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 Tuesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
|
Untu to embark on strike ballot after Transnet wage talks deadlock BL Premium reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) is set to conduct a strike ballot after wage talks with Transnet deadlocked on Monday. Untu is one of the largest unions at Transnet, boasting 26,018 members. Untu’s Atenkosi Plaatjie said the union and management of the state-owned rail and ports operator “officially reached a deadlock” during a failed conciliation process conducted by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). “As such, the CCMA commissioner will issue a certificate of non-resolution, legally enabling Untu to commence with industrial action. Fortunately, the picketing rules were finalised before the start of negotiations, which now allows us to swiftly move forward with plans for industrial action,” she indicated. Plaatjie said the union was now set to ballot its members on whether to accept Transnet’s wage offer, or reject it and embark on strike action. She added: “The negotiations have reached a definitive conclusion and the deadlock stands … The time has come to mobilise. The time has come to negotiate on the streets.” Untu has declined to sign the three-year wage agreement that the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has accepted, for wage increases of 6% in the first and second years and 5.5% in the final year of the agreement. Untu is demanding a one-year 10% wage increase for 2025/26, a R2,500 housing allowance, R2,500 medical aid allowance and the removal of a cap on overtime. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Transnet workers warn of strike as pay talks fail, at Moneyweb
Numsa demands 10% wage increase in motor sector BL Premium reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is demanding a 10% wage increase in the motor sector, which covers workers who fall under the Motor Industries Bargaining Council (Mibco). Employer organisations that are part of the council include the Fuel Retailers Association and the Retail Motor Industry Organisation. The motor sector comprises employees in component manufacturing companies, fuel stations, car dealerships, tyre shops, aftermarket sales, glass-fitment centres, car cleaning, car parts assembly and panel-beating workshops. It employs about 306,000 workers nationally, of whom about 90,000 are Numsa members. The union tabled its wage demands during the first round of wage talks, held on Thursday and Friday, under the auspices of the Mibco. The current three-year wage agreement ends on 31 August. In addition to the 10% across-the-board wage demand, Numsa is seeking medical aid/insurance for all workers, night shift allowances, transport allowances for garage workers and closure of wage gaps. The union believes its demands are reasonable as workers are suffering amid the rising cost of living that has pushed many below the breadline. Motor Industry Staff Association (Misa) spokesperson Sonja Carstens stated: “Misa won’t be responding to Numsa’s demands. Misa is the majority union in Mibco, representing more than 70,000 members. We are still busy with the first round of negotiations.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Read too, Numsa demands wage increase, night shift allowance for motor industry workers, at The Citizen
Strandfontein woman in court over deadly gang hit at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court Cape Argus reports that a Strandfontein woman accused of orchestrating a gang hit at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court was remanded in prison on Monday morning. Shireen Matthews, 35, made her first highly-anticipated appearance in court, where she is charged with the murder of Dingalomoyo Chintso, 49. He was shot and killed last week on the 4th floor of the court building, which houses the Wynberg Regional Court. Matthews, who is said to be the lover of a Junky Funky gang boss, is alleged to have ordered the hit on Chintso as he was accused of murdering someone from the gang. An eye witness reported that a lone gunman approached Chintso and took a firearm out of his sling bag before firing four shots at his head. Panic spread as people feared the gunman was still roaming the court corridors During court proceedings on Monday, the prosecutor said the state would contend that Matthews was guilty of premeditated murder. The case was postponed to 23 April for a bail hearing. Deputy provincial police commissioner, Bongani Maqashalala, said police had since busted a second suspect and were now on the hunt for four remaining suspects. He said following a preliminary threat assessment of the court building, they had opted to beef-up the amount of police officers present to avoid another incident. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mahira Duval at Cape Argus. Read too, Woman charged for Wynberg court shooting that left murder suspect dead, at News24 (subscription or trial registration required) Increase in requests for safety escort prompts City of Cape Town to boost law enforcement resources Cape Times reports that the City of Cape Town has made provision in its draft budget for an additional 222 Law Enforcement Facility Protection Officers (FPOs) for the Escort Service Unit to assist internal departments with the implementation of projects in high-risk areas. Just over R100 million has been pencilled in, to be funded by the various Directorates, including Water and Sanitation, Energy, Urban Waste Management and Human Settlements. Over a seven-month period between September 2024 and March 2025, the City’s Law Enforcement Department has facilitated 1,925 escorts to various service departments – an average of 275 per month. In May 2023, the City launched the FPO initiative, to protect staff, projects and City facilities particularly in crime hotspots. The initial deployment included 81 Law Enforcement FPOs, however, the dramatic rise in requests for escorts has resulted in the diversion of resources from day-to-day law enforcement functions to support the FPOs. “The attacks on staff and City contractors are relentless, and include very serious crimes, including armed robbery, hijacking and sadly even murder. The toll on our enforcement services too should not be underestimated, particularly as there are so many competing demands on our time and resources,” JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, pointed out. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Cape Times Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Private security sector under threat from proposed ‘unrealistic’ regulations BusinessTech reports that private security stakeholders and experts have warned that proposed amendments to the Private Security Industry Regulations threaten the security sector in SA, so risking public safety and thousands of jobs. In March 2025, the Minister of Police published a Government Gazette notice after deliberations with the Council of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA). The proposed amendments aim to tighten firearm and weapon controls while increasing regulatory oversight. Other changes include mandatory annual physical and psychological assessments for security officers to evaluate their visual, neurological, and emotional condition; restrictions on semi-automatic rifles to limit their use to protecting valuables and critical infrastructure; mandatory tracking devices for all firearms used by security firms, with tracking service providers requiring government approval; and restriction on ammunition to limit it to a “reasonable quantity”. Security firms under investigation could be prohibited from issuing firearms to their officers, even if no charges have been laid. However, experts in the security sector argue that these amendments are unrealistic and will make their operations more expensive and less effective. Another concern is a ban on firearm possession in public spaces would hinder armed response officers from patrolling or assisting in places like malls, hospitals, and schools without meeting government compliance conditions. Meanwhile, Ian Cameron, chair of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, has warned that private security firms could be closed overnight if the amendments proposed by PSIRA are implemented. In his view, the amendments could jeopardise the R45 billion private security sector that employs over 500,000 guards. Read the full original of the informative report in the above regard by Malcolm Libera at BusinessTech
Heavily armed guards blockade Townhill Hospital in PMB on Monday over alleged payment dispute The Witness reports that a group of heavily armed private security officers blockaded the main entrance to Townhill Hospital’s admin block in Pietermaritzburg on Monday. Demanding to see the hospital’s chief director for infrastructure, the guards blocked entry and exit to the area. “This revolves around non-payment for services rendered to the department, and the service provider was left with a huge bill,” said a source. When The Witness arrived at the scene on Monday around lunch time, heavily armed security guards were seen both inside and outside the hospital gates. They declined to speak to reporters. A single police van was seen in the vicinity monitoring the situation. Pietermaritzburg police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala said no incident report had yet been filed with the police. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at The Witness
Media24 appoints Raj Lalbahadur as CEO News24 reports that Media24, one of Africa's biggest media groups, has announced the appointment of interim CEO Raj Lalbahadur as CEO with effect from 11 April. Lalbahadur, previously CFO of Media24, was appointed interim CEO in September 2024 when Ishmet Davidson stepped down. He joined the group in 2007 as CFO for Educor after previously working for the SA Revenue Service as well as in the petroleum and paper-manufacturing industries. "Displaying exceptional leadership, Raj has played a crucial role in stabilising and keeping operations focused in the wake of Media24's recent major redesign," Media24 chair Rachel Jafta said in a statement. Last year, Media24 underwent restructuring that saw it shutter the print editions of Beeld, Rapport, City Press and Daily Sun, as well as its SNL24 digital hub. It also sold its media logistics business On the Dot, its community newspaper portfolio, and Soccer Laduma to Novus Holdings. "I thank the board for their confidence in me and the opportunity to continue serving Media24," Lalbahadur said in the statement. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Karl Gernetzky at Fin24 (subscription or trial registration required). Lees ook, Uitvoerende hoof vir Media24 aangestel, by Maroela Media
Appointment of top Ekurhuleni official sparks major row The Star reports that a storm is brewing in the City of Ekurhuleni over the appointment of Phakamile Mbengashe as Head of Department: Communication, Marketing and Tourism (CMTD5000). This follows serious allegations by former municipal communications executive Nhlanhla Cebekhulu, who has accused the municipality of flouting both ethical norms and legal frameworks in appointing Mbengashe, who is the former spokesperson to then-Ekurhuleni mayor Mzandile Masina and is believed to be linked to “big players” in the political arena. In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Ekurhuleni Council, Cebekhulu questioned the legality and transparency of the appointment process. He claimed that despite Mbengashe being recommended by the interview panel, he did not meet the minimum academic and management requirements outlined in the job advertisement. The position required a postgraduate degree – at NQF Level 7 or equivalent – in marketing, communications, or digital business, and ten years of management experience, five of which must be at senior level. “The earmarked candidate, judging from the LinkedIn page, does not possess the requisite knowledge of communication besides being a spokesperson. He does not possess ten years’ managerial experience as required by the advert,” Cebekhulu pointed out. Further complicating the matter is the controversy surrounding Mbengashe’s academic background. The City’s response appears to rely on a non-traditional academic route known as APEL – Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning. Despite an ongoing investigation, the appointment process has continued. Cebekhulu’s legal team is reportedly preparing a court application to interdict the appointment, pending a review of the entire recruitment process. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Masabata Mkwananzi at The Star Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Roman Cabanac fails security clearance, but still clings to job in Steenhuisen’s department Sunday Times reports that more than six months after minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen, who is also DA leader, asked Roman Cabanac, chief of staff in his department, to resign, the controversial, right-leaning podcaster is still holding on to his R1.4m job. Sources in the DA and the government last week raised alarm over Cabanac’s continued employment after it emerged that the State Security Agency (SSA) had declined to give him top-level security clearance because of his dual French citizenship. Cabanac, who was born in France, has frequently expressed support for far-right politicians on social media and has stirred controversy with his podcasts. In November last year, Steenhuisen expressed frustration that labour law protections were delaying the process of ousting his chief of staff. For his part, Cabanac maintains that he is staying put in the ministry while he negotiates over his conditions of his service. A DA insider said there was bafflement as to why Steenhuisen was “dilly-dallying” in not firing Cabanac. Steenhuisen’s spokesperson Joylene van Wyk said on Saturday that the minister’s office had not yet received the SSA report on Cabanac. Government insiders said Cabanac had no day-to-day relationship with other members of the ministerial staff. Insiders have suggested Cabanac is digging in his heels to force Steenhuisen to offer him a golden handshake. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thabo Mokone at Sunday Times (subscriber access only)
Mediclinic freezes new nonessential hires and offers severance packages in AI revolution BL Premium reports that Mediclinic has put a freeze on nonessential new hires and offered severance packages in a bet on AI to revolutionise its operations. Bertrand Levrat, COO of SA’s biggest private hospital group, told investors on Monday that while the group was in a sound financial position, the healthcare system was evolving, and to keep delivering high-quality care the company had to stay ahead of the changes. Mediclinic has set a target of achieving about R2bn in annual savings by 2027 as it wades into the unsettling waters of AI-driven automation to accelerate its objectives. Levrat, who joined Mediclinic a year ago, indicated: “We have put a freeze on all new recruitments in the group. This excludes nurses and doctors but [includes] all admin staff. In parallel, for SA-based corporate office people and shared services people, we have offered early retirement packages. And people [are] now in the process of accepting the packages, or not. These will enable us to reduce the administrative costs of the group.” He went on to point out: “AI needs good data. So we are sorting out our data structure.” Some of the areas in which Mediclinic is deploying data are bots, clinical coding and revenue cycle management – a move that will make traditional human roles redundant. For years, the spectre of machines stealing jobs from humans loomed on the horizon. But in the past three to five years the meteoric rise of AI-powered systems has turned these fears into realities and is reshaping industries at warp speed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kabelo Khumalo & Jacqueline Mackenzie at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Immigrant workers suspended and face dismissal after winning CCMA case over minimum wages GroundUp reports that more than 50 people picketed outside the premises of M&N Waste in Boksburg last week against the company’s alleged exploitation of immigrant workers. The protest was organised by the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO) and the Simunye Workers Forum (SWF), which claimed that immigrant workers had been unfairly suspended by the company. According to the SWF’s Matsoanelo Motomotomo, the company had employed workers from Malawi and Mozambique, some for over 20 years, knowing that they did not have work permits. They were allegedly paid below minimum wage. In November, the workers took the company to the CCMA over their low wages. The CCMA ruled in their favour, but on 7 February, M&N Waste suspended several employees without pay. The suspended workers claimed that after the CCMA case, they were told that if they did not get valid work permits by January, they would be fired. “We asked the employer to help us organise permits, but we were told that it was not the company’s responsibility,” said Atanaseo Mabunda, originally from Mozambique. Another Mozambican, Ednercio Ngomane, said he was earning R18 per hour and worked about nine hours per day and 45 hours per week. He added: “The company went on to cut my hours and I would work for 35 hours, earning R690 per week, which was too little. All we wanted was to be paid fairly, and the company went on to fire us.” According to Motomotomo, the employees have been offered R1,500 in severance pay, but he asked “What will the people do with this small change?” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kimberly Mutandiro at GroundUp
Gauteng taxi bosses agree to ceasefire, mediation after 59 lives lost since beginning of year TimesLIVE reports that the Gauteng government says a deal has been reached with provincial delegates of the National Taxi Alliance and SA National Taxi Council to bring an immediate end to the recent taxi-related violence. The bloodshed has claimed 59 lives in Gauteng since the beginning of the year, with 30 deaths recorded in March. Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela led a prayer service and march against taxi violence in Dube in Soweto on Thursday, and threatened to shut down taxi ranks for six months as a means of bringing an end to the feuding. The Gauteng legislature said key agreements from their engagement included an immediate ceasefire and commitment to dialogue by all affected taxi associations. The taxi bosses will engage in mediation talks and submit a progress report to the MEC by 29 April. A dedicated conflict resolution committee comprising taxi associations will be established under the supervision of the MEC to ensure transparency and accountability in resolving disputes, particularly over contested routes. The Gauteng legislature's community safety and transport committees said they would "closely monitor the implementation of the resolutions, hold government and the taxi industry accountable for delivering lasting peace and conduct follow up engagements to assess progress". Read the original of the report in the above regard at SowetanLive
|
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page