In our Friday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Thursday, 31 August 2017.
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Condemnation of attacks on Cape Town firefighters trying to assist Cape Argus reports that the City of Cape Town has noted with disappointment an increase in the number of incidents where firefighters have been prevented from doing their jobs. “Attacks on firefighters are becoming far too commonplace and it’s disgusting. If people aren’t stoning the fire engines, they threaten or harass the firefighters trying to get to the front line or even cut their hoses. “It’s unbelievable. The very people the firefighters are trying to protect are causing delays…” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety, Security and Social Services, JP Smith. He said residents needed to realise that they were not the enemy and such behaviour could rob communities of a potential lifesaving service. A team of firefighters briefly withdrew from an assignment at an informal settlement in Rylands on the Cape Flats on Wednesday after residents turned on them. Firefighters were also prevented from doing their job in Joe Slovo, near Milnerton, and Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay. Read this report by Okuhle Hlati in full at Cape Argus Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Harmony Gold to hold memorial service on Monday for dead Kusasalethu miners EWN reports that Harmony Gold is planning a memorial service on Monday for five of its miners who were killed in a seismic event at its Kusasalethu Mine. The group were trapped underground during a rockfall last Friday morning. Rescuers on Thursday brought the last two bodies to the surface. Spokesperson Lauren Fourie said: “We are planning on having a memorial service on Monday morning to mourn the loss together with the family of the five trapped miners that unfortunately lost their lives after a tragic incident seismic event last week Friday.” This short report by Pelane Phakgadi is at EWN. Read too, Bodies of two Kusasalethu miners are recovered, at Business Report. Read Harmony’s most recent press statement at Harmony online Zwane to receive Kusasalethu seismic incident report on Friday ANA reports that Harmony Gold management was on Friday due to brief Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane on the seismic incident a week ago that killed five mineworkers at the Kusasalethu mine. The Chief Inspector of Mines and the department’s inspectors, who were part of the rescue teams, were expected to present Zwane with a seismic incident report. On Thursday, the bodies of the last two of the five trapped mineworkers were recovered, nearly a week after the seismic incident. “We will continue to provide the necessary support to the families of the deceased. We are grateful to our colleagues and the scores of volunteer members of Mine Rescue Services from across South Africa for their unwavering commitment to the rescue operation,” Harmony CE Peter Steenkamp said. Investigations into the incident, involving representatives of Harmony Gold, organised labour and the health and safety directorate of the DMR, will be taking place. Read this report in full at eNCA ‘Broad agreement’ on settlement terms in class action silicosis case against gold mines Bloomberg reports that former workers who contracted deadly lung diseases, particularly silicosis, in SA gold mines decades ago may soon finally receive compensation. Six large mining companies have set aside about $390 million to settle a class action lawsuit brought by victims. “There’s broad agreement on the terms of a settlement,” said Richard Spoor, the human rights lawyer who brought the suit after first beginning the case against producers in 2006. He said the parties were working on processes to distribute payments to tens of thousands of claimants living across southern Africa, with work likely to be concluded by the end of the year. Alan Fine, a spokesman for the companies, agreed on that timeframe, although he said that an agreement had yet to be finalised. While the six mining companies are preparing to settle, they do not admit liability for ignoring safety standards or failing to protect their employees. Apart from the lawsuit settlement, the compensation fund in terms of the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act says it has tripled annual payouts after tackling administrative problems that left more than 100,000 verified claimants waiting for money. Read this report by Kevin Crowley in full at Moneyweb Trans Hex to close Baken mine, starts consultations with NUM over 332 lay-offs Mining Weekly reports that diamond producer Trans Hex will be placing its Baken mine, in the Northern Cape, on care and maintenance from 1 November. The miner on Friday said that, while every effort had been taken to sustain operations at the mine, its low-carat production and subsequent financial losses have made the operation unsustainable. Trans Hex has issued a notice to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and on 1 September started consultations with the union over the potential retrenchment of the mine’s 332 employees. Operations at the mine will continue during the consultation process. A short report is at Mining Weekly Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Postings on Mining Charter
Western Cape water crisis: 17,000 jobs on the line Cape Argus reports that Western Cape standing committee chairperson on economic opportunities, tourism and agriculture, Beverley Schäfer, says that a possible drop of 10% in agricultural produce due to the drought could lead to 17,000 job losses in the province. An agricultural economist also warned that the current drought will have the biggest impact on seasonal employment in December. On Tuesday, the National Disaster Management Centre announced it would be allocating R40m to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture for drought relief. The funds will be used for livestock feed for 1,300 farmers. Businesses have moreover warned that the persistent drought will be felt by consumers. The fruit industry is also expecting a drop in exports of fruit to international markets in December because of fewer yields after cutbacks on land under irrigation. The reduction in irrigation has also had a huge impact on the quality of fruit. Read this report by Rusana Philander in full at Cape Argus Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Cosatu to strike on 27 September against state capture, corruption News24 reports that Cosatu intends on Wednesday, 27 September to hold a nationwide strike against state capture, corruption and job losses, the trade union federation announced on Thursday at a press briefing. It has already obtained a certificate from Nedlac permitting the strike. All Cosatu affiliates in various sectors are expected to join the strike. General secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said the twin evils of corruption and job losses had cost workers their jobs and robbed people of much-needed services. Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini said the strike was not about President Jacob Zuma, who has been accused of being involved in state capture involving his friends, the Gupta family. "We are striking against corruption in the private and public sector and any individual supposedly guilty of corruption will be targeted," he stated. Cosatu first deputy president Tyotyo James indicated that Cosatu would continue its campaign for Zuma to step down. Read this report by Mahlatse Gallens in full at News24. Read Cosatu’s full statement following its CEC meeting earlier week at Cosatu Today Workers at Spif Beleggings Chickens vow to strike until wage demand is met Bosveld Review reports that some 500 workers at Spif Beleggings Chickens in Mookgophong (Naboomspruit), who are represented by the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu), have been left without any source of an income since May. This was after wage negotiations between the company and union reached a deadlock and they went on strike. Fawu Limpopo provincial secretary Nelson Semenya said: “Workers are demanding a R300 wage increment, while the company is offering R250. The strike is still continuing. It is a lawful strike and we are still on a deadlock but we are trying by all means to bring the company to the table.” The strike started on 18 May. The union has donated food parcels to workers to fill the void caused by the strike. The MD of Spif Beleggings Kevin Traviss blamed the poultry recession as being one of the contributing factors for their inability to meet the workers’ demands. He added the continuous strike had violated a picketing agreement signed by both parties at the CCMA. Read this report in full at Bosveld Review Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Turf war between Ceppwawu and Amcu at door manufacturer turns deadly BusinessLive reports that a turf war between the Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppwawu) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has resulted in the deaths of two people. Amcu’s battle to be recognised at Solid Doors has also resulted in more than 1,000 workers at its Ekandustria, Tshwane, factory being fired. This week, the company obtained a court order to stop former employees from coming within 600m of its premises. Employees who participated in a strike on 4 May were fired and days later two people died in worker protests. Some 839 of the workers are challenging their dismissals in the Labour Court. The dispute stemmed from the company’s refusal to recognise Amcu as it had a collective agreement in place with Ceppwawu. The workers’ main grievance and the reason they wanted Amcu recognition was over poor remuneration. Following an unsuccessful verification exercise, Amcu has now lodged an application with the CCMA for organisational rights. Read this report by Roxanne Henderson in full at BusinessLive
Cosatu backs Cyril to the hilt for ANC president and has no plan B SowetanLive reports that labour federation Cosatu is so confident Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will be victorious at the ANC elective conference in December that it has not bothered to have a plan B. But, it said it would not walk away from the ANC-led alliance regardless of who succeeded President Jacob Zuma as leader. Speaking on Thursday at a media briefing after a central executive committee (CEC) meeting, general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said they believed the majority of ANC members would elect Ramaphosa as the next ANC leader. But, Cosatu appeared to be contradicting itself when it said it did not have a plan B for the ANC presidency, but wanted the decision taken by the SA Communist Party (SACP) at its recent congress to be debated by the federation's national congress next year. Cosatu second deputy president Zingiswa Losi said: "One implication will be whether, if the SACP contests the state power what does it mean in terms of its relation to the alliance. The congress will have to look into what does that resolution means.” Read this report by Ngwako Modjadji in full at SowetanLive. Read too, There’s no ‘Plan B’, it’s President Ramaphosa and nothing else, says Cosatu, at News24. And also, Cosatu shows its support for Ramaphosa presidential campaign, at The Star Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Labour brokers face court action for ignoring ruling that clients are sole employers of temps BusinessLive reports that Lawyers for Human Rights and the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) have challenged the decision by labour brokers to ignore a court judgment that removed them as dual employers of temporary workers. The Labour Appeals Court ruled in July that clients of labour brokers were sole employers responsible for the permanent hiring of temporary staff after three months. The matter, which dealt with a Labour Relations Act amendment implemented in 2016, meant that after a three-month period the client would be the exclusive employer rather than that labour brokers were dual employers. The Confederation of Associations in the Private Employment Sector (Capes), which represents labour brokers, said that because it was contesting the judgment in the Constitutional Court its members were not bound by the LAC ruling. However, Lawyers for Human Rights has threatened legal action if Capes does not retract its statement encouraging labour brokers to continue with the "status quo". A short report by Theto Mahlakoana is at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Motsoeneng vows to defend bid to withhold his SABC pension pay-out Business Report writes that former SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng has vowed to defend his pension pay-out and get back his job at the public broadcaster. He told journalists on Thursday that he was ready to defend all pending legal cases against him, but admitted that his uppermost priority was to put in a solid legal challenge against the SABC interim board’s bid to prevent him from accessing his pension pay-out. On 4 August, the board lodged an urgent application in the High Court in which it asked the court to interdict the SABC Pension Fund from paying Motsoeneng out. The board argued that a previous decision to award Motsoeneng an R11.5m bonus was “irrational, irregular and without any factual or legal basis”. Motsoeneng also said he would be in the Labour Court on 6 September to give reasons why he should not be held personally liable for legal costs of the so-called ‘SABC 8’. The application for costs by Solidarity came after the SABC 8 successfully challenged their dismissals. Read this report by Baldwin Ndaba in full at Business Report Other internet posting(s) in this news category
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Thursday, 31 August 2017 at SA Labour News
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