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.
NUM deputy president Vilakazi takes on boss Dan Balepile for top post at this week’s elective conference
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Sunday World reports that National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) president Dan Balepile is waging a battle against his deputy, who wants to unseat him from the top position.
Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane's Seta woes deepen
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Sunday Times reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing mounting pressure to dismiss Department of Higher Education (DHE) Minister Nobuhle Nkabane amid the row over her apparent lies to parliament and new disclosures that she turned a blind eye to corruption at the Construction Sector Education & Training Authority (Ceta).
Roundup on Monday, 23 June 2025 of weekend labour reports
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In our roundup of weekend and recent reports,
see the following summaries of our selection of
South African labour-related articles.
Panyaza Lesufi’s Nasi iSpani plagued by payment chaos as relaunch looms
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Daily Maverick reports that less than a month after Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced that his highly criticised Nasi Ispani employment recruitment initiative would be relaunched, more information on the initiative’s struggles to pay the Expanded Public Works Programme workers has come to light.
Labour Court upholds dismissal of Standard Bank employee fired over dishonest balance sheet
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IOL News reports that a former employee of Standard Bank has lost an appeal at the Johannesburg Labour Court following his dismissal for dishonesty after submitting a false balance sheet.
Eastern Cape cop back at work after pleading guilty to armed robbery, 12 more still on duty in province despite criminal records
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Daily Maverick reports that a Nelson Mandela Bay police officer who pleaded guilty – in a disciplinary hearing – to charges of armed robbery, possession of stolen property and the possession of an unlicensed firearm has returned to work after a two-month suspension.
Former Nehawu members form breakaway union
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News24 reports that fed up with what they describe as “tyranny”, at least 100 former National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) members have formed a breakaway union.
Amid concerns over diversion of subscription fees, NUM braces for bruising elective conference
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BL Premium reports that the upcoming elective conference of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is set to be a bruising showdown between its president, Dan Balepile, and his deputy, Phillip Vilakazi.
Terry Motau says he ‘did not participate’ in Nkabane’s panel that advised on SETA chair appointments
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News24 reports that advocate Terry Motau has disputed Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s claim that he led a panel to assist her in appointing chairpersons of various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) boards.
Walter Sisulu University senior official shot dead at Mthatha campus gate
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News24 reports that a staff member of Walter Sisulu University (WSU) was shot dead at the Mthatha campus on Thursday evening.
Morning roundup of labour news on Friday, 20 June 2025
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In our Friday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
Consumer inflation in May still below 3% bottom level of target range, but meat and other food much pricier
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News24 reports that in May for the third month in a row, consumer price index (CPI) inflation at 3% remained below the bottom level of the SA Reserve Bank’s target band. CPI came in at 2.8% for May – unchanged from April.
Harmony Gold ordered by Labour Court to pay R100,000 in damages for k-word incident
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GroundUp reports that the Labour Court (LC) has found that Harmony Gold must be held responsible for an employee’s use of the k-word because the company failed to take the necessary steps to address his racist conduct.
Hawks face crippling staff shortages amid rising corruption cases
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IOL News reports that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) was operating with almost half the personnel provided for in its organogram, divisional commissioner Patrick Mbotho advised on Wednesday.
Sadtu suspends work-to-rule protest in KZN as education department pledges to make outstanding payments
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The Mercury reports that the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has suspended its province-wide work-to-rule campaign following a meeting with the Department of Education (DOE) earlier this week.
Numsa members stage protest at Denel over wage increase
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EWN reports that National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) members at Denel staged a protest outside the company’s headquarters on Wednesday, calling for a 7% wage increase.
Unions reject Prasa’s 3% wage offer, which Untu calls ‘disgraceful’ and Satawu “an insult’
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BL Premium reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) lashed out at the Passenger Rail Agency of SA’s (Prasa’s) bargaining style and what it termed “delaying tactics” after the state-owned rail operator tabled a 3% wage offer to unions.
Morning roundup of labour news on Thursday, 19 June 2025
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In our Thursday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
Judgment reserved in Nehawu provincial congress list dispute in Mpumalanga
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SABC News reports that the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela has reserved judgment on an application brought forward by National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Ehlanzeni Region members, to invalidate the list of the union members that are set to represent the region in the upcoming provincial congress.
Pikitup warns Joburg residents against fake job advertisement
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EWN reports that City of Joburg's waste management company, Pikitup, has warned residents not to respond to fake job advertisement that was currently circulating on social media and other job sites.
Uncertainty about who should employ health inspectors
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The Citizen reports that SA has a shortage of public health inspectors, but it is not clear who should employ them to enforce health, safety and sanitation regulations to protect the public.
Sadtu and Naptosa say new Bela Act guidelines have no legal weight
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BL Premium reports that SA’s two biggest teachers’ unions have pushed back against the guidelines for implementing the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act published by Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Siviwe Gwarube last week.
Standard Bank’s ‘disproportionate’ attempt to foreclose on Zwelinzima Vavi’s Sandton home fails in court
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Moneyweb reports that Standard Bank has failed in its attempt to obtain authorisation for the foreclosure of a mortgage bond it granted over the Sandton primary residence of SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and his wife Noluthando.
BLSA’s Mavuso severely castigates Transnet for capitulating to ‘unreasonable’ union wage demands
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Mining Weekly reports that Busisiwe Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership SA, was “astounded” to learn last week of Transnet's capitulation to unions’ strike threats by agreeing to give workers 6% pay rises in each of the next three years.
Morning roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South
African labour-related reports.
Two Free State officers in court in connection with Kroonstad guesthouse rape
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News24 reports that two Free State police officers have appeared in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court in connection with a rape that was reported at a guesthouse.
Manager found unharmed after kidnapping at Addo road construction site last week
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The Herald reports that construction manager Victor Ngcobo, who was kidnapped on the R355 road in Motherwell on Wednesday last week, has been found unharmed.
Capitec CEO refuses to budge on 10% unemployment stance
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Sunday Times reports that Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie is sticking to his guns over the true number of unemployed in SA despite widespread rejection of his comments that the jobless rate is about 10% if the self-employed are taken into account.
Transnet, unions sign above-inflation three-year wage agreement
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BL Premium reports that rail operator Transnet has reached a wage deal with the two largest unions at the utility for above-inflation increases of 6% each year over a three-year period.
Trade and Industry Minister agrees unemployment statistics should include work in informal sector
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The Citizen reports that Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, agreed last week with Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie that unemployment statistics should include work in the informal sector. However, not everybody agrees.