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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Automakers and Numsa strike multi-year wage deal News24 reports that a long-standing deadlock between SA’s automakers and its factory workers has been resolved with the Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (AMEO) and National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) striking a new wage deal on Friday. The union had recently threatened strike action over the deadlock. According to AMEO, which represents automakers including BMW, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Isuzu, Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz, the union had finally accepted its improved multi-year offer this week. The deal includes a 7% wage increase in the first year and a 5.5% wage increase for the second and third years. The new deal, which will expire on 30 June 2028, will also provide for a once-off, strike-free, taxable gratuity of R12,500 and improved benefits for transport, housing, and medical aid. AMEO chairperson Abey Kgotle, speaking at a signing ceremony of the wage agreement on Friday, said the deal was good news for global investors. He said: “We appreciate the constructive engagement demonstrated throughout the process, and we believe this agreement provides certainty for workers, employers, and global investors alike.” Meanwhile, the industry continues to face headwinds, including US tariffs, cheaper imports flooding the market, and retrenchments. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Na'ilah Ebrahim at News24 Business (subscription / trial registration required) FlySafair and cabin crew association sign wage agreement, ending lockout News24 reports that a two-week wage dispute between FlySafair and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) has finally ended, after cabin crew members agreed to sign a multi-year wage agreement late on Thursday evening. FlySafair announced that the union agreed to the new wage deal, following negotiations that continued this week at the CCMA. The airline presented a new offer on Thursday, giving the union, which represents 65% of its 800 cabin crew members, until midnight to accept it. FlySafair Kirby Gordon indicated: "It's materially the same as what was tabled by the company last Friday, and at that point rejected by the union ... increases to the base pay of between 6% and 6.9% over the various years, a guaranteed bonus of 7.5%, then obviously the agreed notch progressions for the cabin attendants, and then a meal allowance that's built in of R30 per day that they're operating." FlySafair had earlier locked Sacca workers out to prevent potential disruptions, with the airline saying that it would extend the lockout if no agreement was made by this week. Meanwhile, the union said it had contemplated participating in a strike. Based on reports by Dori van Loggerenberg at EWN and by Na'ilah Ebrahim at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). Read too, FlySafair and SACCA reach a breakthrough in cabin crew pay negotiations, at IOL Business. And also, FlySafair happy with wage agreement with SACCA ahead of expected G20 travellers, at Engineering News
Truck overturns on Schoemanskloof, critically injured driver airlifted to hospital Lowvelder reports that an Aeromed chopper had to land on the N4 to transport a severely injured driver of an articulated truck after it overturned on Schoemanskloof on Thursday afternoon (13 November). According to Emer-G-Med’s Martin Jeffrey, a call was received about an articulated truck that had overturned between Indabushe Lodge and Old Joe Monument at about 15:50. “The male driver had been ejected from the vehicle and was found lying on the roadside with a bystander in attendance,” Martin reported. The bystander was identified as an off-duty nursing sister. “The bystander reported that she had inserted a finger into a wound located on the anterior region of the right iliac crest to control bleeding,” Martin said. Upon inspection of the man he was found to have sustained multiple fractures and extensive abrasions. During the accident, the truck rolled in a way that it blocked most of the road with scattered potatoes. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Riot Hlatshwayo and see photo at Lowvelder 73-year old suspect appears in court in absentia over shooting of Chubby Chick directors Maroela Media reports that Robbert Joubert, the 73-year old suspect in the murder and attempted murder of brothers Johnathan and Deon Fourie, the owners of Chubby Chick in Potchefstroom, appeared in court in absentia on Wednesday. Joubert, reportedly a former employee, is still in hospital and the case against him was postponed until this coming Wednesday. The shooting that took place at a chicken outlet in Potchefstroom on Monday is believed to be related to a property transaction. Johnathan died at the store and Deon was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Joburg in a serious condition. Chubby Chick said in a statement that it appeared a meeting was held between the brothers – directors of the company – and the accused. After the meeting, the individual left the building, but returned approximately 30 minutes later. He shot Deon multiple times. Deon called for help, and when Johnathan responded he was also shot multiple times. Security personnel intervened, and another shooting incident occurred. Joubert was wounded and taken to a local hospital, where he is being treated under police guard. Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard by Jaba Smit at Maroela Media Family of slain taxi boss’s bodyguard in dispute with security company over whether he was on duty when killed TimesLIVE reports that the family of slain security guard Thembinkosi Ntuli has accused his employer, Adams Close Security and Protection Services, of attempting to evade responsibility for his death after the company disputed that he was on duty when he was killed while protecting taxi boss Victor Molefe Moekeletsi. Moekeletsi was the target of the shooting in which both he and his bodyguard, Ntuli, were killed on 30 October. The company claimed in a letter to Lindo Ntuli, Ntuli’s brother, that Thembinkosi was not on duty at the time of the incident. The family had last week asked the company to confirm whether his death had been reported to the Labour Department’s Compensation Fund and whether the prescribed form had been submitted within the required seven-day period.. The company was also asked to confirm whether notification had been made to the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (Psira), as required when a registered security officer dies in the line of duty. In response, the company claimed that Thembinkosi was supposed to be on approved annual leave when the incident occurred. “He returned on his own without being called to work or notifying his manager, and without obtaining approval to come to work. Our records also show that he did not sign the register to report for duty,” the company stated. Lindo, however, accused the company of trying to evade liability, saying the investigating officer found his brother wearing his full uniform at the scene. “He died inside the company vehicle and was carrying a company-issued firearm – which he could not have accessed unless he had reported for duty that morning and the safe had been opened for him,” Lindo pointed out. The family has lodged complaints with the Compensation Fund, Psira and the SA Human Rights Commission. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Joburg mayor diverts billions from city’s capital budget to avert G20 summit being shut down by union members Sunday Times reports that the City of Johannesburg has diverted R4bn from its already stretched capital expenditure budget to spare the city the embarrassment of aggrieved workers disrupting this week’s G20 summit in the full glare of international publicity. Amid threats by SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) representatives to “close down all the freeways”, Joburg mayor Dada Morero and Samwu reached a deal that will see Joburg’s municipal workers being paid the same rate as those in other metros. That should ensure Samwu co-operates to ensure a glitch-free summit. Though R4bn will be made available in terms of the agreement, the apparent payment gap is about R10bn in total. The standoff with the municipality stemmed from a longstanding issue of salary disparities between Joburg employees and those in other metros. A benchmark process conducted in 2016 revealed that Joburg local government workers were underpaid when compared with their counterparts in other cities. The settlement offer indicates: “The city is to commit to [the] payment of a minimum of R1.2bn, up to a maximum of R2bn, by March 2026. [The city will also] commit to [the] payment of a minimum of R5bn, up to a maximum of R6bn, by July 2026. [The city will further] commit to [the] payment of R4.1bn by July 2027.” While it is unclear how much of the R4bn has been diverted from critical water and roads projects in the capital expenditure budget, the city will need to account to the Auditor-General. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sisanda Mbolekwa at Sunday Times (subscriber access only). Read too, Billions shifted to stop union shutting down G20 summit, at The Citizen
Battle over removal of Solidarity’s controversial banner to be heard in court this week Maroela Media reports that the legal battle over Solidarity’s controversial advertising banner will be heard in court this week, but without Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi. According to the trade union, Lesufi will not oppose its urgent court application and will accept the ruling. But, the Johannesburg Metro and the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) have given formal notice that they will oppose Solidarity’s application. The case is expected to be heard in the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday (18 November). Solidarity filed the complaint after the JMPD summarily removed a large advertising banner – with the words “Welcome to the most race-regulated country in the world” – on 10 November. The banner was part of the union’s awareness campaign over race legislation during the G20 summit. According to Solidarity, a recognised advertising agency was used and all requirements were met to legally design, erect and display the banner. In its court documents, Solidarity argues that the action is contrary to the metro’s own bylaws and contrary to the principles of fair administrative justice. Dr. Dirk Hermann, CEO of Solidarity, believes the banner removal is symbolic of a government that wants to stifle criticism. The union will be asking the court to declare that the removal was unlawful and to order the city to immediately restore the banner to the same place – or to return it to Solidarity free of charge. Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard by Heléne Mocke at Maroela Media
Gqeberha e-hailing drivers shut down services on Friday as they demand safety, fair pricing News24 reports that frustrated by what they described as “exploitation” and living in constant fear for their safety, e-hailing drivers brought services to a standstill on Friday in Nelson Mandela Bay in a desperate plea for their grievances to be heard. The Eastern Cape E-hailing Association (ECEA), an affiliate of the National E-hailing Federation of SA, organised the peaceful protest. The shutdown is expected to expand to East London next week, with the possibility of a nationwide shutdown to follow. Starting at 05:00 of Friday, hundreds of e-hailing drivers gathered and parked their cars at King’s Beach parking lot in Gqeberha. They marched to City Hall, where they submitted a memorandum of demands. The memo outlined a range of critical issues threatening the livelihoods and safety of e-hailing drivers in the province. Their concerns centred on ensuring a safe working environment for drivers, addressing the violence perpetrated against them by criminal elements, and curbing the alleged exploitation of drivers by the multinational companies that own e-hailing platforms. Over the past two years, the e-hailing sector in the metro has faced relentless attacks from criminals, resulting in the deaths of multiple drivers. Mfundiso Gana of the ECEA expressed the association’s frustration with the government’s slow progress in regulating the e-hailing industry. Uber spokesperson Ben Harris said the company was aware of the e-hailing protest and understood the concerns raised. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Candice Bezuidenhout at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). See too, Gqeberha e-hailing drivers march over safety concerns, unfair pricing, and view a video clip at SABC News
Concern that new regulations overregulating the beauty and somatology industry will lead to large-scale job losses Maroela Media reports that over-regulation by the Department of Health threatens to tear apart and cause great damage to the somatology industry in SA. Trade union Solidarity announced on Friday that it will be launching a comprehensive campaign to oppose the proposed regulations. The regulations aim to bring somatology under the jurisdiction of the Allied Health Professions Council of SA (AHPCSA) – a move that will place the beauty industry in a vulnerable position nationwide. The proposed regulations could affect all beauty salons, spas, training institutions and independent somatologists in SA, and according to Solidarity, this will have serious labour and economic consequences. These include expensive licenses and mandatory registration in order to be considered a health facility; the artificial separation of services in that beauty therapists and somatologists will no longer be allowed to offer all their skills within one business; and the possible closure of numerous businesses, resulting in large-scale job losses. Johan Roos of Solidarity’s Communication Network warned that the “draconian” regulations would unnecessarily fragment the profession and result in once large industries shrinking to small, almost unviable sectors. Solidarity is currently gathering large-scale input from employers and employees in the beauty industry for submission to government departments on 22 November. Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard at Maroela Media
Nedbank brags with the highest staff retention rate in SA Daily Investor reports that a recent study revealed that Nedbank has the highest staff retention rate in SA, with most employees staying at the company for over a decade. Moorepay, the United Kingdom’s largest payroll company, sourced median employee tenures from LinkedIn company profiles of over 3,100 major companies worldwide to determine which have the highest retention rates. In SA, Nedbank emerged as the company with the longest employee retention rate of 11.3 years. Yet, according to Nedbank Group Executive of Human Resources Deb Fuller, as of October 2025 the company had a median tenure of 11.7 years, even higher than the rate reported by Moorepay. The company’s turnover rate is currently 7.2%, down from 8% in December 2024. “Nedbank’s retention success is no accident; it’s the result of a culture where purpose, belonging, and growth are real and lived every day. Our people stay because they find meaning, opportunity, and support in our organisation,” she said. Fuller added that, while retaining employees was a priority, the bank was also consistently looking to bring in new talent. Moorepay is not the only institution which has shed a positive light on Nedbank as an employer. The bank was also included in the 2025 Forbes World’s Best Employers list – fifth in financial services globally and second in SA. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kirsten Minnaar at Daily Investor
Old Mutual dangles R300m incentive for new CEO, achievable if share price rallies 80% by May 2030 Moneyweb reports that Jurie Strydom, the new CEO of Old Mutual, could earn as much as R300 million under a new outperformance plan designed to “unlock significant and sustained shareholder value”. Strydom, who joined as CEO earlier this year, was previously CEO of Alexforbes Life, Regent Insurance, and Sanlam Life and Savings. To receive the maximum value of R300 million, Strydom needs to get the Old Mutual share price to R21.74 (or higher) by 12 May 2030, which is double what the price was on 12 May 2025 when he started in the role. In structuring this, the group will acquire 13.8 million Old Mutual shares on the open market, to be held in escrow (a legal ringfence). On Friday, the group granted Strydom share appreciation rights on double the number of those forfeitable shares. There are a number of provisos built into the plan, including that Strydom could get nothing at all should he fail to drive the share price up by at least 40%. Any increase over the R21.74 price is capped, meaning the maximum Strydom can receive is R300 million. Dividends that accrue over time will be reinvested into ‘dividend shares’, which will not subjected to the R300 million cap. Additionally, there are various termination and change-of-control provisions applicable until the end of the expiry of the holding periods. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Garth Theunissen at Moneyweb. Read too, Old Mutual dangles R300m carrot for new CEO – if he sparks an 80% share price rally, at News24 Business (subscription / trial registration required)
North West municipal manager must personally pay R4.6m for inflated tender after failing to recover losses News24 Business reports that Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has, for the first time, used her expanded powers to issue a Certificate of Debt (COD) that makes a municipal manager personally liable for millions of rands of losses in overpayment. The certificate holds the accounting officer and municipal manager of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Allan Losaba, personally liable to repay R4.6 million. The municipality, in the North West, includes the town of Mahikeng. The municipality’s mayor has been told to see to it that the manager pays. The AG’s office expects regular updates, with the first of these due at the end of December. Losaba has been the municipality’s manager and accounting officer since 2019, earning around R1.8 million a year. Maluleke said the case against Losaba dated back to the 2018-19 audit cycle, when her office first picked up evidence of overpayment to a service provider who was rendering water tanker services. Her office then issued recommendations, which were not acted on, and later, binding remedial action, which was again ignored. Before issuing the certificate, the accounting officer was invited to provide reasons for his failure to implement the remedial action. The responses were then considered by an independent panel, which later gave Maluleke the go-ahead to issue the COD. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jan Cronje at News24 Business (subscription / trial registration required). Read too, Municipal manager personally liable for over R4m after AG issues certificate of debt, at BusinessDay (subscriber access only)
Brigadier Mkhwanazi’s pledge to Ekurhuleni city manager: 'I will take a bullet for you' IOL News reports that suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief, Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, publicly pledged to ‘die’ and ‘take a bullet’ for city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi. This was after he was promoted against all odds to deputy police chief despite facing misconduct charges and the Independent Police Investigating Directorate (IPID) having recommended that he be disciplined for corruption. These details emerged during the testimony of Xolani Nciza, the former divisional head of Employee Relations at the City of Ekurhuleni, during the Madlanga Commission proceedings last week. In a video played before the commission, as a small group of Ekurhuleni employees sings in Mashazi’s honour, Mkhwanazi says: “We will die for you. I will take a bullet for you.” To which Mashazi responded, “Thank you.” Over the last two weeks, the commission has heard allegations that Mkhwanazi colluded with alleged criminal cartel leader Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. An attempt to hold Mkhwanazi accountable through a disciplinary tribunal for the “blue lights saga” was resolutely blocked by the city manager. Witnesses testified that Mashazi went to extraordinary lengths to protect Mkhwanazi because of their “proximity”. In this she was aided by HR head of department, Linda Gxasheka, and head of legal, Kemi Behari, witnesses claimed. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Gcwalisile Khanyile at IOL Nnews. Read too, How Ekurhuleni city boss gave cover to rogue metro cop, at Sunday Times (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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