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 Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
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Fiscal crisis brewing in the education sector Financial Mail reports that fiscal pressures are becoming extreme in provincial education departments, with the situation so acute in KwaZulu-Natal that the provincial treasury has taken over the education department’s rapidly unravelling finances. The education departments in the Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape are also operating precariously in that they are having to wait for next year’s budget to pay current outstanding bills. But even Gauteng and the Western Cape, two comparatively stable provinces, are under severe pressure. Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Siviwe Gwarube has met with the MECs of finance and education in KZN and initiated a broader discussion with the President on the fiscal situation in education. The failure of education budgets to keep pace with the 8% increase in state school enrolment since 2012 has caused SA’s average teacher-pupil ratio to rise from about 1:27 then to 1:29 now. To manage budget pressures, provinces have cut either teaching posts or spending on educational materials, school feeding schemes and school maintenance. Gauteng, to avoid firing 3,400 teachers, has had to shift R481m from its discretionary goods and services budget (stationery, textbooks, nutrition and transport) to pay salaries. The Western Cape went the more unpopular route of axing 2,400 teacher posts last year to balance its budget when it was faced with the national government’s failure to fully fund the 2023 multiyear wage agreement. Last month Gwarube constituted for the first time the 14-member National Education & Training Council (NETC) to advise her on school education policy. One of its priorities is to review the school resourcing model. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says he remains available to discuss these matters with Gwarube and the NETC and has urged them to make specific proposals in this regard. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Claire Bisseker at Financial Mail (subscriber access only)
Nehawu to march on Friday in Joburg against ‘crisis engulfing Gauteng Health’ SABC News reports that hundreds of members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in Gauteng are expected to march to the provincial Department of Health in Johannesburg on Friday to deliver a memorandum of demands. The planned march, dubbed the Provincial Day of Action, is said to be related to the crisis currently engulfing the health sector in the province. Nehawu national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi says this comes against the background of challenges confronting the union’s members, workers and communities, which include corruption, maladministration and dilapidated infrastructure. According to Nkolonzi, the recent Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report on the Tembisa Hospital proves chronic failures by the department in addressing challenges confronting healthcare in the province. The investigation revealed that R2 billion had been lost to tender irregularities and fraud at the hospital. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Refilwe Mekoa at SABC News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Solidarity’s tariff barometer shows impact already visible in August Maroela Media reports that a 53.9% drop in exports for the chemical industry and a disturbing 91.1% for mineral products show how the US’s 30% trade tariff on South African imports from 10 August already wreaked havoc in August. The Solidarity Research Institute’s (SRI’s) latest tariff barometer report confirms initial expectations about the impact on industries in SA. Compared to exports in July, the tariffs have had a crippling impact on various industries, and exports from the chemical industry and mineral products have been particularly affected. “The minerals sector is inherently volatile, but a decline of 91.1% cannot simply be explained by volatility. Tariffs clearly play a role herein. Particularly worrying, however, are the figures for the chemical industry, which traditionally delivers many perennial exports to the US. A decline of approximately 54% indicates large-scale destruction,” Theuns du Buisson, economic researcher at the SRI, pointed out. Exports of vehicles, vessels and aircraft increased sharply, but according to Du Buisson, this could be attributed to another factor. “Role players in the industry and the larger manufacturing sector drastically increased their production in July and early August to get their exports on board before 10 August to escape these tariffs. These are probably the desperate last moves of an anxious industry,” he explained. These industries are also exposed to the tariffs, and Du Buisson expects the barometer to indicate this going forward. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Maroela Media Numsa urges government act to stop job losses by increasing tariffs on imported cars Moneyweb reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has urged the government to act decisively by developing a bold and vibrant industrial policy to confront the catastrophic wave of job losses and the worsening deindustrialisation of the country. On Thursday, Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim called on government to increase duties on imported cars and parts, and shut the loopholes that allowed companies to get away with “screwdriver SKD [semi-knocked down] assembly while killing full-scale manufacturing”. He told delegates at the SA Auto Week conference in Gqeberha: “If foreign brands want to sell in South Africa, they must build here, buy here, and employ here. This means that it is compulsory for business, labour and government to be clear on what real manufacturing is – not a policy that claims to support manufacturing but is actually subsidising cheap imports on our roads.” Jim singled out Chinese brands that have entered the SA market, highlighting that their market share has increased from 0.7% in 2018 to 13.5% in the five months to end-May 2025. He pointed out that SA currently has 11 Chinese passenger car brands selling a total of 32 models, alongside five Chinese light commercial vehicle brands offering eight models. Jim said that while the Brics trading bloc remained a strategic platform, SA “cannot shy away from the fact that there is a glaring trade deficit between the trading partners, particularly China and India” and said this imbalance “must be addressed”. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Roy Cokayne at Moneyweb. Read too, Imports, failing infrastructure and ‘government indecision’ threaten SA automotive industry, at Daily Maverick
One million South Africans applied for only 5,000 SAPS jobs, showing extent of unemployment crisis Daily Investor reports that over a million South Africans applied for 5,000 jobs recently advertised by the SA Police Service (SAPS), indicating that the country’s unemployment crisis could be even worse than many think. Around 300,000 of those applications were from university graduates. This example is said to also contradict the argument that SA’s unemployment rate is far lower than what is officially reported by Stats SA, as a prominent CEO has claimed. Stats SA’s data already includes employment in the informal sector under a globally accepted definition and much of this work occurs due to SA’s high unemployment rate, which pushes many into forms of “survivalist economics” to make ends meet by picking up temporary work, renting out backrooms, or trading goods. SA’s unemployment crisis is said by analysts to be worse than it seems, with over 600,000 individuals entering the workforce every year. The country’s stagnant economy simply cannot absorb this number of new entrants to the labour market, with the unemployment rate growing year-on-year as young adults cannot enter the workforce. This results in millions of South Africans not participating in the formal economy and having no stake in the success of local businesses or wealth generation. What makes this number of individuals entering the workforce even more concerning is that even when SA’s economy was growing strongly, it did not create jobs at a fast enough rate to absorb such a number of individuals. “When your economy grows at less than 1%, that is what has fundamentally gone wrong. You cannot absorb new workers and cannot offer the population an opportunity,” Stanlib chief economist Kevin Lings noted. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shaun Jacobs at Daily Investor One million jobs or bust by 2023: Government’s bold gamble on youth employment IOL Business reports that Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Nkosazana Meth has announced that the government aims to create one million job placements, most of them for young people, by 2030. This comes as SA continues to grapple with rising unemployment. According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Statistics SA, the national unemployment rate has climbed to 33.2%, with young people being the hardest hit. In a response to a parliamentary question, the Minister acknowledged that youth unemployment in the country was a growing crisis that could no longer be ignored. "Youth unemployment remains one of many stubborn challenges our country has. It is for that reason that it is placed up on top of the action priority list. It is because it calls for urgent attention. We also know that if we tackle it successfully benefits that will accrue from that will place the country on upward economic trajectory," Meth indicated. She noted that over 1.57 million youth had already been placed in earning opportunities through various government employment programmes under the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI). As part of the 2025/2026 - 2029/2030 Strategic Plan, the DEL aims to place one million people, mainly youths, into jobs through the Public Employment Services Branch (350,000) and other DEL entities; and the National Pathway Management Network or its successor the South African Youth Trust (650,000). The Minister added that 20,000 interns would be recruited over four years to assist labour inspectors in enforcing compliance with workplace legislation. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mthobisi Nozulela at IOL Business
Mining created 2,000 more second-quarter jobs, Minerals Council SA reports Mining Weekly reports that SA’s mining industry defied the national trend in the second quarter of this year when it created more quarter-on-quarter jobs at a time when overall SA employment fell, underscoring mining’s resilience amid broader economic pressures. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, mining added 2,000 second-quarter jobs, with formal mining employment as of 30 June this year reaching the 468,000 mark compared with 466,000 at the end of March. The quarter-on-quarter employment increase is attributable to jobs added by platinum group metals, gold, chrome and coal mining. Over the same period, total non-agriculture employment saw a decline of 80,000 jobs compared with the previous quarter. According to the Minerals Council SA (MCSA), in the short term to medium term, the SA economy’s ability to retain and sustain jobs will depend on trade negotiations, while in the long-term there is need for policymakers to address structural constraints, including a predictable and investible operating environment. Looking at the dynamics of wage growth and labour productivity, the MCSA noted: “If we compare real gross earnings in mining with labour productivity there was a ‘decoupling’, starting in the last quarter of 2021. Growth in real gross earnings is faster than labour productivity. Mining employees are getting paid more relative to the value they produce. Among others, this is an indication of a highly unionised workforce which can negotiate relatively higher wage increases.” It went on to warn: “There is also an ominous side to it. This mismatch can lead to inflationary pressures, profit margin compression and a reduction in global competitiveness of the South African mining sector.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Mining Weekly
Eskom names Monde Bala as CEO of National Transmission Company SA BL Premium reports that Eskom has named Monde Bala CEO of the National Transmission Company SA (NTCSA) with effect from 1 October, after he held the role in an interim capacity since July. Bala, a seasoned executive with extensive experience in the power sector, served as group executive for Eskom Distribution since 2019, following a 27-year career at the utility in various leadership roles. He holds a BSc in electrical engineering from the University of Cape Town and a master of engineering from Wits University. The NTCSA was recently established from the power utility’s unbundling process. Eskom also announced that the minister of electricity and energy had extended the term of the board from the end of September to the end of November 2025, as it “continues to fulfil a key role in improving performance as well as steering Eskom towards stability and growth as demonstrated over the term of their tenure”. The board was originally appointed in October 2022 for a tenure of three years. The utility also said that after 23 years at Eskom, Calib Cassim would be retiring from his role as CFO and would exit the organisation in October 2026. The period before his scheduled departure would afford Eskom an opportunity to appoint his replacement and facilitate a smooth handover and transition, the group said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jacqueline Mackenzie at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Court rules ex-SABC bosses personally liable for Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s unlawful R11.5m ‘success fee’ payout TimesLIVE reports that the Gauteng High Court has dealt a significant blow to former SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) executives and has ordered that they personally repay R11.5m they unlawfully approved as a “success fee” for former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng. The ruling marks a major victory for the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in its long-running legal battle to hold individuals accountable for the misuse of public funds at the national broadcaster. In August 2016, the SABC board approved and paid Motsoeneng R11.5m in two instalments in reward for his role in securing a controversial MultiChoice deal. At the time, then SABC Group CEO James Aguma motivated the payment, claiming Motsoeneng had raised R1.19bn “for the benefit of the SABC”. The High Court later ruled the payment unlawful. On Thursday, the SIU welcomed the default judgment handed down by Judge Allyson Crutchfield, which held former board members Mbulaheni Obert Maguvhe, Ndivhoniswani Aaron Tshidzumba and Maleshane Audrey Raphela responsible for repaying the money with interest from the date of service of summons. They were also ordered to cover the SIU’s legal costs. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Yoliswa Sobuwa at TimesLIVE
Home affairs employee convicted of stealing IDs, creating fraudulent funeral policies to benefit herself SowetanLive reports that a Northern Cape Department of Home Affairs (DHA) official got into her employer's system, stole people's ID numbers, opened funeral policies, nominated herself as the beneficiary and then declared the owners of those IDs dead. She then collected insurance monies while her victims were left to struggle, unable to access their social grants, banks and other services as they had been declared dead and their IDs blocked. According to Lt-Col Tebogo Thebe, spokesperson for the Hawks in the Northern Cape, Dawn Celeste Pieterson, 45, was found guilty on Wednesday of fraud at the Calvinia Magistrate's Court. Thebe said Pieterson's crimes took place between February 2019 and September 2022 when she was still an employee of the DHA in Calvinia where she had access to the national population register. “Pieterson took funeral covers from reputable insurance companies and nominated herself as a beneficiary. To benefit, she manipulated the national population register by falsely issuing BI-1663 forms (notice of death forms) to reflect the fictitious death of the victims. The system registered the affected persons as deceased, resulting in a plethora of problems in the victims’ day to day lives,” he indicated. The matter was postponed to 26 January 2026 for sentencing. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Botho Molosankwe at SowetanLive. Read too, Home affairs official found guilty of faking deaths to claim funeral policy payouts, at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)
Former cop and driver jailed for bid to defraud RAF of R5.4 million The Citizen reports that a former Eastern Cape police officer and a motorist have been sentenced to an effective 15 years direct imprisonment each for their roles in a failed attempt to defraud the Road Accident Fund (RAF) of R5.4 million. Finding 52-year-old former sergeant Mandlenkosi Njekanye and 47-year-old Xolani Somtsewu guilty, the East London Commercial Crimes Court handed the duo 15 years for fraud and six years for obstructing the ends of justice. The court ordered that their sentences run concurrently. According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, Somtsewu lodged a fraudulent claim with the RAF following an accident on the N2 Highway near Komga on 31 December 2020. In his claim, Somtsewu said he had been driving a Nissan NP300 when he lost control of the bakkie and overturned while allegedly trying to avoid an oncoming car. The crash resulted in the death of a passenger and Somtsewu claimed to have sustained multiple injuries. At the time, Njekanye was stationed at Komga Police Station and was the investigating officer in the culpable homicide case. Tyali said instead of upholding his duties, Njekanye orchestrated the manipulation of official police records to support Somtsewu’s fraudulent version of events. The original accident report compiled at the scene by another officer concluded that a tyre burst had caused the accident Months later, Njekanye summoned the same officer, this time in the presence of Somtsewu, and instructed him to alter the report to reflect a different scenario that would bolster the RAF claim. The court found that these actions were part of a deliberate and coordinated effort, led by Somtsewu and Njekanye, to defraud a public institution. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lesego Seokwang at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Somerset West taxi shutdown may be extended, says Western Cape Mobility MEC GroundUp reports that two weeks into the 30-day closure of taxi routes between Khayelitsha and Somerset West, still no agreement has been reached between rival taxi associations Cata (Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association) and Codeta (Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association). After weeks of violence in which eight people were killed in August and September, the Western Cape Department of Mobility decided to close the routes for 30 days. The closure came into effect on 17 September. Codeta has since launched an urgent application in the Western Cape High Court to call off the shutdown, but the case has faced multiple delays. It was only heard in court on Tuesday, with a further hearing scheduled for Saturday. On Tuesday, Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku said the case was a “waste of time” and that the leaders of the Cata and Codeta should rather “show leadership and come back to the table and come to an agreement”. Should no agreement be reached, the closure would be extended beyond 30 days, he warned. Law enforcement and police have been patrolling the routes and Golden Arrow Bus Services has made more buses available between Khayelitsha and Somerset West. Sileku rejected Codeta’s claims in court that commuters have been robbed while seeking alternative transport. The government has received no such reports, he said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sandiso Phaliso at GroundUp Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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