been since been shifted to desk duty. Cameron also said he would be demanding to know the outcome of disciplinary action taken against police officers on duty at Parliament on the night the National Assembly building was burnt down. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lindsay Dentlinger at EWN Matlosana chief whip faces axe for blowing R81,000 on unauthorised trips and damaging vehicle Sunday Independent reports that the chief whip of the Matlosana (formerly Klerksdorp) local municipality is facing the axe for misuse and damaging a council-owned vehicle by travelling to three funerals in the Eastern Cape without the necessary authority. A disciplinary hearing into the conduct of ANC Ward 21 councillor Khaya Ndincede led to a recommendation that he be removed from office for racking up nearly R81,000 in fruitless, wasteful or irregular expenditure between August and October last year. In his explanation, Ndincede told the hearing that he attended three funerals of persons who were close to him. Ndincede said one funeral was that of his comrade’s wife, the other was the funeral of a cousin, and the third was of a family member. The findings against Ndincede still need to be discussed and debated in council before a resolution is taken. The committee found Ndincede guilty of very serious offences, as prevention of fruitless and wasteful expenditure was the number one priority in local government. Evidence presented at the hearing showed that Ndincede damaged the vehicle’s tyres and rim after hitting a pothole, which cost the municipality over R6,150. He used R21,400 for fuel while clocking 12,790 kilometres and accrued wear and tear costs of R 53,500. The committee proposed that speaker Stella Mondlane-Ngwenya should inform the North West co-operative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs MEC to facilitate Ndincede’s removal from office as a councillor in terms of the Municipal Structures Act’s code of conduct for councillors. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Loyiso Sidimba at Sunday Independent
Former City of Joburg project manager guilty of R1 million diesel theft to pay back using his pension fund IOL News reports that a former City of Johannesburg project manager has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment after having been found guilty of stealing diesel amounting to over R1 million. The diesel stolen was intended to power generators providing electricity to vulnerable households under the care of the Department of Social Development (DSD). Sipho Machuene Dikhoba was sentenced last week in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the case involved theft of diesel between the period of August 2019 and October 2020. The DSD’s finance department had identified irregularities in diesel invoices over a year and the matter was referred to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks). Mjonondwane indicated: “Further investigation revealed multiple daily diesel purchases and found that the intended generators were non-functional. When confronted with evidence of his involvement in these fraudulent activities, the accused resigned as the Project Manager at the City of Johannesburg.” Dikhoba pleaded guilty to 224 counts of theft and also cooperated with the state by testifying against his accomplice, who is currently on trial. The court suspended five years of the seven year sentence, on condition that Dikhoba used his pension fund to pay back an amount of over R500,000 to the employer. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jolene Marriah-Maharaj at IOL News. Read too, Manager who stole diesel meant for poor people gets seven years, at TimesLIVE
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