In our Thursday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Wednesday, 28 June 2017.
|
Fewer police being killed now than 20 years ago, but figure is still huge BusinessLive reports that the latest SA Survey published by the South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) shows that the rate at which police officers are being murdered has fallen significantly over the past 20 years. Viewed by decade (1995-2004 and 2005-2014)‚ more than double the number of police officers were murdered in the first decade after apartheid than between 2005 and 2014. The survey found that between 1994 and 2004‚ 1‚970 police officers were killed. This decreased by 52%‚ to 945‚ between 2005 and 2014. The survey also found that the rate of police murders fell 80% from 252 per 100‚000 in 1994‚ to 51 in 2014. IRR crime analyst Kerwin Lebone commented: "The police’s primary role in the pre-1994 era was regarded as that of defending the government of the day and police were thus a legitimate target for political attacks." Yet, despite the huge drop in police murders‚ SA remains a relatively dangerous country in which to conduct police work. Read this report in full at BusinessLive. See too, Big drop in cop killings, but SA still relatively dangerous for cops, at News24 MKMVA blames Prasa’s Popo Molefe for stoning to death of security guard News24 reports that according to the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA), the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) should be held responsible for the death of an employee who was fatally stoned during a protest in Soweto on Monday. Prasa guards and protesting community members clashed during a protest over free housing in Nancefield. According to Metrorail, Joseph Koena, an MKMVA member, was standing on the platform when he was grabbed by a group of protesters together with a female colleague who was later released. Both were employed by Prasa. MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe said on Wednesday that chairperson of the Prasa board, Popo Molefe, allegedly claimed in 2015 that some security employees who were MKMVA members wanted to kill him. Maphatsoe claimed that the allegation led to security personnel being disarmed and not allowed to use the security equipment that was available for their own security and the safety of commuters. "This situation directly impacted on the events that also led to the death of comrade Koena who had to face an angry mob without any of the security equipment that he could have used to protect himself," Maphatsoe said. Read this report by Iavan Pijoos in full at News24. See too, MKMVA says Prasa's Molefe should be held liable for security guard's murder, at EWN Murder accused in case of Eskom employee Thembisile Yende denied bail News24 reports that Thembisile Yende's murder accused, David Ngwenya, was denied bail at the Springs Magistrate's Court in the east of Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon. Ngwenya (43), who is a technician at Eskom, allegedly murdered his lover, Yende, who was also an Eskom employee, after he suspected that she would "spill the beans" on his involvement in a copper cable theft syndicate. Yende's body was found 10 days after her disappearance at an isolated Eskom substation. The scene was staged to look like a suicide. Ngwenya is due to appear in court again on 17 July. This short report by Nation Nyoka is at News24
We have to act to protect most of our workers, says AngloGold CEO Fin24 reports that AngloGold Ashanti's (AGA’s) turnaround strategy at its loss-making SA operations, which involves a retrenchment process, aims to protect the business and most of its workers, CEO Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan said on Wednesday. The gold producer is contemplating cutting 8,500 of its approximately 28,000 employees in SA. Saying this was a difficult decision that followed a period of unsustainable losses, Venkatakrishnan added: “It is critical that we act to protect the long-term sustainability of this business and the majority of our workforce. We are mindful of the sensitivity that this situation demands, and are committed to supporting all our employees throughout this process.” AGA intends to place on care and maintenance the Kopanang mine, in the Vaal River region, and the Savuka section of the TauTona mine, in the West Wits Region. It will also evaluate the feasibility of integrating elements of the TauTona mine into the neighbouring Mponeng mine. The cuts will be subject to a consultation process with organised labour groups, facilitated by the CCMA. Trade union Solidarity warned that this round of retrenchments could be the beginning of a trend in the mining sector due to the negative impact of the 2017 Mining Charter. Read this report in full at Fin24. Read AngloGold’s press statement at AGA online. Read Solidarity’s press statement at Solidarity online NUM ‘extremely angry and shocked’ by AngloGold’s proposed retrenchments Mining Weekly reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Thursday it was “extremely angry and shocked” at the “huge number of workers” that might be retrenched by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA). It noted that this came at a time when the country was being plagued by a high rate of unemployment. The gold producer on Wednesday announced that it would place its Savuka and Kopanang mines on care and maintenance and evaluate the integration of the TauTona mine into the Mponeng mine. This might result in as many as 8,500 employees being retrenched. NUM said its AGA national shop stewards council would meet next week to decide the way forward. The union called on AGA to rethink its position to retrench. A short report is at Mining Weekly. The NUM’s short press statement in this regard is at NUM online Chamber of Mines reckons new mining charter could lead to 50,000 to 100,000 job losses Business Report writes that the Chamber of Mines (COM) on Wednesday warned that between 50,000 and 100,000 jobs could be lost in the mining industry in the next few years if the 2017 Mining Charter were to be implemented in its current form. It also argued that the impact could even be felt beyond the mining industry. The third version of the Charter, which was announced by Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane two weeks ago, aims to promote equal participation of all South Africans in mining. At a round table briefing, the COM’s chief executive Roger Baxter shrugged off Zwane’s claims that the COM was anti-transformational following its decision to approach the High Court in Pretoria to stop the implementation of the Charter. Baxter indicated that the interdict application was to be heard by 18 July. Elize Strydom, chief negotiator for the Chamber, said that they expected to meet the deputy judge president of the High Court on Thursday to discuss why their application was urgent. Read the original of this report by Dineo Faku in full at SA Labour News Sanco calls for urgent summit to address mining charter concerns and AngloGold layoffs ANA reports that the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) on Thursday called for an urgent economic and jobs summit to address concerns of the Chamber of Mines of SA regarding the controversial 2017 Mining Charter. The organisation said the summit must also explore interventions to avert the retrenchment of 8,500 miners announced by AngloGold Ashanti and work to save jobs in the mining sector. “Any form of disinvestment in the mining industry and associated job losses have a potential to destabilise communities, as well deepen poverty, unemployment and inequality,” said Sanco spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu. He added that sustainable mining would only be realised if it included beneficiation, sustainable community development, local procurement and social investment initiatives. He also said that a win-win solution that would advance transformation was still possible. The original of this report is at The Citizen Community members from platinum belt march to JSE to demand job opportunities SowetanLive reports that on Wednesday hundreds of people took part in a march to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) organised by the Greater Local Mining Communities Business Forum. The Forum represents more than 60 villages and townships and 3‚000 small businesses in the platinum belt in North West and Limpopo. In a memorandum addressed to the JSE and 16 companies operating in the platinum belt‚ the Forum demanded that 80% of tenders be given to local communities; a list be provided of all companies that have benefited from mining tenders; all shafts that have been closed down be reopened; and that black suppliers operating without contracts be given contracts of at least five years. Chairman of the Forum, Jeffrey Putu, said they had marched to the JSE because that was an institution where organisations and people went if they wanted to invest in platinum producers. He indicated that the JSE should respond to the demands within 24 hours. Read this report by Mpho Sibanyoni in full at TimesLive. See too, Marching hundreds hand over memorandum at JSE in demand of jobs, at EWN Sibanye suffers as illegal miners run rampant BusinessLive reports that Sibanye Gold security head Nash Lutchman said at a briefing on Tuesday aimed at “contextualising illegal mining” that a deep undercurrent of corruption, coupled with a lack of policing and prosecutorial skills, have allowed illegal gold mining syndicates to run rampant in SA’s gold mines. Illegal mining costs the country about R20bn a year in lost sales, taxes and royalties. Sibanye recently had 461 illegal miners arrested at its four Cooke mines. "The syndicates are having a field day. They are laughing all the way to the bank. We don’t have sufficiently trained police to deal with this type of mining-related crime. Our National Prosecution Authority lacks the particular skills to prosecute this," Lutchman said. He added that employees and mine security personnel were worsening the problem by smuggling food underground and aiding illegal miners. Sibanye has found that 90% of those arrested for illegal mining at its operations were foreign, with many having mining experience as retrenched or out-of-work miners. Read this report by Allan Seccombe in full at BusinessLive. Read too, Sibanye could be losing R756m to illegal miners, at Moneyweb. And also, Cops seize 200 bags of gold dust in Rosettenville after arrest of zama zamas, at The Star. As well as, Illegal mining a substantial burden on SA economy, warns Sibanye, at Mining Weekly Other labour/community posting(s) in this news category
Other general internet posting(s) on mining
Fawu suspends Illovo sugar workers’ strike pending talks City Press reports that the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) has decided to suspend strike action involving about 1,000 workers at eight of Illovo’s KwaZulu-Natal farms after the company agreed to have negotiations over a disputed list of demands. The union’s general secretary, Katishi Masemola, said although the union had issued a 48-hour strike notice on Tuesday morning it would not be activating it, pending talks with the company on Friday. Among the demands the union is making is a 10% wage hike. The company has so far offered a 5% increase, provident fund coverage for seasonal and full-time workers, union group scheme contribution of R20 by the employers, 50% paid maternity leave for all workers, a bonus payment scheme as well as regular free protective clothing. Read this report by Lesetja Malope in full at City Press Health MEC has mishandled the strike by Gauteng forensic assistants, says DA ANA reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Thursday that Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa had mishandled the strike by forensic assistants by not getting a court order against it. Workers affiliated to the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) embarked on a strike demanding similar benefits to pathologists. DA spokesperson on health Jack Bloom said in a statement that Ramokgopa was bumbling from one crisis to another. “The illegal strike by forensic assistants in the 10 Gauteng state mortuaries has dragged on for three weeks despite concessions made to meet the demands of the workers,” Bloom said. He added that pathologists were doing the best they could with 10 military medics and eight volunteers from the National Association of Funeral Directors assisting them, although the backlog was still about 200 bodies. Read this report in full at The Citizen DA calls for Gauteng premier to intervene in mortuary crisis TimesLive reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng on Thursday called on Premier David Makhura to intervene in a crisis that has seen bodies pile up in mortuaries. DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Jack Bloom pointed out that the strike was in its third week‚ despite commitments to resolve it. He blamed Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa for mishandling the strike from the start by not getting a court order to halt it. According to Bloom, autopsies were taking more than seven days instead of one day‚ to the great distress of families who have to delay funerals. He claimed that unions representing the workers were being unreasonable and cruel in continuing with an illegal strike in an essential service. A short report is at TimesLive
Conman who duped hundreds with SANDF jobs scam remanded in custody The New Age reports that while the 237 youngsters he allegedly scammed out of thousands of rands are accommodated by the Salvation Army, a former SA National Defence Force (SANDF) employee will remain in prison. ‘General Ndaba’ also faces more charges on top of the fraud and corruption charges he has already been charged with. He appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where the case was postponed for further investigation. Ndaba was arrested on Tuesday after the Gauteng Department of Social Development rescued the young people, whom he allegedly duped into paying large sums of money for bogus training and enlistment into the SANDF. The victims, mostly from KZN, reportedly paid R300 for their registration and R1,800 for training, as well as R200 per month since last year for lodging. “The SANDF strongly condemns activities aimed at deliberately misleading the public regarding recruitment into the SANDF,” a spokesperson said. Read this report by Kutullo Madisha in full at The New Age. See too, Alleged army scam conman in court, at Daily Sun. And also, Parliamentary committee saddened at military recruitment scam, at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
With a ‘huge skills shortage’, SA needs at least 12,000 extra pharmacists BusinessLive reports that the country’s pharmaceutical industry has a huge skills shortage‚ lacking at least 12‚000 pharmacists to meet an international benchmark of 50 pharmacists per 100,000 people. The Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Wednesday gave evidence at a joint meeting of Parliament’s economic development and health portfolio committees on the state of the pharmaceuticals industry. Swasthi Soomaroo of the DTI said the skills shortage across the value chain was one of the biggest issues of the last few years. “We’ve lost several skills. One of the things relevant to industrial development is to make sure we have enough adequately trained industrial pharmacists," Soomaroo indicated. Dr Anban Pillay of the Department of Health said South African drug companies were struggling to compete with their counterparts in countries such as India and China and that most importantly was access to appropriately skilled people to develop production capacity. Read this report by Babalo Ndenze in full at BusinessLive
Defence union highly critical of Defence Force Service Commission’s salary recommendation TimesLive reports that the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) has criticised a recommendation on salary adjustments made by the Defence Force Service Commission (DFSC). The DFSC recently recommended salary upgrades for soldiers with at least 15 years of service‚ even though their rank would remain the same. The recommendation was meant to resolve unhappiness over the fact that soldiers' salaries are linked to their rank. Sandu said the DFSC’s proposal did little to help soldiers and had been done without consulting the union. "The recommendation is unfair and unequal to the thousands of members trapped in the cycle of pay stagnation between their 4th and 14th year in their ranks‚ and who experience exactly the same prejudice in pay and pension as the category singled out for restitution by the DFSC‚" Sandu said in a statement. It added that the recommendation, as well as the process by which it was arrived at‚ was “arbitrary‚ unilateral‚ unlawfully discriminatory and unfair." Sandu also said it would keep a close eye on the commission's recommendation of a new pay dispensation‚ to be rolled out over the next two years. Read this report n full at TimesLive. Read Sandu’s press statement in this regard at Sandu online
|
Get South African labour news reports at SA Labour News