LOOMING MASS RETRENCHMENTS

Still no intervention by government in ‘retrenchment bloodbath’

Maroela Media reports that Solidarity has confirmed that Glencore-Merafe is continuing with its retrenchment process at the Boshoek and Wonderkop ferro-chrome smelters in the Rustenburg area. According to the trade union, the latest development is a direct result of the government’s failure to intervene, despite repeated warnings about the growing crisis in the sector.   Glencore, which has approximately 2,400 employees in the sector, informed the union that the retrenchment process had become inevitable after attempts to negotiate more favourable electricity tariffs fell on deaf ears. This development follows a similar retrenchment notice from Samancor Chrome, where approximately 2,496 jobs are affected. According to Willie Venter, deputy general secretary for the metal and engineering industry at Solidarity, the responsibility lies entirely with the government, which has abdicated further mediation with Solidarity.   “This is a crisis and it cannot be denied any longer. The facts at Samancor and now Glencore show how urgent intervention is needed to save thousands of South Africans from unemployment,” he warned. According to Venter, Solidarity and employers explicitly warned the government in recent Nedlac talks that lower electricity prices were needed to keep production going.   “Yet these pleas have not been heeded,” he lamented.

Read the full original of the Afrikaans report in the above regard by Heléne Mocke at Maroela Media

SA smelters pitch last-ditch no-subsidy solution to avert shutdowns

News24 Business reports that SA’s ferroalloy operators are backing a proposed solution to the imminent crisis in the sector that requires no government or Eskom subsidies. Meanwhile, thousands of jobs could be lost unless a sustainable solution to the crisis in the sector is found soon. Ferrochrome producers, including Glencore and Samancor Chrome, have tabled a proposal that would allow embattled smelters to continue operating while a longer-term, sustainable pricing arrangement is finalised.   Apparently the proposal involves lower power prices – but with a mechanism that does not rely on Eskom or the government to subsidise the lower prices. The proposed solution is under evaluation by Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the minister of electricity and energy, and Eskom. It was put forward by the Ferro Alloys Producers Association (FAPA) in a last-ditch effort by industry after the government failed to come up with an intervention that would enable smelters to continue running.   FAPA has declined to provide any further details on the proposal while awaiting approval from Ramokgopa and Eskom, which is expected within the next few days. Implementation requires agreement between the minister and the utility on an appropriate pricing framework. The solution is intended to act as a bridge while smelter operators explore longer-term remedies, including procuring renewable energy to reduce dependence on Eskom and mitigate exposure to future carbon-border taxes, such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisa Steyn at News24 Business (subscription / trial registration required)

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

Two suspects arrested in murder of two Ivory Park linked to three other murders on the same day

News24 reports that two suspects arrested in connection with the murder of two Ivory Park police officers are also linked to other killings committed during a deadly shooting spree on the same day. They allegedly also killed three other people, including their accomplice. Sergeant Matome Rapetsoa and Constable Sello Montja were ambushed on 28 November outside a spaza shop in Ivory Park while on duty. According to a source, six armed men approached the officers’ police van and opened fire. “One officer was killed inside the van. The second officer, who was outside, was shot in the neck and ran into the spaza shop for cover. The gunmen followed and fired several more shots, killing him instantly,” the source reported. After killing the officers, the suspects robbed them of two police-issued firearms and cellphones. While escaping, the gang allegedly turned on one of their own accomplices, shooting him multiple times and leaving him for dead. He survived and remains hospitalised. The remaining gunmen then allegedly went to a tavern in Ivory Park, where they shot and killed two patrons. After that, they again turned on one of their own, killing another accomplice during the rampage before fleeing the area. Two Mozambican nationals, Elton Shilange, 18, and Ally Mlambo, 28, were arrested in Mamelodi East on 1 December. Shilange appeared briefly in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court, facing five counts of murder, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. His case was postponed to Thursday, when he is expected to be joined by Mlambo.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)

TRADE UNION NEWS

Domestic workers’ trade union officially recognised

BusinessTech reports that the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has gazetted the registration of the SA Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU), officially recognising a trade union dedicated to domestic workers. While domestic workers have gathered under worker groups and unions, or registered under wider umbrella unions like Cosatu, the largely informal nature of the job has made it difficult for workers to operate as a collective.   Domestic worker unions that had formed in the past had struggled to attain formal recognition and lacked the power to enter into collective bargaining and official conciliation processes. Others that succeeded in overcoming the regulatory hurdles struggled to sustain themselves and were ultimately deregistered or dissolved. However, the DEL has now officially registered SADSAWU as a trade union, effective 6 November 2025. SADSAWU was launched in KwaZulu-Natal in 2000. Over the years, the union has been campaigning for domestic worker rights and working alongside other worker groups to help protect one of the most vulnerable classes of workers in the country. Surveys and analyses of domestic workers often point to underpayment, excessive responsibility (cleaning, cooking, child care, etc.), and mental and physical abuse at the hands of employers.   However, here have been a number of successes over the years as well. In 2001, domestic workers were included in Unemployment Insurance for the first time. This was followed by a sectoral determination in 2002, which extended labour protections to domestic workers. A major victory came in 2021, when domestic workers were included under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA).

Read the full original of the report in the above regard at BusinessTech

TOP APPOINTMENT

PwC names Anastacia Tshesane as its next SA CEO

News24 Business reports that professional services group PwC has named Anastacia Tshesane as its next South African CEO, effective 1 July 2026. PwC is one of the “Big Four” global accounting firms and offers services like audit and assurance, tax and legal, as well as consulting and deal-making services. . It has a presence in 22 African countries with more than 400 partners and 10,000 professionals. Tshesane has been with PwC for almost two decades, and as an assurance partner (specialised services related to auditing) she has deep experience across financial services, consumer markets and industrial products and services, the company indicated in a statement. She has led audits of large local and multinational companies with operations globally, and “her leadership is grounded in quality, ethics, inclusion, and a steadfast commitment to our people and brand”. Tshesane succeeds Shirley Machaba, who has served as the SA CEO since 2019 and will retire next year after concluding a 24-year career at PwC.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Karl Gernetzky at News24 Business (subscription / trial registration required). Read too, PwC names Anastacia Tshesane as South Africa CEO, at BusinessDay (subscriber access only)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Municipal sector braces for showdown over Public Service Commission’s bid to extend powers to municipalities

Moneyweb reports that in a rare move, employers and unions in local government stand united against what they describe as an unconstitutional attempt by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to extend its powers into the local government sphere. The SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC), representing both the SA Local Government Association (Salga) – which comprises municipalities as employers – and the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) along with the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), which together represent 98% of municipal employees, has issued a statement criticising the Public Service Commission Bill. The bill would, for the first time, place municipalities under the authority of the PSC. SALGBC said it was bracing for a constitutional showdown, adding that the Constitution never intended to place municipalities under the PSC’s authority.   The PSC is established in terms of Section 196 of the Constitution, which determines its powers and functions.   So far, it has been tasked with oversight of the public service only, but once the bill has been enacted, its mandate will be expanded to include municipalities, as well as state entities and state-owned enterprises like Eskom. Among other things, the PSC must promote constitutional values in public administration, provide oversight and give direction regarding the organisation, administration, efficiency, and personnel practices. It also has investigative powers.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Antoinette Slabbert at Moneyweb

Staff-related costs could cripple municipalities

Cape Times reports that according to the National Treasury, municipalities are spending beyond their means, with mounting affordability pressures and operating deficits in the 2025/26 financial year driven in large part by rising "employee-related costs".   The Treasury recently published the operating and capital budgets of municipalities as adopted by their respective councils for 2025/26. “It is notable that municipalities will realise operating deficits on the operating budgets in the 2025/26 financial year as the total operating expenditure increases at a higher rate than the revenue projections. This is an indication that municipalities are spending beyond their means and a first sign of financial challenges,” the Treasury reported. It went on to note that the main cost drivers were employee-related costs and bulk purchases, representing 27.0 per cent and 35.0 per cent of operating expenditure respectively. Union federation Cosatu said the state of local government was a matter of great concern. “On almost any indicator, local government is deteriorating with many municipal workers and pension funds left unpaid in more than a dozen municipalities and local services deteriorating in more. This has caused unbelievable hardship and caused many companies to close and retrench. The salary bill is not the issue.   The challenge has been corrupt politicians, incompetent or unqualified management, lack of investment in infrastructure and underfunded municipalities,” said Cosatu’s Matthew Parks.   Together with municipal union Samwu, they are engaging with the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and the SA Local Government Association (Salga) on a package of interventions to turn local government around.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicola Daniels at Cape Times

MADLANGA COMMISSION

Ekurhuleni metro legal boss Kemi Behari suspended amid allegations at Madlanga Commission

BusinessLive reports that Ekurhuleni metro head of legal services Advocate Kemi Behari has been placed on precautionary suspension with full remuneration amid damning allegations made at the Madlanga Commission.   The suspension comes as the Madlanga Commission, which is probing allegations of criminal infiltration and corruption in the justice cluster, heard testimony alleging that Behari and former Ekurhuleni metro manager Imogen Mashazi protected Ekurhuleni metro police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi from disciplinary procedure.   In 2023, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) recommended that Mkhwanazi face disciplinary action after he was accused of unlawfully authorising the installation of blue lights on vehicles belonging to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. Blue lights are reserved for law-enforcement authorities.   According to Mashazi, Behari advised her the Ipid report was vague and the metro could not act on it. Three months after the report, Mkhwanazi was promoted. The metro suspended Behari in accordance with provisions of the Local Government Disciplinary Regulations for Senior Managers, which allow a municipal council to suspend a senior manager on full pay if it is alleged the person has committed an act of misconduct.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sinesipho Schrieber at BusinessLive (subscriber access only). Read too, Ekurhuleni legal head suspended on full pay after Madlanga Commission testimony, at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). And also, Ekurhuleni legal chief in hot water as scandal over EMPD top cop Julius Mkhwanazi explodes, at IOL News

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• Blue lights saga haunts suspended Ekurhuleni metro chief, at Cape Times

LIFESTYLE AUDITS

Government’s lifestyle audits hit snag as skills shortage threatens anti-corruption drive

News24 reports that the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has hit a snag with lifestyle audits it launched in 2023, after it recently discovered it has no investigating capacity. To resolve this setback, the department is considering partnering with the Special Investigating Unit, although this would incur additional costs. This was revealed by DPSA Minister Mzamo Buthelezi at an anti-corruption press briefing on Tuesday. Buthelezi said the department was also looking at putting together “a pool of highly skilled investigators [internally] to roll out the lifestyle audits   But in this regard, we have a challenge as government because we do not have enough investigators who are actually skilled and trained to do this work.” The minister said the pool of investigators could also assist other departments that currently lacked investigators. Buthelezi noted that lifestyle audits were one of the tools used to detect whether public servants were involved in any corrupt activities.   Currently, the department’s lifestyle audits focus on national and provincial government officials, with annual audits targeting top and finance-related officials. Meanwhile according to the DPSA, when lifestyle audits were launched, there was a spike of resignations that could not be accounted for.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Siyamtanda Capa at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)

ALLEGED CORRUPTION / FRAUD

Tshwane deputy mayor faces fraud charge over multimillion-rand security contract

News24 reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) laid a fraud and corruption complaint against Tshwane Deputy Mayor, MMC for Finance and ANC councillor Eugene Modise, at the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria on Wednesday. This follows a confidential forensic report that found that Modise failed to disclose his relationship with a city contractor in breach of the Municipal Systems Act. Last week it was revealed that the forensic report found that Modise might have illegally benefitted from a security company that received a security contract worth R300 million from the City of Tshwane. The DA’s complaint, compiled with the assistance of AfriForum’s private prosecutions unit, relates to Modise allegedly withholding information, misrepresenting his interests to derive undue benefit, failing to declare material interests, and that all this prejudiced the City to the tune of millions of rands in irregular expenditure. The confidential forensic investigation report was tabled by the city council last week. At a council meeting, the City resolved to send the report to a special committee, which the speaker’s office will convene, to deliberate on its findings before recommending action. The DA has criticised Mayor Nasiphi Moya for failing to act against Modise, despite the serious criminal allegations against him.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Muhammad Hussain at News24 (subscription / trial registration required). Lees ook, DA lê strafregtelike klag teen Tshwane-adjunkburgemeester, by Maroela Media

ALLEGED COP CRIME

Berea detective out on bail after alleged R9,000 extortion bid

IOL News reports that a Durban police officer has been released on bail of R2,500 after he was arrested for alleged extortion.   Sergeant Marcel Dorasamy, an officer stationed at Berea SAPS detective branch, appeared in the Verulam Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. "The arrest follows a complaint from a member of the public, who alleged that the officer demanded she pay R4,000 in exchange for ensuring that her son is not arrested," said Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson, Lizzy Suping. The complainant claimed that Dorasamy further demanded that she pay him R5,000 for the docket to be closed. She informed the accused officer that she could only afford an amount of R2,500 at the time, and would pay the remainder of the balance the following month.   The complainant then approached Ipid, which obtained approval to conduct an undercover operation.   "Sergeant Dorasamy was then arrested when he arrived at the agreed location in Phoenix to collect the R2,500 as promised," Suping reported. Dorasamy is due to appear in court again in February next year.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Se-Anne Rall at IOL News

Two Cape Town law enforcement officers in court facing extortion charges

Cape Argus reports that two Cape Town law enforcement officers accused of targeting foreign-owned spaza shops are expected to face strong opposition from the state in their bid to be granted bail.   The duo appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday following their arrest on Tuesday.   Justin McKay and Christopher Noel Molifie face seven charges, including robbery, theft, kidnapping and extortion. The case was remanded until 10 December for the presence of the accused’s legal representatives and consideration on bail applications. The pair were arrested on Tuesday by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team, working with the City’s Safety and Security Information Management Services. The officers, attached to the City’s Metal Theft Unit, had allegedly been extorting money from foreign spaza shop owners since January. Investigators also believe they stole cigarettes worth more than R600,000 during one of the incidents while a victim was being processed at the Phillipi East police station. They had been arrested before, in May, on similar allegations and were released at that time on bail. Both officers will be suspended as the City’s internal disciplinary process continues.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Murray Swart at Cape Argus. Read too, How extortion-accused Cape Town cops remained at work, at Cape Times

OTHER REPORTS OF INTEREST

• Trade union UASA welcomes GDP growth as positive news for workers, at The Mercury
• Justice Minister confirms delay in IDAC ombud appointment due to legislation, at IOL News
• Metrorail in Cape Town has improved and is much more reliable than a few years ago, at GroundUp
• ANC upset Manamela circumvented deployment, Cabinet committees on Seta chair recommendations, at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)