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, 14 August 2017.
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UCT study shows retired rugby players hit by mental illnesses Cape Argus reports that a study by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT’s) Division of Exercise Science and Sport Medicine has found that retired rugby players showed a wide variety of symptoms related to mental health. The study looked at 295 retired players from South Africa, Ireland and France and found between 25% and 30% of them reported symptoms related to distress, anxiety, depression or sleep disturbances. In a recent similar study, they also looked at 990 current professional rugby players from several countries, including SA, and it showed that between 15% and 20% of current players reported the same symptoms. UCT lecturer Dr Vincent Gouttebarge said it was a good thing that more research was being done on the topic. Stefan Terblanche, chief executive of the South African Rugby Legends Association, has called for more to be done to address mental health issues that players can experience once retired. Read this report by Yoliswa Tswanya in full at Cape Argus Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Yet another major setback for Lily Mine Business Report writes that merger talks between Toronto-listed Galane Gold and Vantage Goldfields that were aimed at reviving production at Lily Mine in Mpumalanga have collapsed. Trade union Solidarity said on Monday that the negotiations fell through at the last minute last week. The bodies of three mineworkers remain trapped in a container underground at the mine. Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis said: “In talks with Lily’s top management, I was told that the transaction was cancelled and that Lily’s management is investigating two other options.” The transaction would have seen Galane and Vantage merging to raise R200 million for the resumption of production. Du Plessis said that the failure of the transaction was a major setback for Lily workers and the surrounding community, which depended on the mine for an income. Noting that with every transaction that has failed over the past 18 months, it has taken six months before the next potential investor or buyer came forward, Du Plessis added that it was now time for the creditors and Lily’s employees to investigate the benefits of liquidation instead of business rescue. Read this report by Dineo Faku in full at Business Report. And also, Hopes dashed as Lily mine deal fails at last minute, at Fin24. Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online UJ, Wits mining schools get R30m funding from Sibanye ANA reports that Sibanye Gold on Tuesday announced a R30 million sponsorship for the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to underpin its commitment to tertiary education. The precious metals’ producer provided funding of R25 million to the same institutions in 2014. Sibanye said the funding will enable both universities to maintain high quality teaching and learning standards, support increased intensity in research and innovation and provide essential capital for development and maintenance of world class facilities. In 2016, Sibanye funded R49 million in bursaries and internships and committed to invest a further R432 million over the next five years, to ensure access to quality tertiary education for about 640 young South Africans entering the mining industry. Meanwhile, Sibanye last week also signed a three-year R15 million partnership with UJ to integrate mining education with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Read this report in full at IOL News. See too, Sibanye donates R30m to UJ, Wits, at Mining Weekly. And also, Sibanye adds gold to universities with generous investment, at Business Report Community organisation march to DMR’s offices on Tuesday Mining Weekly reports that civil society organisation, the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua), was due to march to the offices of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) on Tuesday to hand over a memorandum of demands. These demands will include that the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) be scrapped and that there be a moratorium on “persecuting zama-zama miners”. The organisation stated on Monday that the blanket ban on artisanal mining that is enacted in the current legislation of the MPRDA contradicts the United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – a binding treaty signed by South Africa in 1994 and ratified in 2015, which, among other things, requires the South African government to recognise the right of its citizens to work. It added that the African Union’s African Charter on Human and People’s Rights similarly recognised the right to work, as does South Africa’s Constitution. This short report is at Mining Weekly. Read too, Zama zamas hold a protest march on Tuesday, at The Star Other labour/community posting(s) related to mining
Postings on Mining Charter
Amnesty International says SA must prosecute 2012 Marikana deaths Bloomberg reports that Amnesty International SA has urged South African authorities to move forward with prosecutions over the killing by police of 34 people on 16 August 2012 at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum operations. “The tragedy of the Marikana killings is compounded by the shocking fact that no one responsible for the bloodshed has yet been held accountable,” Shenilla Mohamed, executive director of Amnesty International SA, said in a statement on Monday. The organisation also called for victims and their families to receive adequate compensation. A spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Monday that, while no-one has been prosecuted for the 16 August 2012 killings, charges have been filed in a case relating to 10 other deaths that took place in the week ahead of the massacre. Read this report by Paul Burkhardt in full at Moneyweb. See too, Amnesty International wants justice for Marikana victims, at eNCA. Read Amnesty’s press statement at Amnesty International SA online Other internet posting(s) in this news category
84,000 job losses in the SA agriculture sector so far this year Business Report writes that according to a report by Agbiz (AgriBusiness Research) there have been 84,000 job cuts so far this year in the agriculture sector. The report shows that 44,000 jobs were lost in the first quarter and a further 40,000 in the second quarter of 2017. These job losses can apparently be attributed to lowered activity in labour intensive sectors such agriculture and some field crops. Most of the decline in employment occurred in the Northern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng where the majority of the labour intensive crops are grown. A notable cutback in employment of 23% quarter-on-quarter occurred in the Northern Cape. However the other five provinces saw an increase in employment, with Mpumalanga showing the highest employment growth of 13% quarter-on-quarter. Employment in the third quarter of the year could pick up in line with seasonal trends, with the improvement most likely to come from the horticulture industry. Read this report by Dhivana Rajgopaul in full at Business Report. Read the Agbiz report at Agbiz online Farming jobs at risk as Western Cape’s dry spell drags on BusinessLive reports that jobs in agriculture are on the line in the Western Cape, where halfway through the winter rainy season, the province remains in the grip of one of the worst dry spells on record. This also has implications for the province’s food security. The drought was far more severe and protracted than anyone had foreseen and rainfall probability remained uncertain, said Xanthea Limberg, Cape Town’s mayoral committee member responsible for water. Tony Ehrenreich, provincial secretary of labour federation Cosatu, has accused the Democratic Alliance--led City of Cape Town of mismanaging water shortages. "The city is not giving people water tanks so they can harvest their own water. It is not putting in place a seawater system that would reduce the usage of fresh water in the city," he stated. Read this report by Bekezela Phakathi in full at BusinessLive
10111 call centre workers to continue picket at police headquarters on Tuesday EWN reports that striking 10111 call centre workers will continue their picket outside the police headquarters in Midrand on Tuesday. They suspended their demonstration on Monday, as they mobilised non-striking workers to join their work stoppage. They are demanding the same salaries as their colleagues at other government call centres. Last week, the Labour Court in Johannesburg granted the South African Police Service (SAPS) an interdict against acts of intimidation by the strikers. Worker representative Bethuel Nkuna indicated that they would not be contravening the court order. A short report by Pelane Phakgadi is at EWN
OECD survey predicts ‘timid’ 0.6% growth for SA in 2017 BusinessLive reports that a "timid" rebound of 0.6% in SA’s growth this year is projected by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as investment and exports recover moderately with the improving international economy. The OECD notes in its 2017 Economic Survey of SA that low growth and high unemployment are weighing down social progress and "bold structural reforms" are needed to unlock the economy. Growth has been disappointing over the past few years, with weak consumer demand, falling business investment, policy uncertainty and drought damping activity. "Reviving economic growth is crucial to increase wellbeing, job creation and inclusivity," the survey emphasises. Amongst other concerns, reforms are needed to increase access to network sectors and services and to improve the functioning of the labour market. The quality of education also needs to be improved to tackle skills shortages. Read this report by Linda Ensor in full at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Chinese company to open two more factories in KZN, creating 1,000 more jobs Business Report reports that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Willies Mchunu announced on Monday that a Chinese company, Jingmen Hubei from Hubei Province, will be opening two more factories in KZN at Izimbokodweni and Umgababa, South of Durban. This will be in addition to a project in Cato Ridge, where Jingmen Hubei has acquired a 60% stake in Shu Powders, a cobalt powder manufacturer. According to a statement, the factories will feature a large recycling park and are also expected to create up to 1,000 jobs specialising in recycling. “These (projects) are indeed good news that will help strengthen socio-economic relations between the two provinces,” Premier Mchunu said. He added that the province was keen to take advantage of bilateral relations between South Africa and other countries, including the BRICS bloc. Read this report by Songezo Ndlendle in full at Business Report Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Hlaudi Motsoeneng expected in Labour Court on Tuesday over SABC 8 News24 reports that former SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng was due to appear in the Johannesburg Labour Court on Tuesday to explain why he should not be held personally liable for the wrongful dismissal of the so-called SABC 8 journalists. The eight were fired by the public broadcaster in July 2016 for speaking out against Motsoeneng's policy of no longer airing footage of violent protests. Seven of them were subsequently rehired following a High Court ruling. In June, the SABC announced Motsoeneng’s dismissal after he was found guilty by an internal disciplinary hearing of bringing the SABC into disrepute and causing irreparable damage to his employer. Read this report by James de Villiers in full at News24. Read too, Motsoeneng set to explain SABC 8 dismissals in Labour Court, at IOL News Hlaudi a no show at Labour Court for SABC 8’s costs hearing ANA reports that SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng failed to appear in the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday in trade union Solidarity's application for costs related to the cases involving the so-called SABC 8. The eight journalists were wrongfully dismissed in July 2016 and Solidarity wanted Motsoeneng to explain why he should not be held liable for the costs incurred during the journalists’ applications to be reinstated. There was no legal representative in court for Motsoeneng on Tuesday to explain his absence. SABC acting head of news Simon Tebele appeared alone and complained that he was not well, prompting the judge to postpone the case to 6 September. Solidarity’s Anton van der Bijl accused Motsoeneng of delaying the case. Should Motsoeneng or Tebele not be present when the court proceedings resume, the case will be heard in their absence. Read this report in full at eNCA. See too, Hlaudi Motsoeneng fails to show up for court case, at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Wata, Nanduwe granted access to all Soweto routes EWN reports that taxi associations Wata (Witwatersrand African Taxi Owners Association) and Nanduwe (Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association) were given back access to all routes in Soweto from Tuesday morning. Transport MEC Ismail Vadi had suspended their routes and closed their taxi ranks last month due to violence in which some 20 taxi drivers were killed. Vadi announced on Monday that the associations’ bosses had agreed to the conditions imposed by his department. Wata’s Mandlenkosi Maphalala said they were happy that they would operate on the routes again because they had lost a lot of money last month. A short report by Hitekani Magwedze is at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Monday, 14 August 2017 at SA Labour News
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Get South African labour news reports at SA Labour News