TOP STORY – TAXI WARS

Sandton a 'war zone' on Thursday night as Uber cars burn

TimesLive reports that Sandton city streets resembled a war zone on Thursday evening as Uber taxi drivers embarked on a rampage.  This seemingly took place to avenge an attack on two of their fellow drivers‚ whose vehicles had been petrol-bombed, allegedly by metered taxi drivers.  Apparently the drivers were removed from their cars beforehand.  One meter taxi was also set alight.  Police blocked off roads outside the Gautrain station as they tried to contain the feud between the metered taxi drivers and the Uber taxi drivers.  The area was a no-go zone as people believed to be taxi drivers were openly carrying guns and petrol bombs.  Hotels also called in extra security as Uber drivers went to the Gautrain station and nearby hotels in search of metered taxi drivers.  Police were overwhelmed and had to call on reinforcements to contain an escalating situation.

Read this report by Graeme Hosken in full at BusinessLive. Read too, Uber condemns Sandton taxi violence, at BusinessLive

Police monitoring Sandton on Friday following Uber, metered taxi wars

TimesLive reports that Gauteng police said that they would be maintaining a "strong presence" in the Sandton CBD on Friday after clashes between Uber drivers and metered taxi drivers on Thursday night.  Two Uber vehicles and a metered taxi vehicle were torched.  Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said:  "The situation is calm at the moment.  As for now‚ there will be police officers until things are back to normal."  No arrests have been made and police investigations will continue.  Speaking to eNCA on Friday morning‚ Uber general manager Jonathan Ayache condemned the violence and called on the police to step in.  Also on Friday‚ Minister of Transport Joe Maswanganyi denounced acts of violence and said:  "Perpetrators of violence and intimidation will be immediately dealt with in terms of the applicable laws.”  He called on operators to obtain the correct licencing as “anyone who operates a public transport service for reward without an Operating Licence will be violating the law."

Read this report by Jan Bornman in full at TimesLive

ANC in Gauteng calls on taxi drivers to put commuters' safety first

EWN reports that the Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) has called on both Uber and meter taxi drivers to put the safety of commuters first.  The provincial party said Thursday night’s violent clashes between the two groups were not good for the province as access to safe and reliable public transport systems were crucial for the economy.  There were violent clashes in Sandton on Thursday evening, which resulted in the torching of an Uber and a meter taxi, as well as another car.  The provincial party's Motalatale Modiba condemned the violence, saying:  “We cannot afford to have conflicts in the public transport sector.  We condemn acts of violence and intimidation.”

This short report by Tebogo Tshwane is at EWN. Read too, Gauteng ANC calls for end of battle between Uber and metered taxi operators, at News24

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• Minister of Transport condemns Sandton taxi violence, at Business Report
• Uber violence isn't over, says driver of metered taxi, at eNCA

MINING LABOUR

Amplats employee dies after chemical incident at refinery

ANA reports that an Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) employee has died from his injuries after suffering chemical burns in an accident at the company’s Precious Metals Refinery (PMR) in Rustenburg.  Amplats said the incident occurred on 21 August but the employee succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday this week.  Amplats finance director, Ian Botha, sent condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased and added:  “We are providing support and assistance to all involved during this difficult time.  An independent and comprehensive process is underway to understand the circumstances.  We continue to focus our energies on working towards zero harm for all our employees.”

A short report is at SABC News

Chamber of Mines says mining industry ‘in crisis’ and ‘has lost confidence in Zwane’

Reuters reports that the chief executive of the Chamber of Mines (COM) said on Friday that SA’s mining industry was in “crisis” and its companies have lost confidence in the mining minister, whose sowing of policy and regulatory uncertainty has led to a freeze on new investment.  In a speech to a mining conference in Australia, Roger Baxter painted a bleak picture of the industry, saying two thirds of SA’s platinum sector had been loss-making this year.  “The industry does not believe that the approaches adopted by the department of mineral resources are serving the national interest of the country,” Baxter stated.  Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane has drawn criticism after announcing a new Mining Charter that aims to widen ownership in the industry.  The COM has applied to the high court to prevent implementation of the Charter, saying it risked “vast and systemic damage” to the industry.  Addressing the same conference on Thursday, Zwane reiterated his commitment to the new policies.

Read this report by Wendell Roelf in full at Moneyweb. Read too, SA mining industry “has lost confidence in Zwane”: Baxter, at Miningmx

Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis outlines measures to fix SA mining, mitigate jobs bloodbath

Gideon du Plessis, general secretary of trade union Solidarity, points out that more than 22,000 mining employees presently have a so-called section 189 retrenchment notice in their hands.  However, the real impact of the situation is considerably worse if one considers that every miner has around 10 dependents and for every miner who is retrenched 1,7 job opportunities are lost in downstream businesses.  Apart from factors that cannot be controlled, such as a decrease in the demand for mineral resources, a drop in commodity prices, exchange rate fluctuations and mines that have been mined out resulting in retrenchment processes, there are many controllable factors underlying retrenchments that can be contained if only the political will and sound leadership exist.  Du Plessis argues that the factors that need to be addressed encompass: (1) illegal mining activities, (2) trade union rivalry; (3) a lack of modernisation partnerships between government and the private sector; (4) political agendas and corruption; and (5) an effective and untarnished minister.

Read this opinion piece in full at BizNews

NUM vs NUM as union members clash in Stilfontein at election meeting

Mail & Guardian reports that inter-union violence broke out in the mining town of Stilfontein, near Klerksdorp, when National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members clashed over a leadership election on Sunday night.  Two people were injured and a union vehicle was damaged.  The NUM’s Moab Khotsong branch had just elected new leaders, but the gathering was disrupted by a group of members who accused the regional Matlosana leadership of excluding their preferred nominations.  North West police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed that police were called in to defuse the situation.  “There were two groups of union members who fought.  The police intervened and fired (a) stun grenade.  Three people who were hit by stones came forward after the incident and we will follow up with it,” he said on Tuesday.  The NUM Matlosana regional secretary, Khaya Ngeleka, said the meeting continued after the police dispersed the other union members.

Read this report by Govan Whittles in full at M&G

THE ECONOMY / NDP / PRODUCTIVITY

Ramaphosa warns workers to prepare for mechanisation storm

Fin24 reports that answering questions on the economy in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said that South African workers needed to be ready to face the “storm” of mechanisation as new technology could lead to job losses.  On a question by Economic Freedom Fighters MP Reneilwe Mashabela about jobless growth, where companies replace workers with machines, Ramaphosa said this was a “global problem” that had to be faced.  Mashabela said a trend of machines replacing workers was taking place in South African economic sectors including manufacturing, mining, agriculture and service industries.  Noting that robots replacing workers was a global trend, Ramaphosa commented:  “We have to be ahead of the curve.  We have to, as a developing economy, find ways in which we can keep our people in jobs."  Two days earlier, economic data released by Statistics SA showed that the country's gross domestic product increased by 2.5% in the second quarter of 2017.  But, as Statistician General Pali Lehohla noted, this growth did not contribute significantly to the number of people employed because of mechanisation.

Read this report by Jan Cronje in full at Fin24

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• SA economy exits technical recession, at SA Govt News Agency
• Business confidence falls to multi-decade low, but SA could still bounce back, at Engineering News
• CDE: Deep change is needed to bring SA’s young people into the economy, at BusinessLive

STAFFING / RECRUITMENT

Situation at critically short-staffed Addington Hospital in Durban ‘dire’

BusinessLive writes that Dr Noxolo Mbadi cut an exhausted figure as she stood in the paediatric unit of Addington Hospital on Thursday, struggling to hold back tears as she laid bare the details of critical staff and equipment shortages at the public hospital.  She was speaking to members of Parliament’s select committee on social services during an oversight visit to the hospital.  The visit to Addington‚ one of the largest government hospitals in Durban‚ comes amid an oncology crisis that‚ among other things‚ has resulted in machines at state hospitals not functioning because of a lack of maintenance and an exodus of specialists, which has resulted in just two oncologists being employed by the state — and both of them in Pietermaritzburg.  Painting a grim picture underpinned by unqualified staff‚ unfilled posts and untenable working conditions, Mbadi said the situation was dire.  Committee chairperson Cathy Dlamini commented:  “I am depressed by this place.  The problem is the unacceptable shortage of staff and the situation is critical.  The province is challenged by budget but my take is that you cannot have a situation where the Department of Health has to cut back on staff‚ especially clinical staff."

Read this report by Jeff Wicks in full at BusinessLive. Read too, Progress with oncology crisis, claims KZN health department, at eNCA. And also, Gauteng health department avoids KZN services censure, at BusinessLive

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• Unfilled vacancies crippling health system, at The New Age

REMUNERATION / NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE

Oliphant wants national minimum wage legislation finalised

EWN reports that Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant has urged business leaders and government to finalise the national minimum wage legislation.  She opened the 22nd National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) Annual Summit at Emperor’s Palace on Friday morning by saying that there were many challenges facing workers in the current economic climate.  Indicating that many workers were facing retrenchment and others were being exploited, Oliphant added:  “And also we want to appeal to you that you expedite the national minimum wage draft legislative amendment so that we can be able to implement what we agreed upon.”

This short report by Gia Nicolaides is at EWN

RESTRUCTURING / RETRENCHMENTS / COMPANY JOB LOSSES

Transnet said to be mulling more retrenchments, with 8,000 jobs in jeopardy

BusinessLive reports that more than 8‚000 jobs are on the line at state-owned rail company Transnet‚ where management is believed to be mooting a second round of retrenchments this year.  As a result, unions at Transnet are up in arms.  Although this week the company denied it was embarking on another round of voluntary severance packages‚ an internal communication plan suggests that an earlier round of voluntary severance packages (VSPs) in March did not yield even 10% of the targeted 9‚022 employees.  Transnet’s intention to re-introduce VSPs and look at the possibility of forced retrenchments in 2018 was confirmed by several Transnet employees, as well as others close to discussions.  Worker representatives have questioned why a company that ended the previous financial year with a R2.8bn profit and R6bn cash in its bank account, should want to retrench.  National Transport Movement (NTM) general secretary Ephraim Mpahlele said they were opposed to retrenchments‚ voluntary or otherwise.  Steve Harris of the United National Transport Movement (UNTU) said that, although the union had not yet been informed of the intended VSPs‚ the reports made sense and were very concerning to them.

Read this report by Sabelo Skiti in full at BusinessLive

DISMISSALS / UNFAIR LABOUR PRACTICES / GRIEVANCES

SABC, Motsoeneng and Tebele ordered to pay legal costs for SABC8

News24 reports that the Johannesburg Labour Court has found that former SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng, former head of news Simon Tebele and the SABC must each pay a portion of the legal costs for the wrongful dismissals of the so-called SABC8.  The journalists were fired in July 2016 for speaking out against Motsoeneng's policy of no longer airing footage of violent protests.  Seven of the eight journalists were subsequently reinstated.  The broadcaster, Motsoeneng and Tebele have to pay the costs incurred by trade union Solidarity and the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers’ Union (Bemawu), which represented the dismissed journalists in their court case.  In June, the SABC announced Motsoeneng's dismissal after he was found guilty in an internal disciplinary process on charges of bringing the SABC into disrepute and causing irreparable damage to his employer.

Read this report by Lizeka Tandwa in full at News24. Read too, Motsoeneng will have to pay for SABC journalists' Labour Court costs, at BusinessLive

Motsoeneng may have to fork out more than R1m in SABC 8 costs

eNCA reports that former SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng may have to cough up more than R1-million in legal fees after a Labour Court ruling on Friday.  The court ruled that Motsoeneng, former news group executive Simon Tebele and the broadcaster itself were liable for costs in the case involving the so-called SABC 8.  The eight journalists successfully challenged their dismissals for challenging the public broadcaster's editorial policy.  Trade union Solidarity applied for the cost order.  It estimates the total legal expenses at more than R1-million, but Motsoeneng is to appeal the decision against him.

This short report is at eNCA