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 the following summaries of our selection of
South African labour-related articles.
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Parliamentary committee urges government action over Coca-Cola job cuts in two provinces The Citizen reports that the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade has called on the government to step in as company closures trigger a domino effect of retrenchments. The latest company to announce retrenchments is beverage giant Coca-Cola, which plans to close down its plants in Bloemfontein and East London, resulting in the retrenchment of at least 680 employees. Affected workers held a consultation meeting on Friday with the company’s management under the auspices of the CCMA. The Food and Allied Workers Union’s Dominique Swartz indicated that they could not presently provide an update on the matter. Noting that a number of companies have already reduced operations, resulting in widespread job losses, Sonja Boshoff, chairperson of the committee, said: “Unless urgent and coordinated action is taken, the damage to our economy, communities, and industrial base will be irreversible. The stakes are high, and these job losses will push families into greater precarity, further eroding trust in our economic stability.” She added that regions such as the Eastern Cape, Bloemfontein, East London, Newcastle, Vanderbijlpark, and others were already vulnerable, and these retrenchments would only amplify socio-economic stress. Boshoff urged government to convene an emergency multi-stakeholder summit with affected companies, labour unions, and provincial governments to develop concrete interventions that protect jobs, stabilise industries, and restore investor confidence. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshehla Cornelius Koteli at The Citizen. Read too, Urgent call for a multi-stakeholder summit to address job losses in SA, at Sunday Tribune Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Cosatu’s central committee calls for locals to be given priority status in the SA job market BL Premium reports that ANC-aligned labour federation Cosatu has resolved to work with government departments and law enforcement agencies to ensure employers comply with SA’s labour laws and that South Africans are given “priority status” for employment. This after several opposition parties – ActionSA, the Patriotic Alliance and community organisations including Operation Dudula – have spoken out against illegal immigration and called for South Africans to be prioritised when it comes to job opportunities and other economic empowerment initiatives. SA is battling a 33.2% unemployment rate. Cosatu held a four-day eighth central committee meeting in Benoni last week where issues pertaining to unemployment, corruption, collective bargaining, worker unity and a reconfigured alliance (ANC, SACP, Cosatu and Sanco) were discussed. In its declaration, Cosatu said the central committee’s resolutions included working with the department of employment & labour, home affairs and law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance by all employers; fighting against employers using illegal migrants as cheap labour and to avoid compliance; ensuring that South Africans were given priority status in employment; and initiating a campaign against human trafficking, with particular focus on women and children as the worst victims. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Gulf airline Emirates gives wings to job hunters in SA Business Times reports that global aviation giant Emirates is on a hiring binge — and many of the 17,300 people it wants to recruit around the world in 350 roles will be South Africans. The recruitment drive, announced in July, is a ray of light in a gloomy jobs picture in SA, where several multinationals have recently begun laying off hundreds of staff. Last week the airline conducted recruitment roadshows in Cape Town and Joburg for IT specialists to join its “comprehensive training and development programmes.” According to Afzal Parambil, Emirates’ manager for Southern Africa, most of the new hires in Africa will be from SA, because the country was an important transit hub for the airline. Emirates has 56 flights a week into SA and wants to add more. Parambil said Emirates was trying “to improve our local content” in the country and said over 700 cabin crew were recently recruited from SA. The airline already has more than 300 South African pilots, and more were likely to taken on to support the Emirates expansion plan. Emirates last week offered IT specialists in SA training in “relevant tools and technologies” and promised them “e-learning, knowledge-sharing sessions, tech talks, hackathons, and a thriving community for coders and tech professionals”. Employment benefits offered by the Dubai-based airline include “a competitive tax-free salary, allowances, medical benefits and bonus eligibility, discounted flight tickets for self, family and friends”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Isaac Mahlangu at Business Times (subscriber access only) Companies are rushing to hire South Africans with AI skills BusinessTech writes that companies across SA are rushing to hire professionals with skills in artificial intelligence (AI), with demand almost quadrupling since 2019. According to the latest Pnet Job Market Trends Report, demand for AI expertise has surged by 352% since then and continues to accelerate, with a 77% increase year-on-year between the first half of 2024 and the first half of 2025. The report is based on empirical data drawn from Stepstone Group SA’s recruitment platforms, which hold a combined database of more than eight million registered users. The report clearly shows how AI is reshaping the local job market, redefining roles, and creating demand for new digital skills. “AI is no longer confined to specialist positions. From software developers and data scientists to marketers, financial clerks and content creators, the demand for AI expertise is reshaping career paths across various sectors. Employers and job seekers who adapt quickly will be best positioned to benefit from the shift,” Anja Bates, Head of Data at Pnet, pointed out. Bates noted that the rise of AI is not only reshaping existing roles but also changing the opportunities available to workers. “It is encouraging to see that AI seems to be creating job opportunities in South Africa rather than displacing workers,” she said. Bates added that some entry-level roles might be at risk as employers adopted AI solutions. However, inexperienced workers could benefit from generative AI if it helps them learn faster. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malcolm Libera at BusinessTech Other internet posting(s) in this news category
High Court halts appointment of eNdumeni municipal manager due to CV misrepresentations Sunday Tribune reports that the Pietermaritzburg High Court has interdicted the appointment of eNdumeni Local Municipality’s municipal manager, Nhlakanipho Mvelase, who is accused of misrepresenting his qualifications on his CV. The Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) and the ANC approached the court on an urgent basis to prevent the IFP-led municipality from confirming Mvelase, and the court ruled in their favour on Thursday. According to ABC councillor Mbulelo Phakathi, Mvelase had embellished his work experience when applying for the top post at the troubled municipality, based in Dundee. In his affidavit, Phakathi argued that Mvelase lacked the five years’ managerial experience in local government that was a requirement for the position. He claimed Mvelase falsely stated that he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Msinga Local Municipality in June 2021. "The information we have shows he only assumed that role in October 2022," Phakathi indicated. He further alleged that Mvelase submitted the wrong application form, which should have disqualified him outright. The chair of the IFP caucus in the council, Xolani Msezane, said even though they respected the court's ruling, they still maintained that they had followed due process when appointing Mvelase. The municipality will continue under acting municipal manager Advocate Nontobeko Khambule, who had already been instructed to step aside for Mvelase. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sabelo Nsele at Sunday Tribune
KZN tow-truck driver dies after crashing his vehicle on Sunday TimesLIVE reports that a tow-truck driver died after crashing his vehicle on the P147 road in Nottingham Road in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Sunday. Midlands emergency services spokesperson Roland Robertson said their K9 Unit was dispatched to the P147 in Nottingham Road after reports of a serious accident involving a tow truck. “On arrival, paramedics found that the tow truck had sustained extensive damage after crashing. The driver, who was the only occupant, was found outside the vehicle in a critical condition,” Robertson reported. He said crews immediately initiated advanced life support care and resuscitation efforts on the scene. “Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the driver sadly succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased at the scene,” said Robertson. Authorities were in attendance and will be investigating the cause of the accident. Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Mfundo Mkhize at TimesLIVE Siwelele FC drama as boss axes CEO and assistant coach after daily threats on their lives SowetanLive reports that amid Siwelele FC’s poor start to the season, chairman Calvin Le John has axed CEO Stan Matthews and assistant coach Andre Arendse because the pair’s lives were being “threatened”. He named Lerato Kholoanyane and Willem Jackson as their replacements. While Le John didn’t say who had threatened Matthews and Arendse, it is believed that Siwelele supporters weren’t happy with the duo’s presence in the team, with their poor start to the season not helping the situation. “They’ve been very great men to work with, but I cannot in good conscience keep them on board when their lives and their families’ lives are being threatened on a daily basis,” Le John explained in a three-minute video published on the club’s socials on Sunday. Siwelele retained Matthews and Arendse, alongside almost everyone who was working for SuperSport United when they purchased Matsatsantsa’s Premiership status before the season started, as this was one of the conditions of the sale. Le John said Siwelele was also going to fire several players and sign new ones “in the coming two days”. The PSL transfer window closes on Monday. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sihle Ndebele at SowetanLive. Read too, Siwelele axe CEO and assistant coach citing daily threats against them as a key reason, at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Samwu threatens to make Gauteng ‘ungovernable’ during G20 Summit if members don’t get salary increases The Citizen reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has threatened to make Gauteng “ungovernable” during the G20 Summit in November if its members don’t get salary increases. “Gauteng will be ungovernable. There will be no G20 here in Gauteng,” Lehlohonolo Maphatsoe, Samwu’s Tshwane chairperson, warned on Friday. The union is ‘outraged’ that the Tshwane council recently voted to increase the salaries of the metro’s councilors by 5%, while the salaries of the city’s employees have remained unchanged. Earlier this year, the municipality successfully applied for a bargaining council exemption to deviate from an agreement to increase worker salaries by 3.5% in 2021 and 5.4% in 2023. “It is unacceptable that elected representatives have chosen to prioritise their own pockets, even as workers endure the rising cost of living, unsafe working conditions and wage stagnation,” Maphatsoe said. Samwu moreover wants the increase in the councillors’ salaries to be reversed. It is also demanding the reinstatement of 43 employees who were dismissed after a protest in 2023. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Gareth Cotterell at The Citizen. Read too, Samwu threatens to bring Gauteng to a standstill if demands are not met, at EWN. And also, Samwu slams Tshwane councillors after voting for salary hikes, at EWN. As well as, Samwu condemns Tshwane council's 5% salary increase for councillors amid wage dispute, at IOL News
SANDF troops still awaiting payment of DRC deployment allowances as union battles ‘stonewalling’ News24 reports that the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) is demanding payment of outstanding allowances for soldiers who were deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In a press briefing on Friday, union leaders accused the Department of Defence of failing to honour commitments made during meetings and “stonewalling” negotiations over the outstanding allowances of almost 2,000 soldiers. According to the union, representing almost 21,000 soldiers, a backlog of allowances went unpaid when SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members returned from the DRC in May. The allowances comprise five categories designed to compensate soldiers for various hardships and risks during deployment. The union said it publicly raised its members’ concerns, which led to bilateral meetings and negotiations and an agreement that all allowances would be subject to negotiation. However, subsequent Military Bargaining Council meetings have been problematic. The union’s general-secretary, Pikkie Greeff, stated that no progress was made at a 13 August meeting. Greeff stated: “The employer negotiation team was in attendance but was not mandated and completely unprepared for discussing this issue.” They apparently also claimed they were not informed of how the amounts were determined. According to the union, while some of its members have discussed protest action, their preferred approach remained negotiations. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thato Gololo at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Surge in over-50s tapping into two-pot retirement system Business Times reports that the Momentum Group has flagged a high rate of two-pot system withdrawals among members older than 50. The two-pot system allows people to dip into their savings before they reach retirement age or qualify for early retirement benefits. The insurance company paid out R5.4bn in claims in the year ended June. Momentum CEO Jeanette Marais said last week that 350,000 people had made withdrawals from their pension, but it was concerning that 19% of those who did so were older than 50 – flagging a possible depletion of funds close to their retirement. “It means that they are 10 or 12 years from retirement, yet they are in such financial distress at the moment that they came and took money out of their pension fund. It is virtually impossible to make up for that capital that they have taken out in the 10 years or so that are left. That remains a concerning issue,” she noted. Marais also reported that more than 90% of those who made a withdrawal in March had also done so a year earlier, when the two-pot system was first introduced. “If you lose your job and you sit without an income and there is money tied up in a pension fund, you are going to access it because you need to live. I think that is another reality of the unemployment rate in South Africa, and ... the economic rate is not growing so people cannot afford their living standards,” she commented. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dineo Faku at Business Times (subscriber access only)
Following MK protest at Inkosi Albert Luthuli hospital, KZN Health MEC urges proper channels for grievances IOL News reports that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has reiterated the role of trade unions in advocating for workers’ rights and the need for structured processes in handling grievances. This after the MK Labour Desk went to Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) in Durban last week, demanding answers on a range of issues. Simelane pointed out that unions dealt with issues and grievances. “The issue of workers and the suffering and unhappiness of workers is governed by the South African law, which is governed by the Labour Relations Act, and the Labour Relations Act deals with unions and representatives,” Simelane indicated. Noting that those who went to IALCH to protest were members of a political party, she pointed out: “Some of them are represented in parliament, and represented in the legislature. That’s where they need to raise their concerns. No political party should block the gate and block people.” She reported that to mediate the situation, the head of the department was expected to meet employees and unions at IALCH on Friday. Simelane also provided clarity on the legal obligations surrounding oversight functions, which suggested a structured approach to hospital visits by members of parliament. During the protest, Mlungisi Zondi of the National MK Labour Desk raised concerns about the treatment of IALCH employees. Last Sunday, the health department described the party's claims as a smear campaign. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Thobeka Ngema at IOL News
Sol Plaatje suspends controversial municipal manager Thapelo Matlala Sunday World reports that the controversy around Sol Plaatje local municipality manager Bartholomew “Thapelo” Matlala has deepened with the council electing on Tuesday to place him on “precautionary suspension”. It was reported two weeks ago that the mayor had given Matlala seven days to give reasons why he shouldn’t be suspended pending a full investigation into allegations of maladministration and irregular payments to suppliers. It was apparently a tender worth millions to Mabalane A Seven Construction and Projects that got the local community up in arms and out on the streets in protest. They questioned why a company headquartered in Limpopo should get tenders at the local municipality ahead of them for something as mundane as renovating a community hall. Leading the accusations against Thapelo Matlala is the Kimberley Action Group (KAG), chaired by Boyce Makaodi. He said: “We have made numerous demands for locals to be prioritised for opportunities, but that always falls on deaf ears. On July 14, we handed over a memorandum to the premier, demanding that a policy be formulated to ensure that locals are given priority in tenders as well as job opportunities.” He said the mayor and the premier had promised to establish a steering committee comprising residents and local organisations “only to be blue-ticked by the municipality when this committee had to be launched.” Makaodi said this was why the group had demanded that the municipality suspend Matlala so that all tenders awarded during his tenure could be investigated. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mzwandile kaBizokwakhe at Sunday World Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Bronkhorstspruit deputy principal accused of raping pupil granted bail amid community outrage News24 reports that a 53-year-old deputy principal from a primary school in Bronkhorstspruit, accused of raping a nine-year-old pupil on three occasions during school hours, has been released on bail of R5,000. The Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court granted his release on Friday under stringent conditions, which include reporting to the police station twice a week. It is alleged that, between June 2024 and August 2025, the accused raped the child on three occasions during school hours on school premises. The abuse came to light when the child’s mother noticed her walking abnormally. Upon inquiry, the child revealed the incidents, and the mother subsequently reported the matter to the police. Widespread community protests swept through the suburb of Riamar Park after the alleged abuse came to light. Parents demanded the teacher’s arrest while calling for the school governing body to be disbanded for its handling of the matter. The accused was arrested on 1 September. The case has been postponed to 24 October 2025, when it will be transferred to the regional court. The deputy principal cannot be named until he has pleaded to the charges. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Noxolo Sibiya at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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