In our Thursday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Wednesday, 19 June 2017.
|
Body of missing fisherman found near Port Elizabeth, seven still missing News24 reports that the body of one of the missing Maredon fishermen was located on Wednesday, Eastern Cape police have confirmed. A spokesperson said the remains of Mbongeni Gift Zulu, 43, of Jeffreys Bay, who was aboard the fishing vessel when it capsized off Cape St Francis early on Sunday, was found floating in the sea near Blue Horizon Bay in Port Elizabeth. On Sunday, the body of a dead fisherman was recovered and seven people were rescued on shore at Sunset Rocks. Seven fishermen remain missing. Sixteen people had been on board the fishing vessel when it capsized. Volunteers on Wednesday joined in the search and the search area was extended. An inquest docket has been opened. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana is expected to visit the families this week. Read this report by Tammy Petersen in full at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Police and Transport Ministers appeal for calm in Uber / metered-taxi drivers’ dispute ANA reports that Police Minister Fikile Mbalula and Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi have appealed for calm in the dispute between metered taxis and Uber. This was after they met on Wednesday and discussed the increasing violent attacks involving the metered taxi operators and e-hailing operators such as Uber. A joint statement issued on Thursday on behalf of the two department indicated that government was finalising the National Land Transport Act Amendment Bill, which would cover e-hailing public transport services. The ministers also emphasised that any operator who operated a public transport service without an operating licence would be violating the law and law enforcement officers would act in respect of such an operator. On Monday, Uber driver Lindelani Mashau died in hospital after suffering serious burn wounds when his car was set alight, allegedly by metered-taxi operators, in a petrol-bomb attack in June in Pretoria. Mbalula and Maswanganyi strongly warned the parties to immediately cease acts of intimidation and disorder that have engulfed the industry. Read this report in full at IOL News. Read too, Uber slams intimidation of its drivers, at eNCA. And also, Attacks, some deadly, on Uber drivers finally get ministers’ attention, at BusinessLive. As well as, Calls for permits for Uber taxis in effort to maintain peace, at Cape Times Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Chamber of Mines may seek second interdict as war breaks out with Zwane David McKay reports that the Chamber of Mines of SA is contemplating the launch of a second interdict application against the government in as many months following a notice in the Government Gazette on Wednesday which critics say would cripple the industry. Relying on certain legislative discretional powers, the Minister of Mineral Resources, Mosebenzi Zwane, plans to suspend all new mining and prospecting licenses. Affected parties have been given until 4 August to make submissions to the DMR. The move has been interpreted by an attorney from Webber Wentzel as an effort to “… force the industry to ultimately bow to the minister’s whim in respect of Mining Charter III”. The Chamber said on Thursday it was “… writing to the minister to request his immediate withdrawal of the notice, failing which the Chamber will apply for an urgent interdict to suspend and review the notice”. It believes the notice constitutes “an unlawful action” for a number of reasons. Read this report in full at Miningmx. See too, Chamber to Zwane: withdraw or we’re going to court (again), at Moneyweb. And also, Zwane hits back at Mining Charter critics, at The New Age Other general posting(s) related to mining
Other labour/community posting(s) related to mining
Flying squad and crime prevention cops put on 10111 duty during strike TimesLive reports that flying squad and crime prevention unit police officers were yesterday reportedly pulled off from the streets and ordered to replace scores of striking SA Police Service (SAPS) 10111 emergency call centre employees. The SA Policing Union (Sapu), said it had launched investigations into the allegations that the SAPS recruited external staff to fill in while call centre operators were on a protected strike. Sapu Gauteng’s Peter Ntsime said the SAPS was undermining salary negotiations and went on to say: "We are told that flying squad members are now operating calls. Those people are not trained to operate calls and dispatch information.'' Police spokesman Sally de Beer said the SAPS was "not prepared to divulge operational details on deployments''. Call centre operators are demanding an job level upgrade to match a benchmark salary for all government call centre operators. Read this report Lorraine Zireva and Peter Ramothwala in full at TimesLive. Read too, SAPS hotline agents on strike over salaries, at Cape Times. And also, SAPS officers to man 10111 call centres, at SA Govt News Agency Policing union, CCMA to meet in bid to end 10111 call centre operators' strike EWN reports that the South African Policing Union (Sapu) says it will be meeting with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Thursday morning in an effort to find common ground and end the strike by 10111 call centre workers. Workers, who are unhappy over wages and labour practices, demonstrated outside the provincial SA Police Service offices (SAPS) on Wednesday after negotiations reached a deadlock. They claim they are among the lowest earning government call centre agents despite being the busiest. The union is due to hold a briefing later on Thursday on the outcome of the CCMA meeting. A short report by Thando Kubheka is at EWN Contingency plan for services at national health laboratory as strike looms Daily News reports that the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) on Tuesday moved to assure the nation that it was working on contingency plans to ensure that pathology services were provided despite a looming wage strike. Acting CE Shabir Madhi said they were fully aware of the possible negative impact a strike might have on the public healthcare system. “NHLS management in various provinces will work with the provincial departments of health to minimise its impact,” he said. This came as the health department convened a meeting on Tuesday to try and broker an agreement between the NHLS and the unions concerned on the wage issue. The unions are demanding increases of between 7% and 13%, while the NHLS is offering 3%. Some of the unions have already been granted a certificate to strike by the CCMA, but have yet to give notice to the NHLS. The seriousness of the situation has prompted the Democratic Alliance (DA) to call on Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to intervene. Negotiations are apparently still continuing. Read this report by Mayibongwe Maqhina in full at Daily News. See too, Failed talks could lead to lab strikes, at The Star Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) staff urged not to strike over corruption concerns The New Age reports that the office of Gauteng economic development MEC Lebogang Maile has urged employees of Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) not to resort to strike action as his office was open to engagements regarding their allegations about widespread maladministration and corruption in the entity. This was after GEP employees handed a memorandum to the office of GEP CEO Leah Manenzhe, Maile and the Gauteng legislature on Tuesday containing allegations of widespread corruption in the entity. GEP is tasked with growing small and medium enterprises and promote entrepreneurship development in the province. “We have accepted the memorandum, we are looking at issues and we will respond at the right time. Strike action should be the last resort because our doors are always open for engagement.” Maile’s spokesperson Castro Ngobese said. Read this report by Ntombi Nkosi in full at The New Age. Read a press statement by the PSA in this regard at PSA online Other internet posting(s) in this news category
No bonuses paid to Pick n Pay executives in last financial year BusinessLive writes that Pick n Pay’s remuneration committee may have set the scene for a tougher approach to executive rewards in the besieged retail sector with its decision not to pay short-term bonuses for the year to end-February 2017. The decision, as a result of poor turnover growth and failure to meet working capital targets, will hit the top executives hard. For financial 2016, CEO Richard Brasher received a short-term annual bonus of R15m, taking his remuneration to R24.4m. For 2017, Brasher received remuneration of R10m and no bonus. Executive director Richard van Rensburg’s pay dropped from R7.1m to R4.7m, while finance director Bakar Jakoet’s fell from R6.6m to R4.8m. The group’s 2017 annual report shows that, while none of the senior executives received a bonus, discretionary bonuses were paid to key staff at lower management levels. One remuneration consultant described Pick n Pay’s move as encouraging and indicated the remuneration committee was taking its responsibility seriously. Read this report by Ann Crotty in full at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Motsoeneng’s challenge to his SABC dismissal to be heard at CCMA on 1 August EWN reports that former SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s fight against the public broadcaster is expected to continue next month. He is fighting his dismissal which followed a disciplinary committee having found him guilty of contravening the broadcaster’s code of conduct by holding a press conference while he was on suspension. Motsoeneng is taking the SABC to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on the basis of alleged unfair dismissal. The broadcaster’s interim board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama confirmed that they had been given notice to appear in regard to the matter. The hearing is apparently scheduled for 1 August 2017. A short report by Masego Rahlaga is at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Nkandla ‘fall guy’ gets her chance to defend herself at disciplinary hearing TimesLive reports that a public works employee, Jayshree Pardesi, will on Thursday get the chance to defend herself against accusations that she unfairly and incorrectly awarded contracts to a company to do upgrades to President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead. One of the 10 so-called “Nkandla fall guys”‚ she is currently facing charges by her employer. Her disciplinary hearing started in Durban on Wednesday. Pardesi is accused of illegally awarding a contract to Moneymine Investments 310 CC‚ a company that built Phase 1 of Zuma’s R246-million rand home. Pardesi‚ national director of key accounts management‚ was part of the bid adjudicating committee that procured‚ approved and awarded the tender to Moneymine in one day‚ on 1 June 2010. A witness for the department testified on Wednesday that the bid committee awarded the contract without following correct processes. Read this report by Nathi Olifant in full at TimesLive. See too, Nkandla 'fall guy' tells her side of the story, at The Mercury Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Eskom ‘galloping’ into financial distress, says NUM ANA reports that, in noting the release of the Eskom's integrated results on Wednesday, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) commented that the state-owned power utility was galloping into financial distress. This despite an EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax and Depreciation) of R38 billion, representing an increase of 14.4%. However, according to the NUM’s statement, net profit had declined from R4.6 billion to R1 billion. NUM Energy Sector Coordinator, Paris Mashego, said: "The Eskom response to this poor performance is to embark on cost cutting measures, always directed at our members and other employees. We call upon the board chairperson to convene an urgent meeting with the NUM to discuss the crisis." The union also called on the Public Enterprises Minister to convene a forum for all stakeholders to discuss the management and control of all state-owned enterprises. Read this report in full at Business Report. Read the NUM’s press statement at Cosatu Today. Read too, Eskom is financially stable, says Eskom finance chief, at Business Report. And also, Eskom says it has no plans to shut down power stations, at EWN DA to lay criminal charges against Eskom CFO Anoj Singh Business Report writes that the Democratic Alliance (DA) will be laying criminal charges against Eskom’s Chief Financial Officer, Anoj Singh. In a statement released by the party on Thursday it said that it had reason to believe that Singh allegedly might have played a pivotal role in the Guptas’ capture of Eskom. The official opposition said that Singh has been linked to a range of corruption scandals and dodgy deals at Eskom which must be fully investigated. These include: the Trillian contracts of R495 million, as a subcontractor of McKinsey; the arbitration settlement of R577 million, reduced from R2.1 billion, for Tegeta; giving Tegeta a R1.6 billion guarantee to purchase Optimum even if it wasn’t used; and the upfront coal contract payment to Tegeta. Read this report in full at Business Report. Read the DA’s press statement at DA Newsroom Other internet posting(s) in this news category
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Wednesday, 19 July 2017 at SA Labour News
|
Get South African labour news reports at SA Labour News