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.
|
Numsa threatens strike amid car manufacturing wage deadlock BusinessDay reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has threatened to embark on a strike after reaching a wage deadlock with SA’s seven car manufacturers. It described the above-inflation, multiterm wage offer from employers as an “insult” and a “serious provocation” to its members. The employers have proposed an increase of 6.5% for the first year and 5% for each of the following two years, with a R10,000 once-off gratuity, which has been rejected by the union. The inflation rate is 3.4%. Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said the sector was capable of providing workers with a “reasonable and fair wage increase, even under the current challenges facing the sector.” Given what he described as the employers’ “intransigent stance” for refusing to revise their offers, Jim said the union might have no choice but to go on strike as a last resort, notwithstanding the gravity of such action and its negative effects on the industry, both in the short and long term. “The union leadership was very clear ... that a meeting of CEOs and Numsa’s national leadership must be arranged urgently, no later than Tuesday. Such a meeting should do everything possible, with parties willing to move from their positions, to break the current deadlock in the industry and prevent a possible strike,” Jim indicated. The Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (Ameo) said the current offer was both responsible and sustainable and balanced competitiveness, affordability and job preservation, avoiding a scenario where excessive wage escalation could trigger retrenchments or reduced investment from global parent companies.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessDay (subscriber access only)
Condolences pour in after death of veterinarian, assistant and pilot in helicopter crash in Northern Cape Maroela Media reports that condolences are pouring in on social media after a well-known wildlife veterinarian, his assistant and a young pilot were killed when the helicopter they were travelling in from Daniëlskuil in the Northern Cape to Olifantshoek crashed. The Alouette helicopter crashed near Daniëlskuil on Sunday. Dr. Alwyn Venter and his assistant, Angelo Robbertse, were on their way to shoot game in the area with pilot Anlo Ferreira. “Our hearts are broken as we say goodbye to two incredible people, Dr. Alwyn Venter and Angelo Robbertse,” Nyumbu Wildlife wrote in a post on social media. LifeCare Mobile Vet also paid tribute in a post. According to FlyAfrica, the helicopter was formerly part of the French Air Force. It reportedly arrived in South Africa in 2002 and was allegedly involved in an accident in Pongola in 2003. Sisa Majola, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), advised that the cause of the incident was part of a comprehensive investigation, with a preliminary investigation report expected within 30 days of the incident. Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard at Maroela Media. Read too, Aviation authority probes fatal helicopter crash in Northern Cape, at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
War rocks Nehawu in Mpumalanga over ‘cooked’ treasury job Sunday World reports that a major rift has erupted within the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in Mpumalanga, where a branch has clashed with the provincial leadership over the appointment of union chairperson Sidumo Bethuel Masilela to a senior post in the Mpumalanga Provincial Treasury. The dispute stems from Masilela’s appointment as the treasury’s deputy director for planning, a position the union’s treasury branch insists he did not qualify for. The initial complaint was lodged on 3 July, shortly after interviews were conducted, while Masilela’s appointment was finalised and took effect on 1 October. In a complaint sent to head of department Gugu Mashiteng and later escalated to finance MEC Bonakele Majuba, the branch accused the department of flouting recruitment rules and alleged that Masilela lacked the minimum three years of functional experience in public service policy and planning required for the post. The complaint described the process as “an abuse of institutional integrity”, saying it “betrayed the very workers Nehawu claims to defend”. After months without formal feedback, the matter was escalated to the MEC. In a letter dated 3 October addressed to Nehawu branch secretary JK Sithole, Majuba advised the branch to “direct its escalation to the Nehawu provincial executive committee to handle the matter further.” According to Mpumalanga Provincial Treasury, the appointment of its new deputy director for planning was done “in full compliance with established public service regulations and principles of fairness and transparency.” Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane at Sunday World
Tshwane municipal workers face financial strain due to unpaid salary increases IOL News reports that the SA African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) in Tshwane says the non‑payment of salary increases for municipal workers since 2021 is to blame for the growing unpaid municipal bills now faced by almost 9,000 employees. This follows a recent council report showing that the number of municipal employees who owe the city increased from 8,759 in July 2024 to 8,820 in July 2025, with R28.88 million collectively owed. The number of councillors who are in arrears rose from 121 to 131 in the same period, with R1.7 million collectively owed. Samwu regional secretary Donald Monakisi said the outstanding 3.5% and 5.4% salary increases for 2021/22 and 2023/24, respectively, might be among the reasons many municipal workers could not keep up with their water and electricity accounts. He said the union had repeatedly shared its concerns regarding the workers’ economic hardships with the employer. Monakisi said the workers were feeling the pinch because any debt they owed the city was being deducted from their salaries without consent. “They have access to your salary and don’t even ask you to make arrangements. At month‑end, they just deduct the money. We are at the mercy of the employer – if you owe R4,000 they just take it,” he said. The union recently threatened to disrupt the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November, saying it would be a protest against Tshwane’s move to exempt itself from the collective‑bargaining agreement of the 3.5% and 5.4% salary increases. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rapula Moatshe at IOL News
SAPS ballistics section struggling with backlogs and staff shortages, Madlanga commission hears TimesLIVE reports that the head of the SA Police Service (SAPS) ballistics section, Brig Mishak Mkhabela, stationed at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Silverton, Pretoria, told the Madlanga commission on Monday that the section was struggling with severe backlogs and staff shortages. Mkhabela said the section was unable to process the number of firearms linked to crimes in the country. There are more than 29,000 firearms in storage, each linked to a criminal case, with only 42 analysts to handle the workload. Storage facilities are full, and they have had to repurpose a museum to keep excess exhibits. Mkhabela said the backlog was causing delays in court cases, and courts have started issuing inquiries under section 342A of the Criminal Procedure Act to explain the delays. A former commander of the ballistics unit was arrested for contempt of court after failing to attend such an inquiry. “That is what we’re facing daily. Instead of me preparing the cases, I must travel to court and explain why the case is delayed,” Mkhabela said. He said the unit faced challenges in recruitment due to administrative delays and red tape. To retain skilled staff, the police have implemented a scarce skills allowance for forensic analysts, but this has only partly addressed the problem. Ballistics work requires extensive in-service training. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shonisani Tshikalange at DailyDispatch
No mercy in KZN for employers of undocumented foreign truck drivers SowetanLive reports that KwaZulu-Natal MEC for transport and human settlements, Siboniso Duma, has issued a stern warning to freight and logistics companies employing undocumented foreign drivers, vowing that their days of impunity are over. Speaking after the province’s #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation netted more than 15 undocumented foreign nationals driving trucks and motorbikes at the Mkhondeni weighbridge on the N3 at the weekend, Duma said the next phase of the operation would focus on company owners. “We are now gunning for the owners of these companies in the freight and logistics sector. I have mandated RTI [the road traffic inspectorate] to arrest them for employing undocumented drivers who are turning our road networks into killing fields,” Duma stated. He indicated that the province was tightening enforcement to root out the “deep rot” in the freight sector, a system he described as enabling illicit trade, human trafficking, and fatal crashes caused by unqualified drivers. According to Duma, the operation – led by the road traffic inspectorate in partnership with the home affairs department, the police, the employment and labour department, and local traffic authorities – was yielding significant results. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nandi Ntini at SowetanLive
Saccawu provident fund reprimanded for benefit payout without member’s consent Moneyweb reports that the SA Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) provident fund has been reprimanded by the Pension Funds Adjudicator (PFA) for paying out a member’s withdrawal benefit without his consent and for acting contrary to both the rules of the fund and the Pension Funds Act. The member complained to the adjudicator, Muvhango Lukhaimane, that the Saccawu National Provident Fund ignored his request to transfer his benefit into an annuity account. In response, the fund claimed the member had contacted its call centre and requested that his full benefit be paid to him in cash. However, when asked by Lukhaimane to produce a recording of the call or a completed withdrawal claim form, the fund was unable to do so. The complainant, ,who had been employed by Pick n Pay Retailers from December 2017 to November 2023, received a withdrawal benefit of R23,322.36 on 2 February 2025, while R30,000 was paid into a retirement annuity on the same date. But, he had asked for his full benefit to be transferred into an annuity account and did not request a withdrawal benefit. In her ruling, Lukhaimane criticised the fund’s handling of the member’s withdrawal benefit, finding that it had failed to prove that the complainant had authorised the cash payment. She directed the complainant to choose how he wanted his benefit paid and to notify the fund accordingly. Should he opt for a transfer to another retirement vehicle, he must refund the cash amount previously paid. The PFA also ordered the fund to liaise with the SA Revenue Service to reverse the tax directive and apply for a revised one based on the complainant’s election. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Moneyweb. Read too, Pension fund faces backlash for ignoring member's withdrawal instructions, at The Mercury
Government launches new early retirement and voluntary exit programmes for public servants IOL Business reports that the government has announced a new Early Retirement Programme (ERP) and Voluntary Exit Programme (VEP) for public service employees. Applications for the 2025/2026 ERP and VEP opened on 15 October 2025 and will close on 30 November 2025. According to the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), the programmes target employees aged 55 to 63, offering financial incentives and, for certain age groups, early retirement without pension penalties. The notice indicated that employees aged 60 to 63 who chose the VEP would receive a financial incentive calculated at two weeks’ basic salary per year for the first ten years of pensionable service, and one week per completed year thereafter. It also advised that applications must be submitted to the relevant HR departments and approved by the Executive Authority. The DPSA noted that the authority to grant early retirement (ER) without pension penalties was vested within the relevant line department Executive Authority (EA), which meant that “every EA has the discretion to approve or decline ERP requests for employees from the age of 55 to 59 years without pension penalties and VEP for employees aged 60 to 63, which are based on reasonable criteria set by the department." Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mthobisi Nozulela at IOL Business
Athletics SA president James Moloi served with notice of intended suspension for credit card misuse News24 reports that Athletics SA (ASA) president James Moloi has been served with a notice of intended suspension following findings by a probe into the misuse of the federation’s credit card. The decision came after a 10-hour board meeting on Saturday where it was decided that Moloi be given until Friday to explain why he shouldn’t be suspended. The intention to suspend Moloi came about after a probe by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc), which stemmed from a Parliamentary Sports Portfolio committee hearing on 17 June that detailed Moloi’s alleged use of ASA’s credit card at food outlets and taverns. In the hearing, Moloi admitted to using the card to buy alcohol and food, but said it wasn’t for nefarious reasons. “I did buy Nando’s, but it was for athletes participating in a cross-country marathon. They are often hungry,” Moloi told MPs at the time. He also explained: “I bought alcohol, primarily for clients and business associates who expressed interest in supporting ASA. These individuals often requested meetings at taverns. And during those engagements, they would ask me to buy them drinks. I had to accommodate them as part of our engagement efforts. S ome of the alcohol was also intended for artists, as we were in the process of organising an event.” ASA accepted Sascoc’s recommendations that Moloi be suspended after furnishing his reasons and that anyone else involved in the matter should be punished. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khanyiso Tshwaku at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Read too, ‘Answer or get suspended’ – Athletics SA tells president James Moloi, at City Press (subscription / trial registration required)
Forum questions lack of arrests in Tembisa Hospital corruption scandal SABC News reports that the Activists and Citizens Forum is questioning the lack of arrests in the Tembisa Hospital corruption scandal, despite the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) having identified suspects and confiscated assets. Over R2 billion has been allegedly stolen from the hospital, through syndicates working with corrupt officials to manipulate the tender system. The Forum called on the Investigation Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) to immediately arrest those implicated, including alleged kingpin Hangwani Maumela. Forum spokesperson Dennis Bloem emphasised that they were calling on IDAC to act against looters because people have died in the process. “We cannot read this thing lightly and think that things must just go. When we are listening to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, and to the Ad hoc Committee, you can see there is serious problems in the criminal justice system. Not only in the police, but the entire criminal justice system,” said Bloem. Read the original of the report in the above regard and listen to an interview at SABC News
Eastern Cape deputy principal accused of human trafficking denied bail Sunday World reports that the East London Magistrate’s Court has denied bail to 52-year-old deputy principal Vuyokazi Gana, who is accused of human trafficking, running a brothel and living off the proceeds of prostitution. The court ruled in favour of the prosecution during a bail hearing on Monday. The Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation unit in East London conducted a two-year investigation before Gana was taken into custody on 15 October. The investigation, which began in September 2023, revealed a scheme that Gana allegedly operated out of her Quigney suburb property. The state evidence accuses Gana of recruiting vulnerable young women and coercing them into sex work. The women were reportedly transported to East London, where they were housed at Gana’s residence. The National Prosecuting Authority’s Luxolo Tyali pointed out that the offences are serious. Gana’s lawyers highlighted her position as deputy principal at a local primary school, her leadership in the church, and her unblemished record since her employment in 2001. They further argued that her six chronic ailments warranted exceptional circumstances for bail. But, the court highlighted the gravity and prevalence of human trafficking, the need to protect vulnerable victims, and the importance of maintaining public trust in the justice process. Gana will remain in custody until her next court appearance on 28 November. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Coceka Magubeni at Sunday World. Read too, Eastern Cape deputy principal denied bail in human trafficking, sexual exploitation case, at News24 (subscription / trial registration required) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Allegations of sexual misconduct at Eastville Primary School in Mitchells Plain spark outrage Cape Argus reports that a case of crimen injuria has been filed against a member of the School Governing Body (SGB) and volunteer at Eastville Primary School in Mitchells Plain. The allegations involve the individual reportedly exposing herself to students and making inappropriate comments about their private parts. Additionally, she is accused of providing sexual education in an inappropriate manner by teaching a song related to the subject. A voice note by a staff member at the school expressing her shock and disgust was shared widely on Friday. The matter has since been reported to the police and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED for investigation. Millicent Merton of the WCED said the matter was being probed. Counselling support has been made available for any affected learners. Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that the matter was under investigation. Community leader and activist Philadelphia Hartzenberg said that parents were outraged and were rallying to protest outside of the school. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Genevieve Serra at Cape Argus Other internet posting(s) in this news category
|
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page