Today's Labour News
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.
Crunch time as Zuma faces joblessness ‘time bomb’
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TimesLive writes that the government has gone into overdrive to avert the explosion of an unemployment "time bomb". President Jacob Zuma will meet with government leaders, officials and unionists on Tuesday to discuss the state of the economy, including remorselessly increasing youth unemployment.
Lily Mine awaits R171m injection
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City Press reports that Lily gold mine in Mpumalanga is still waiting for a deposit of a R171.8 million investment from a Canadian company.
Fatality at Harmony Gold’s Phakisa mine in Welkom
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ANA reports that Harmony Gold Mining on Monday announced that an employee had died in a mine accident underground at its Welkom operation in the Free State over the weekend.
Research data confirm SA is a world leader in labour instability
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BDLive reports that University of Johannesburg (UJ) research has shown that labour issues accounted for almost half of all public protests recorded by the police between 1997 and 2013, while the number of protests characterised as disorderly had steadily risen.
'Communists killed Cosatu', writes Patrick Craven in his new book
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City Press writes that it his new book, The Battle for Cosatu: An Insider’s View, Patrick Craven gives an ‘insider’s view’ of the infighting in labour federation Cosatu and the determination to get rid of its former general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
Eerie silence of despair at Lily Mine
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Sunday Independent writes that some 130 days after the rock-fall at Lily Mine that led to three miners ending up trapped underground the scene outside the mine is eerily silent. At the time of the accident, the mine had 482 employees, but it is not clear how many of those men and women are still actively on duty.
Numsa and ex-spokesperson settle unfair dismissal suit
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News24 reports that Castro Ngobese, former spokesperson for the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), and the union have reached a settlement after he challenged its decision to fire him.
Vodacom doubles chief executive’s pay on better growth
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Business Report writes that cellular giant Vodacom had doubled the remuneration package of its chief executive, Shameel Joosub, in the year to March to R22 million on improved growth.
‘Union Buildings’ soldiers plan to claim millions from defence force in class action
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City Press reports that barely a month after the chief of the defence force, General Solly Shoke, recalled 509 soldiers he had placed on special leave for marching to the Union Buildings in 2009, they are planning to claim millions of rands in a class action.
Zuma convenes Presidential Labour Working Group meeting for Tuesday
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TMG Digital reports that President Jacob Zuma will convene the Presidential Labour Working Group on Tuesday for a discussion of matters relating to the economy as well other socio-economic issues‚ the Presidency said on Sunday.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 18 & 19 June 2016
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Saturday, 18 June and Sunday, 19 June 2016
Numsa predicts ‘very tough’ wage negotiations with automakers
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Bloomberg reports that formal wage bargaining between the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation covering the local units of automakers will begin on 21 June 2016.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 17 June 2016
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Friday, 17 June 2016
Roundup of labour news on 17 June 2016
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In our Friday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Wednesday, 15 June 2016.
Govt slams Numsa over claims firefighters in Canada were ‘ruthlessly exploited’
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ANA reports that the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has dismissed claims by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) that SA firefighters were “ruthlessly exploited” in Canada.
NUM wants Ramaphosa to lead the ANC and the country
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In an interview with the Mail & Guardian, NUM general secretary David Sipunzi endorsed Cyril Ramaphosa to take over from President Jacob Zuma as ANC president in 2017, saying the former union leader has the capacity to lead the governing party and the country.
Burnt Durban worker leaps out of window to escape fire
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Daily News reports that a shopfitter has been badly injured after jumping out of a window in a desperate attempt to escape a fire in a student residence under construction at the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
Striking Sapsu members at Durban hospitals vow to continue their protest
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Daily News reports that the SA Public Service Union (Sapsu), which is leading strikes at public hospitals in Durban this week, has vowed to carry on with its protest.
Mine maintenance industry facing skills shortage: report
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Mining Weekly reports that according to Sharmlin Govender, director of industrial conveyor maintenance service provider ELB Conveyor Maintenance, the mine maintenance industry is facing a significant skills shortage, exacerbated by commodity price instability.
Protesting SA firefighters in Canada showed courage against exploitation: Numsa
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News24 reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Thursday that South Africans firefighters who went on a pay strike in Canada had been 'ruthlessly' exploited.
Equal pay for male and female staff at Stellenbosch University
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BDLive reports that Stellenbosch University, which continues to grapple with issues of transformation, has taken a decision to remunerate its female and male staff equally.
Department of Public Works warns of learnership scam
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The Department of Public Works has warned learners, including graduates seeking employment, about a scam promising 700 learnerships at the department.
Council for Medical Schemes targets fraud in elections of scheme trustees
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BDLive reports that the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) is taking steps to stamp out fraud in the election of medical scheme trustees.
'Jobs for cash’ report taking us back to Apartheid: Sadtu
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News24 reports that the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) on Thursday used its Youth Day statement to lash out against the findings of an education department ‘jobs-for-cash’ report.
Top NUM official to stand as independent municipal candidate
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BDLive reports that Peter Bailey, a senior National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) official who is also an ANC member, appears to have joined a number of disgruntled party members who are standing as independent candidates in the coming municipal elections.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 16 June 2016
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Thursday, 16 June 2016
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 15 June 2016
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Wednesday, 15 June 2016
Roundup of labour news on 15 June 2016
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In our Wednesday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Tuesday, 14 June 2016.
Molewa says relations between SA and Canada won’t be strained by firefighter saga
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SABC News reports that according to Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, relations between Canada and South Africa will not be affected by the return of South African firefighters who were recalled after a wage dispute while assisting in fighting fires in Canada.
Western Cape leads in attacks on cops
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Cape Times reports that the Western Cape has suffered the most attacks on police officers of all provinces according to national police spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi.