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.
In our Tuesday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Monday, 7 August 2017.
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Sanef asks court to find BLF in contempt over intimidation of journalists eNCA reports that the SA National Editors' Forum (Sanef) will present arguments in the High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday as to why the Black First Land First (BLF) group and its leader Andile Mngxitama should be found in contempt of court. On 7 July, the court granted Sanef and 11 journalists a protection order interdicting the BLF and Mngxitama from threatening, harassing or intimidating journalists, going to their homes, or threatening them on social media. Sanef is now bringing the urgent application for contempt after Mngxitama and BLF members tried to enter a Daily Maverick event, “The Gathering”, in Cape Town last week. Security guards stopped them. The notice of motion in the latest matter seeks to have Mngxitama and the BLF found in contempt of the 7 July order. Nonetheless it is proposed that, if granted, Mngxitama’s arrest and the jail time should be suspended. If he then acts in a way defying the previous court order, the suspension would be lifted and his arrest and imprisonment would go ahead. Read this report in full at eNCA. See too, Sanef wants BLF leader’s arrest and jail time ordered over media intimidation, at News24 White manager at Ocean Basket Lakeside in Benoni attacks black employee The Citizen reports that video footage has emerged of a man, apparently a manager, assaulting a junior employee at the Ocean Basket Lakefield in Benoni. In the video, a white man slaps a black employee several times in the face as he tries to get away from him. The victim moves away from the attacker, who follows him to a corner, slapping him again and kneeing him in the stomach and chest. Grace Harding, CEO of Ocean Basket, commented: I am deeply saddened and shocked at the content of the footage in this video. We have made contact with the people in the footage, and together with our legal counsel, this matter is under urgent investigation.” She added: “The franchisee has relinquished his shares in the store with immediate effect. He is no longer a part of the Ocean Basket group of franchisees. The employee spent time with me and has been offered counselling. He has chosen to remain in the store with a new owner.” Read this report and watch the video at The Citizen. Read too, Ocean Basket franchise owner slaps, knees worker, at TimesLive Uber SA accused of not caring for safety of its drivers TimesLive reports that, following an attack on a driver who allegedly had acid poured on his face and hands by a male passenger on Sunday morning, Uber SA has been accused of not valuing the safety of its drivers. The attack occurred in Northcliff‚ Johannesburg‚ and the 51-year-old driver sustained critical burn wounds. Uber Drivers Movement spokesman Zweli Ngwenya said on Monday: “We have been pleading with Uber to revisit the cash trip system or to improve its rider verification process but the company continues to ignore our requests. Drivers are being hijacked and assaulted while Uber behaves as if a life of a driver is not important or it can be replaced.” Uber SA said the attack was “deeply upsetting” and it was investigating the matter. The service refused to further comment on the matter or respond to the accusations made by the drivers’ movement‚ saying it would release a statement on Tuesday. Meantime, police have opened a case of hijacking and attempted murder. No arrest has been made. Read this report by Bafana Nzimande in full at TimesLive. Read too, Gauteng police concerned about attacks on Uber drivers, at SABC News. And also, Two arrested for trying to hijack Uber driver in Johannesburg, at EWN Epping fire destroys furniture factory, no injuries reported IOL News reports that a fire broke out, reportedly at a furniture factory, in Epping Industria on Tuesday morning. The cause of the fire is as yet unknown and no injuries have been reported. The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services responded to the incident in Duiker Avenue, Epping Industrial Area, just after 9am on Tuesday morning. Spokesperson Theo Layne said: Currently we have a total of 12 firefighting vehicles … including eight fire engines and two water tankers as well as a rescue vehicle on the scene.” A short report is at IOL News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Lonmin accused by Solidarity of favouring Amcu Business Report writes that trade union Solidarity has launched a scathing attack on Lonmin, accusing it of favouring the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) at the expense of other unions represented in the company. General Secretary Gideon du Plessis on Monday reported that the platinum producer had given Solidarity, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the United Association of SA (Uasa) notice that the limited organisational rights the three enjoyed would be terminated on 5 November 2017. He said this could have negative consequences for the company, as the three unions represented the majority of skilled employees and the decision meant that those workers would now be unrepresented. Du Plessis also blamed the company for backtracking on a previous promise to keep in place the organisational rights afforded the three unions. In a letter to Solidarity dated on 2 August, Lonmin said that Amcu had objected to the continued existence of the limited organisational rights agreement. A Lonmin spokesperson confirmed that the company had started a process of looking at the unions with limited organisational rights as their representation levels were well below the required thresholds. Read this report by Dineo Faku in full at Business Report. Read too, Lonmin issues notice to three unions to terminate organisational rights, at The Citizen. Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online Zwane files answering affidavit in Chamber’s revised Mining Charter case ANA reports that Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane has filed his answering affidavit in the North Gauteng High Court to oppose the urgent interdict application by the Chamber of Mines (COM) seeking to prevent government from implementing the revised Mining Charter. The COM applied in June to have the Mining Charter reviewed and set aside, saying it would be harmful to the industry and the economy because of its content, as well as the vague and contradictory language used therein. The Charter, which was gazetted in June, inter alia sets new black ownership targets for the industry. In his answering affidavit, Zwane accuses the COM of attempting to block effective and meaningful participation of black people in the mining and minerals industry. He also says that the Charter was never meant to be an ‘aspirational document’, as suggested by the Chamber. Furthermore, Zwane denies the COM’s allegation that he had not held meaningful consultations regarding the implementation of the Charter. Read this report in full at The Citizen. See too, Chamber of Mines is blocking blacks, Zwane argues in court papers, at BusinessLive. And also, Zwane, COM’s dispute over revised Mining Charter heats up, at Mining Weekly. As well as, Zwane launches counter-attack saying Charter must be flexible, at Miningmx Other labour/community posting(s) related to mining
Other postings on Mining Charter / Moratorium on Mining Licenses
‘Youth unemployment in SA is a national crisis’ Fin24 reports that, as pointed out by Stanlib chief economist Kevin Lings, SA’s labour market failed to gain any meaningful traction over the past year, with the unemployment rate, especially for the youth, remaining exceedingly high by global standards. Statistics SA announced the unemployment figures for the second quarter of 2017 on Monday, which showed that the unemployment rate remained stagnant at a worrying 27.7%, which is its highest level since the data series started. The unemployment rate for the youth younger than 25 - using the expanded definition that includes discouraged workers - is a shockingly high 67.4%. “Clearly, the rate of youth unemployed has become a national crisis, with significant social, economic and political implications,” warned Lings. He went on to state: “Increasing employment in South Africa has to be the number one economic, political and social objective, and can only be resolved meaningfully through a concerted and sustained effort to improve skills development as well as encourage private sector fixed investment spending, business development and entrepreneurship.” Read this report by Liesl Peyper in full at Fin24. See too, Youth vulnerable as unemployment stays at highest rate since 2003, at Fin24. And also, SA job crisis to worsen in 2017, says Cosatu, at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Shortage keeps over 5,000 poorly qualified teachers in place BusinessLive reports that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is stuck with more than 5,000 underqualified or unqualified teachers it cannot eliminate because of a tremendous shortage of teachers. On Monday, DBE spokesman Elijah Mhlanga confirmed the figures, but said removing the unqualified teachers from the system would create a crisis. Unqualified teachers are those whose highest academic qualification is matric, while underqualified teachers are those who have obtained a post-matric qualifications, but have received fewer than three years of on-the-job training. These teachers are on the same salary scale as qualified colleagues. Most of them are based in KwaZulu-Natal, one of the provinces worst affected by shortages. The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) has recommended that the government provide high-quality training and meaningful professional support and development opportunities to teachers to enable them to improve their performance. Read this report by Michelle Gumede in full at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Medical schemes and health providers affected by dip in formal sector jobs BusinessLive reports that, with fewer employed workers contributing to medical schemes, the schemes’ poor performance has put pressure on payments made to providers such as Life Healthcare. Gryphon Asset Managers analyst Casperus Treunicht explained that pressure in formal employment was negatively affecting medical schemes, which in turn reduced payments from the insured pool to healthcare providers. "We know that Discovery and Bonitas are doing this and now we are also hearing rumours coming from the GEMS [Government Employees Medical Scheme]," he indicated. Council of Medical Schemes data show there was a 0.06% decrease in the number of beneficiaries in schemes between 2014 and 2015. In the same period, scheme expenditure on private hospitals increased 9.36%. A short report by Michelle Gumede is at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Labour Court orders that four SAA executives be investigated for misconduct Fin24 reports that the Labour Court has ordered that investigations currently being conducted at South African Airways (SAA) be broadened to look into the conduct of four officials. The carrier lost a court bid on Friday to block members of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) from marching at SAA and SAA Technical. Among the union’s demands had been that the executives be suspended pending a disciplinary process. SAA’s application backfired and the court ordered that investigations should determine if the conduct of former acting CEO Musa Zwane, Head of Baseline Maintenance Chaile Makaleng, Head of Procurement Nontsasa Memela and Princess Tshabalala, who also in the procurement department, was in breach of SAA's policies. If the findings show there to have been misconduct then "appropriate action" is to be taken. Contrary to Numsa’s press statement on this matter, the court apparently did not order the suspension of the four officials. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi commented: “Since we got what we wanted through the courts, we now no longer have to resort to a strike.” Read this report in full at Fin24. Read Numsa’s press statement at Polity Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Rea Vaya and some Metrobus services in Joburg halted as protests break out TimesLive reports that bus services in some parts of Johannesburg have been halted because of community-led protests that broke out in the early hours of Tuesday ahead of the motion of no confidence vote in Parliament. Metrobus indicated that its buses were not operational in South Jo’burg‚ in Soweto and surrounding areas‚ Turffontein and Rosettenville. It expressed the hope of being able to resume services later in the day if the protests cleared up. According to Rea Vaya spokesperson Benny Makgoga, all their buses might be suspended for the rest of the day. He said: “We have temporarily suspended the operation of our buses. We are not sure if we will work today. The safety of our drivers and facilities is not guaranteed when roads are blocked with rocks and tires. We suspect the afternoon might be worse because of the voting in parliament for the motion of no confidence. It might get tense‚ so we cannot confirm if we will have buses.” Read this report by Kgaugelo Masweneng in full at TimesLive. See too, Major roads in JHB blocked by protesters ahead of no confidence vote, at News24. And also, JMPD clears some roads following protests, at EWN
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Monday, 7 August 2017 at SA Labour News
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Get South African labour news reports at SA Labour News