In our roundup of weekend and recent reports,
see the following summaries of our selection of
South African labour-related articles.
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Two policemen transporting suspect from court shot dead in Florida, Joburg TimesLIVE reports that two police officers transporting a suspect from court were shot dead in Florida, Johannesburg, on Friday morning. Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said the two detectives, who were killed at 10.30am, were attached to the trio task team. “Our members went to fetch a suspect that was to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court in a case of business robbery that occurred in 2023,” Masondo said. After appearing in court, the detectives were intercepted and fatally shot while taking the accused back into police custody. The detectives' firearms were taken and their unmarked police vehicle was found abandoned a few kilometres from the scene. A manhunt has been launched. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at TimesLIVE. See too, Two police officers fatally shot in Roodepoort, manhunt underway, at SABC News. En ook, Twee van polisie doodgeskiet terwyl hulle gevangene vervoer, by Maroela Media Another police officer gunned down, this time in Mpumalanga IOL News reports that the SA Police Service (SAPS) lost another colleague in the line of duty on Saturday in Mpumalanga. Three officers were killed in 24 hours. Sergeant Lauwrence Dumisani Mtshweni, 47, attached to the Schoemansdal SAPS, was gunned down in the early hours of Saturday morning. The provincial Acting Police Commissioner, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, said that the officer was killed in the line of duty while attending to a business robbery in progress in Schoemansdal near Komatipoort. A manhunt has been launched for 10 suspects. This murder followed the killings of two officers attached to the Florida police station, who were shot on Friday morning in Roodepoort while transporting an awaiting trail prisoner. National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said these were not only attacks on the justice and crime prevention security cluster, but direct attacks on the authority of the rule of law and the state. In the last financial year, 27 men and women in blue died in the line of duty. From 1 April 2025 to date, six police officers have lost their lives to criminal attacks and ambushes. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Robin-Lee Francke at IOL News. Read too, SAPS hunt cop killers after three officers fatally shot in the line of duty, at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) One of the suspects in the killing of Mpumalanga cop arrested SABC News reports that National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola says they are confident they have arrested the right person in the killing of 47-year-old Sergeant Lawrence Mtshweni. He was shot and killed in the line of duty in Mpumalanga. Mtshweni was part of a group of police officers who responded to a business burglary in Schoemansdaal when they were attacked by a group of 10 suspects. Masemola and Acting Mpumalanga Provincial Commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi visited Mtshweni’s family on Sunday. Masemola said that they knew who else they are looking for. “We have arrested one suspect in the killing of Sergeant Mtshweni, and we are hot on the heels of those who are still on the run. We are quite confident we’ll find them. We are definitely confident also that we have got the right person, and we know who we are looking for. It’s just a matter of finding them,” he said Read the full original of the report in the above regard at SABC News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Health-care workers fear for their lives as violent crime disrupts services at clinics Sunday Times reports that an Eastern Cape nurse has described how she was held at gunpoint last week while parked outside a primary school where she was conducting a vaccination campaign. She and her colleague were robbed of their cellphones and hired vehicle. Another nurse in Gqeberha said she and her colleagues had been victims of multiple armed robberies. “In May last year, about five men stormed the clinic and took our mobile phones and laptops. Three months later they came again, fired a shot inside the clinic and took our phones. This time I gave them the government-issued phone, but they demanded my own too. I told them I had left it at home, silently praying it wouldn’t ring,” she said. The incidents left staff traumatised and fearful for their lives. “We are scared to go to work because we don’t know if we will make it home alive,” lamented the nurse. The clinic has now been closed indefinitely, following escalating gang-related violence in the area. According to the health department, 420 health-care professionals were robbed, assaulted or asked to pay a protection fee between 2019 and November last year. The highest numbers were in the Western Cape, followed by the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Ambulance crews have also become frequent victims of crime in recent years, sometimes requiring police escorts to respond to emergencies. Veli Sinqana of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA said crime was affecting service delivery, with nurses working in fear and some leaving clinics altogether because of security threats. Sinqana added that there was an urgent need to strengthen security and called for regular police patrols around clinics. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Yoliswa Sobuwa at Sunday Times (subscriber access only) Ambulance overturns on N2 in KZN while attempting to avoid speeding vehicle News24 reports that a KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial ambulance was involved in a serious accident on the N2 highway, outside Richards Bay, on Saturday. The incident took place in the Umkhanyakude district in northern KZN. According to the health department, the ambulance was transporting a critical patient, as well as the patient’s relative, from Hlabisa Hospital to Ngwelezana Hospital. It reportedly overturned after attempting to avoid a vehicle that had allegedly lost control near the Umfolozi River. Preliminary reports suggested the sedan car was speeding and driving erratically before veering in the direction of the ambulance. An ambulance crew member sustained injuries and was taken to hospital for urgent medical attention. The patient and the relative suffered minor injuries and were transferred to another ambulance to complete their journey to Ngwelezana Hospital. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the crash. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sakhiseni Nxumalo at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Ithala employees present memorandum of grievances at march against management on Thursday TimesLIVE reports that workers at Ithala Development Finance Corporation (IDFC), represented by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), have raised multiple red flags about management of the institution under group CEO Pearl Bhengu. Union members marched to the IDFC offices in Durban on Thursday to express their concerns to board chairperson Mpumzi Pupuma and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DEDT&EA). Nehawu said its main concern was around possible financial mismanagement and negligence at the institution, which they claimed had resulted in significant revenue loss and reputational damage. They cited concerns over the institution's performance, neglect of infrastructure and financial oversight. Allegations made by members about Bhengu and management included the failure to provide essential tools of trade to workers who carried out vital functions within the institution and an alleged display of arrogance and dismissiveness in the local labour forum. Nehawu’s memo of gievances included demands for an independent forensic audit of appointments made under the tenure of the leadership; the immediate suspension of all questionable appointments pending a review; and the establishment of an inclusive recruitment oversight committee to ensure future transparency, fairness and compliance with Ithala's HR policies. Nehawu’s memorandum was received by Boyce Mntambo, director of eThekwini district operations for the DEDT&EA. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lwazi Hlangu at TimesLIVE
NUM dumps ANC ahead of next year’s municipal elections Sunday World reports that the ANC has lost a powerful ally in the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which has decided not to campaign for the governing party in the 2026 local elections. Even though the union isn’t telling its members to vote against the ANC, not supporting it will be a blow to the party which it has always helped in the past to win votes. But, the move is also a setback for the SA Communist Party, which a month ago seemed to enjoy full backing of the union in its decision to contest the elections independently of the ANC. NUM president explained that the current political environment has changed dramatically, forcing the union to reconsider its role. He said that internal divisions, mistrust and a failure of leadership has caused many within the union to question whether political alignment was still appropriate. With this decision the NUM is prioritising its founding mission to protect workers’ rights above political loyalty, at a time when many are of the view that the revolutionary spirit that once united the two organisations has been lost. Cosatu’s spokesman Matthew Parks said the federation was still discussing the SACP’s resolution to contest the elections. He said the issue would be taken to the Cosatu national congress next year, where a final decision would be made. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Boitumelo Kgobotlo on page 4 of Sunday World of 10 August 2025
Artisanal miners fear exclusion from new bill process Sunday World reports that artisanal miners say they are being sidelined from a crucial lawmaking process that could reshape their livelihoods, as the window for public comment on a new mining bill closes on Wednesday. The Draft Mineral Resources Development Bill, 2025, published in May, proposes for the first time to formally regulate artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). ASM refers to lowtech, labour intensive mining often carried out by individuals or small groups using rudimentary tools, usually on old mine dumps or shallow deposits. In SA, many ASM practitioners are colloquially called zama zamas. The term is also used for organised criminal syndicates running large, illegal underground operations. The bill introduces a licensing system, sets environmental and safety standards, and allocates specific artisanal mining zones. The government says the goal is to legitimise artisanal mining while clamping down on criminal activity. But the National Association of Artisanal Miners (Naam) believes the process is excluding the very miners it seeks to develop. Naam chairperson Paps Lethoko’s criticism was sparked by a SA Human Rights Commission public session in Stilfontein last Thursday, which was postponed. He said: “We expected them to report on the progress of enforcing those recommendations, which call for an amicable solution, the formalisation of the ASM sector, not punitive and dehumanising militarised responses like Operation Vala Umgodi.” Meanwhile, the Mining Affected Communities United in Action has called for mass action to coincide with the bill’s closing date. It, together with Wamua and Yamua, will stage demonstrations across five provinces on 13 August, culminating in the submission of their collective comments to the minerals department in Pretoria. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane on page 12 of Sunday World of 10 August 2025 Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Stats SA fine-tunes measurement of informal jobs BL Premium reports that Stats SA plans to roll out an updated quarterly labour force survey (QLFS) questionnaire in the third quarter of 2025 to improve the measurement of informality and labour underutilisation in the country. It said in a statement on Friday that the updated QLFS questionnaire would also capture “more nuanced labour market trends” and reflect evolving employment relationships. The size of SA’s informal sector has become an issue of debate since former Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie called for for SA to rethink its unemployment metric and contended that the headline figure of 32.9% could be closer to 10% when the vast informal sector was taken into account. He estimated that SA has as many as 3-million informal businesses. Fourie met with statistician-general Risenga Maluleke, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and senior National Treasury officials in July to discuss his thoughts on the informal sector. At the end of the meeting, Stats SA said it would continue to explore methods to improve labour market measurement and could look at a statistical register for small-scale and informal businesses. However, it added that survey methodology did not support Capitec’s view that the unemployment rate was lower than the official rate. The agency said on Friday it had engaged in comprehensive testing and had conducted pilot studies to ensure the upcoming survey modifications maintained the highest standards of accuracy and reliability. Additional questions to identify employment comprehensively have been added to the questionnaire. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kabelo Khumalo at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Kieswetter to step down as SARS commissioner early next year Business Times reports that with about eight months left on his contract, SA Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Edward Kieswetter is set to leave the position early next year. In an internal e-mail to SARS staff, Kieswetter said his two-year contract extension was coming to an end and he was speaking with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and President Cyril Ramaphosa well ahead of time on how best to handle the transition. In the e-mail, Kieswetter sought to respond to “speculation” about his departure. Kieswetter took over as commissioner in March 2019, with a mandate to rebuild the tax authority. Its capacity had been severely damaged by Tom Moyane, a Zuma-era commissioner who was fired by Ramaphosa in November 2018 on the recommendation of the Nugent commission of inquiry. Last year, Ramaphosa asked Kieswetter to stay beyond his original term, which was meant to expire at the end of April 2024. They both agreed to a two-year extension. Kieswetter said he remained committed to acting in the best interests of Sars and ensuring the organisation remained stable, effective and efficient. Godongwana and Kieswetter had a public fallout in February this year, when the SARS boss criticised plans to increase VAT by two percentage points to boost national revenue by R60bn ahead of the finance minister’s first budget presentation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Business Times (subscriber access only). Read too, Kieswetter to exit SARS next year, at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Gauteng moves to fill hundreds of ICU nurse vacancies The Citizen reports that the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has committed to prioritising ICU nurse training, with plans to train more nurses and review organisational structures amid a shortage of ICU nurses. According to the department, there are 791 unfilled positions for ICU (intensive care unit) nurses. “We acknowledge the implications of the shortage of ICU nurses, which is why ICU is one of the units being prioritised by the Gauteng department of health. Moreover, the department has reviewed its organisational structure to accommodate an increased number of nursing speciality posts,” MEC for health and wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko indicated on Friday. DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Dr Jack Bloom, pointed out on Thursday that Gauteng’s public hospitals have only 751 ICU nurses, which was less than half of the 1,760 ICU nurses needed to serve the Gauteng population. Bloom added that the lack of ICU nurses was a major reason why many operations were cancelled, as emergency cases took precedence. It also contributed to long waiting times for operations. The GDoH said it was reviewing the current service delivery model on utilising ICU nurses in the four hospital clusters, as they were critically scarce skills. To boost ICU nurse training, the MEC advised that the Gauteng College of Nursing had applied to the SA Nursing Council to increase its ICU nurse training intake from 85 to 100 a year in order to address the skills shortage. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Chulumanco Mahamba at The Citizen. Lees ook, Gauteng wil kritieke tekort aan spesialisverpleegsters pak, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
GOOD claims DA’s Gwarube was used by Solidarity, AfriForum to ‘subvert’ Bela regulations Sunday World reports that the GOOD party has accused Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Siviwe Gwarube of having been used by Solidarity and AfriForum to “subvert” the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act from the inside. According to party secretary general Brett Herron, Gwarube, who is a DA member, appears to be using regulations to undermine the intention of the Bela Act and the South African Schools Act at the direction of these two organisations. This is said to have come to light in response to a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application for access to Nedlac proceedings after Solidarity declared a dispute over Bela last year. Herron said that in a package that was sent to him as a response to his PAIA enquiry, there was a bilateral agreement between Gwarube and Solidarity, the wording of which was the same as that which Gwarube included in the Bela draft regulations gazetted on Thursday. Herron asserted that the wording was contrary to the wording of the Act. He said in her regulations, the Minister substituted “education districts” in the law with “the immediate vicinity” with the intention of enabling schools in formerly white areas to use language of instruction to block children from underprivileged communities from enrolling at a specific school. DBE spokesperson Lukhanyo Vangqa said the regulations were developed by a multi-disciplinary task team and further vetted by the Office of the Chief State Law Advisor as being in line with the law. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mzwandile kaBizokwakhe & Boitumelo Kgobotlo at Sunday World. Lees ook, GOOD sê Solidariteit het hand in Gwarube se Bela-regulasies, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Chief Justice Mandisa Maya unveils new sexual harassment policy for judiciary IOL News reports that as National Women’s Day was celebrated on Saturday, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya announced the introduction of a Sexual Harassment Policy for the South African Judiciary. The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) described the policy as a historic step in safeguarding the integrity of the courts and protecting the dignity of all who served within them. The OCJ said this policy sent a clear message that sexual harassment has no place in the halls of justice. The principles of the policy are set out in a 25-page document, which includes zero tolerance for sexual harassment by or against any judicial officer, staff member, or individual engaging with the judiciary. It also sets out guidelines for clear, confidential, and fair procedures for reporting and addressing complaints, with protections against retaliation. The policy calls for accountability, with disciplinary consequences for offenders, as well as for a safe and respectful workplace, free from discrimination and intimidation. The Chief Justice has directed all members of the judiciary to urgently familiarise themselves with the policy and ensure adherence. In an annexure to the policy, some examples of verbal, non-verbal, and physical conduct that may be construed as unwelcome sexual harassment are given. The sending of sexually suggestive pictures, including emojis or stickers, is included. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zelda Venter at IOL News. Read too, Chief Justice introduces sexual harassment policy for judiciary, at TimesLIVE Clicks clinic nurse alleges she was ‘victimised for reporting sexual harassment’ The Citizen reports that according to Linda Motloung, a nurse from Tsakane Clicks Clinic, her relationship with the management at her workplace soured after she reported a sexual harassment case. “What made me approach management was the offensive and sexual utterances that the store manager was always making against me,” said Motloung. She reported the matter to management in 2023 and there was a hearing, but the verdict, which cleared the store manager, was only released in April this year. Motloung then tried in vain to appeal the ruling and since then the manager allegedly “started to gang up with other people to sabotage my work and they started docking my salary without a valid reason, and fabricated stories to charge me over things I did not do.” Because the situation “got out of hand last month”, Motloung obtained a restraining order against some of the managers. She has also accused the company of turning down her application to be transferred to another branch because they allegedly wanted to frustrate her until she resigned. A psychologist has diagnosed Motloung as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She has approached the CCMA to open a case of unfair discrimination and the matter will be heard next Wednesday. Clicks chief people officer Bridget Makhura said: “Clicks Group takes all allegations of harassment extremely seriously and investigates them thoroughly. In this case, an impartial disciplinary chair found the employee concerned not guilty after a hearing. Clicks does not tolerate harassment, victimisation, or unauthorised pay deductions.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Masoka Dube at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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