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 Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Over 300 EMPD officers who participated in unprotected strike and disrupted highways to retain their jobs EWN reports that about 300 Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers have retained their jobs after facing possible dismissal for participating in an unprotected strike in March. The officers had been calling for salary adjustments, overtime pay and night allowances. When the City served the protesting metro officers with the pre-dismissal letters, they were given a chance to explain why they should not be dismissed. On Wednesday, the Municipal Employees and Civil Servant Union (MECSU) announced that after engaging the City of Ekurhuleni, it had managed to get the pre-dismissal letters withdrawn. The officers, who are considered essential workers, took part in an unprotected strike and abandoned their duties and caused disruptions on major highways. At a media briefing on Wednesday, MECSU general secretary Vukile Mlungwana said the pre-dismissal letters had been the wrong course of action. He advised that while they were happy about the letters being withdrawn, they still wanted their demands to be met. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jabulile Mbatha at EWN Another wage strike by EMPD cops on cards for next week News24 reports that the Municipal Employees and Civil Servants Union (Mecsu) has served the City of Ekurhuleni with a seven-day notice of its intent to strike if the City does not respond to wage demands by its metro police officers. On Wednesday, municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed receipt of the notice sent on Tuesday. “We are currently processing their notice (of strike),” Dlamini said. Mecsu issued the notice after the City served pre-dismissal notices on 389 Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department officials over an illegal strike on 19 March, during which they blockaded the R21, N12, N17 and N3 highways using municipal vehicles. Officers took to the streets demanding salary adjustments, overtime as well as night and danger allowances. The City retaliated by slapping them with pre-dismissal notices, charging that the strike had been illegal. According to EWN, the pre-dismissal letters have been withdrawn. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Mecsu general secretary Vukile Mlungwana indicated that “we have obtained a certificate to embark on a protected and lawful strike to force the employer to meet the salary adjustment demands of 60 hours of overtime to monthly salaries of all EMPD officials exploited for many years. We demand night shift and danger allowances for officers.” He went on to state: “We have served the City with a seven-day notice that lapses on 5 June. We have also launched an unfair suspension dispute set out for a conciliation hearing on 12 June at the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. We will be arranging psycho-social support for all the affected officers pending the proposed strike. We seek to restore our members’ lost dignity resulting from their legitimate demand for salary adjustment.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Violent Pietermaritzburg cash-in-transit heist leaves one dead and six persons, including guards, injured IOL News reports that a cash-in-transit heist erupted into gunfire and chaos on the R56 near the second Bainesfield offramp outside Richmond just after 5:15pm on Wednesday, leaving one man dead and six others injured. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said paramedics arrived on the scene to find chaos and carnage. The scene was spread over some distance with multiple vehicles damaged as a result of bullet holes as well as crashes, including the damaged cash vehicle. Bullet-riddled vehicles, shattered glass, and the cash van were grim markers of the violent incident. Among the victims was a man who was reportedly travelling in a taxi and got caught in the crossfire and sustained gunshot wounds. Six other individuals, including security personnel, were stabilized by ALS medics before being transported to various hospitals in Durban for further medical care. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Wendy Dondolo at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Unions demand crackdown on non-compliant KZN security firms The Witness reports that union workers on Tuesday called for the termination of the contracts of all security companies that were not in compliance with National Bargaining Council for the Private Security Sector (NBCSS) requirements. This was among the demands by security officers and their unions, who on Tuesday handed over a memorandum to the Premier’s Office in Pietermaritzburg. The Abanqobi Workers Union (AWU), the Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union (Detawu), the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), the SA National Security and Allied Workers Forum (Sansawf), the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), and other “progressive” unions were part of the march. “We are here to declare that the KwaZulu-Natal Premier and his provincial treasury are complicit in the exploitation of security officers in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Detawu’s Vusi Ntshangase. The unions claimed that at least 1,583 security firms in KZN, some of which were contracted to the provincial government, did not provide their employees with the benefits agreed upon. The officers also demanded access to health insurance and provident funds for all officers, as well as decent and fair basic salaries. “Should they [the Premier’s Office] not respond within these seven days, they will leave us with no other option but to intensify our actions against the exploitation of security officers in this province,” said Numsa’s Henry Myende. He added that they would also petition President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate all provincial departments that awarded contracts to non-compliant security companies. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zama Myeza at The Witness
Minerals Council warns Mantashe of looming confrontation over Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Bill Miningmx reports that draft amendments to legislation which have shocked SA’s mining industry are likely to wind up in the courtroom after the Minerals Council SA (MCSA) told mines minister Gwede Mantashe of a looming confrontation. The MCSA expressed its dismay on Tuesday that the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Bill (MPRD), aimed at overhauling the 2002 Act, would discourage new investment in mining and set the industry back by years. The MCSA, which represents 90% of SA mining by production value, has objected to amendments calling for increased beneficiation, and a requirement for empowerment for the granting of prospecting rights. The bill is open for public comment until 13 August. Speaking at the MCSA AGM on Wednesday, Paul Dunne – the council’s newly elected President – said that while his organisation was “a very considered professional advocacy body” it would engage “very, very robustly with the DMPR”. He added: “The minister knows us very well. We are very tough, and Minister, we are coming” – a clear indication that the council intended to renew hostilities with the DMPR in court. The last time the sides faced off legally was in 2021 when the High Court ruled against changes for new empowerment in the Mining Charter. In an address at the AGM, Mantashe said: “I know the industry will take us to court. I know it”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by David McKay at Miningmx. Read too, Reworked Mineral Resource Development Bill is an ‘investment killer’, says DA, at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other general posting(s) relating to mining
Business rescue practitioners tell MPs they've turned SAPO around and are preparing to exit business rescue EWN reports that the SA Post Office's (Sapo’s) business rescue practitioners (BRPs) say they've managed to turn the ailing state-owned entity around. The team of BRPs is now preparing to exit the business rescue process and hand control of the entity back to management after almost three years. The rescue team briefed Parliament's communications and digital technologies committee on the finalisation of the rescue process, which saw over 4,000 retrenchments and the closure of hundreds of branches. The team said they were in discussions with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and were preparing a court application to terminate the business rescue proceedings. The BRPs had previously come under fire from the committee as progress over the last two years had not been evident. But on Wednesday, Sapo acting group CEO Fathima Gany presented a positive outlook, saying that they were in the best shape since 2012. "This resulted in the strengthening of the balance sheet and a positive net asset value of R1 billion at the end of March. This was the first time since 2012 that Sapo had a positive net asset value, so you see the benefits that you gain from a business rescue process," she indicated. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Babalo Ndenze at EWN. Read too, Business rescue practitioners prepare to file court papers to exit Post Office, at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Solidarity asks court to find labour minister guilty of contempt of court Maroela Media reports that Solidarity has served court papers on the Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, asking that she be found guilty of contempt of court. According to the trade union, this legal action forms part of Solidarity’s fight against racial laws and follows Solidarity’s announcement that a special R7 million legal fund is being set aside to take the fight to the next level, locally and internationally. The court case relates to the government’s apparent disregard for the settlement agreement on racial policies in the workplace reached between the government and Solidarity. In accordance with a court order, the terms of the agreement had to be included in Employment Equity Act regulations. However, the provisions of this agreement, which clearly drew a line through racial quotas, are not reflected in the regulations published by the Department of Employment and Labour in the Government Gazette of 15 April 2025. “The government deliberately decided to remove these provisions despite a court order to the contrary. This is a gross violation of the law and undermines the already extremely limited trust in the state,” said Solidarity Chief Executive Dr Dirk Hermann. Solidarity elaborated that the contempt case was but one of its comprehensive actions against racial legislation. It indicated that the R7 million legal fund established to that end would be used to carry out various other local and international actions. Read the full Afrikaans report in the above regard at Maroela Media
Take-home pay fell in April for second month amid economic uncertainty BL Premium reports that despite a favourable inflation backdrop, SA salary earners experienced another dip in take-home pay in April 2025, marking the second consecutive month of decline amid mounting global and domestic uncertainty. However, 2025 is still on track to deliver a second year of real wage growth. According to the latest BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index (BTPI), the average nominal take-home pay declined by 2.0% month-on-month to R17,495 in April, down from R17,846 in March. Despite this drop, nominal salaries remained 13.8% higher than the R15,370 recorded a year ago, highlighting the recovery that began in mid-2024. Adjusted for inflation, real take-home pay fell 2.2% to R15,005 in April, down from R15,344 in March. However, it still reflected a 10.6% year-on-year gain. “The significant moderation in consumer inflation during 2024 has had a positive impact on the purchasing power of salary earners and the scenario is continuing into 2025, with the latest headline CPI figure at only 2.8% for April,” independent economist Elize Kruger noted. Headline inflation is forecast to average 3.4% in 2025, down from 4.4% in 2024, which will make it the lowest annual rate since 2020. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jana Marx at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Salaries decreased by 2% in April, but higher than a year ago, at The Citizen
Department of Health faces growing legal bills over NHI BL Premium reports that since October 2023, the Department of Health (DOH) has spent R9.7m defending legal challenges to National Health Insurance (NHI) Act and the National Health Act, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told MPs on Wednesday. Responding to a question in the National Assembly from DA MP Michéle Clarke, the minister said the department’s legal team included five senior counsel and seven junior counsel. They were working on five legal challenges to the NHI Act, which was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2024, and two legal challenges to the National Health Act. NHI is the government’s controversial plan for universal health coverage, which aims to ensure all eligible patients are provided with healthcare services that are free at the point of delivery. The first piece of enabling legislation, the NHI Act, proposes sweeping reforms and has been challenged by trade union Solidarity, the Board of Healthcare Funders (representing medical schemes), the SA Private Practitioners Forum (representing specialists), the Hospital Association of SA (representing private hospitals) and SA’s biggest doctor organisation, the SA Medical Association. Clarke asked Motsoaledi to justify the scale and expense of his legal team, given that the state had been unable to hire hundreds of newly qualified doctors in January. Motsoaledi said the size of his legal team was appropriate, given its workload. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tamar Kahn at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Health minister defends nearly R10 million legal spend on NHI court battles, at The Citizen
Mpumalanga education department head suspended over R2m laptop tender SowetanLive reports that Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu has placed the head of the province’s education department, Lucy Moyane, on suspension in connection with the investigation into the R2m laptop saga. This follows preliminary findings by the premier’s integrity unit early this month, which flagged Moyane and seven other officials for participation in awarding a tender to buy 22 laptops from a service provider in a process that “cannot be said to have been fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective.” The department procured 22 laptops and a printer at a cost of R2m, implying that each laptop cost the department about R91,400. The supplier also did not comply with the terms of the purchase order and delivered laptops of a lesser quality than what had been approved and paid for. Ndlovu said the department must recover the money and that the name of the service provider must be sent to the National Treasury to be added to the database of blacklisted companies. On Wednesday, Ndlovu’s office advised that Moyane alone was handed a suspension letter to help the implementation of the recommendations by the integrity unit. A spokesperson added that more information on the implementation of the recommendations would be announced by the premier on June 30 “as promised”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mandla Khoza at SowetanLive Road Accident Fund CEO placed on special leave pending SIU probe into R79m contract BL Premium reports that Road Accident Fund (RAF) CEO Collins Letsoalo has been placed on leave pending a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) inquiry into multimillion-rand contracts and tenders at the fund. The RAF board decided to place Letsoalo on leave at a special meeting on Tuesday, transport department spokesperson Collen Msibi confirmed. The SIU has been investigating RAF management after the entity signed a R79m lease for a Joburg building with Mowana Properties. Letsoalo approved the contract against the recommendation of a bid evaluation committee. A preliminary SIU report allegedly “implicated Letsoalo in possible wrongdoing” in the contract. “The CEO will be on special leave until the conclusion of the relevant investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), or such earlier date as the board may determine. The board has indicated that this is a precautionary measure and does not constitute disciplinary action or presumption of guilt,” Msibi said. He added that the decision was taken as a precautionary step, but “does not imply any prejudgment or adverse finding against the CEO”. The RAF has appointed Phathutshedzo Lukhwareni as acting CEO. The move to place Letsoalo on leave comes amid reports that the SIU faced issues in its investigation while he remained in office. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sinesipho Schrieber at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, RAF boss placed on special leave amid SIU corruption probe, at News24 Business (subscription / trial registration required). And also, RAF CEO’s special leave not disciplinary action, says Transport Department, at SABC News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Hawks arrest four in learner’s and driver’s licence fraud scheme in Limpopo The Citizen reports that the crackdown on the illegal issuing of learner’s and driver’s licences continued in Limpopo when the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested a traffic examiner, an ex-examiner, and two driving school owners. The four suspects, aged between 37 and 61, were arrested by the Hawks on Tuesday in Lephalale, Limpopo, for alleged fraud, corruption, and money laundering. The examiners at the Lephalale Testing Station are accused of conspiring with the operators of driving schools to defraud the Department of Road and Transport in 2021. The officers allegedly provided learner’s and driver’s licences to applicants without adhering to the correct procedures in exchange for money. A case docket of fraud and corruption was opened and after completion of the investigations, the NPA approved arrest warrants for the suspects. All four suspects were scheduled to make their first court appearance in the Lephalale Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, to face charges of fraud, corruption, and money laundering. More arrests are imminent, according to the Hawks. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chulumanco Mahamba at The Citizen
Former police lieutenant colonel in Upington court facing 97 counts for alleged fraud, money laundering TimesLIVE reports that Andries Nel, a former lieutenant colonel in the police force, appeared in the Upington Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to face multiple counts of fraud, money laundering and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. At the time of the alleged offences, Nel, 59, was stationed at the police supply chain management unit. “Between December 2022 and April 2024, he is accused of orchestrating fraudulent transactions totalling R1.245m,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane indicated. The charges include submitting fictitious claims under the SAPS detainee feeding programme, filing false claims for tyres and fuel purchases for police vehicles and duplicating subsistence and travel allowance claims. The fraudulent payments were allegedly made directly into Nel’s personal bank account. He faces 97 counts of fraud and 97 counts of money laundering for allegedly disguising the origin of the stolen funds. The case was postponed until Thursday for a bail application. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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