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 Monday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Friday, 15 September 2017.
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Makhura announces special task force to address Uber, metered taxi violence TimesLive reports that Gauteng Premier David Makhura has announced the formation of a special task force to stop the violence between metered taxi drivers and Uber operators in the province. "You will see a lot of police operations over the next few days‚" Makhura said on Sunday as he explained how law enforcement agencies would deal with close to 300 incidents of violence that had been reported since the beginning of the year. Tshwane registered 204 incidents‚ Johannesburg registered 86 and Ekurhuleni registered four. Most of the incidents occurred around Gautrain stations in Hatfield and Sandton. There have only been 28 arrests‚ although there are 166 cases under investigation. Makhura indicated that the task team would comprise of the metropolitan police members‚ police service members and intelligence services members. Read this report by Ernest Mabuza in full at TimesLive. See too, Gauteng to clamp down on illegal Uber and metered taxis, at News24. And also, ‘Govt not in business of making it difficult for public transport operators’, at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Exxaro tables new wage offer in bid to end NUM strike at two collieries SABC News reports that diversified miner Exxaro has tabled a new offer in respect of its employees at the Grootegeluk coal mine, in Lephalale and the Leeuwpan coal mine, in Delmas Mpumalanga, in a bid to end a strike over a salary increase. Thousands of NUM members downed tools on Thursday demanding a 10% wage increase against the company’s offer of 6.5%. National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) deputy general secretary, William Mabapa, indicated: "They have given us an offer that we do not want to disclose in the media, but we are going to give feed back to the workers on Monday and we will meet again (with management) on Monday to give feedback. Depending on the outcome, we will take it from there, but we are optimistic that we may resolve the strike on Monday." Based on a report by Witness Tiva at SABC News Striking NUM workers remain underground at KEM-JV mine SABC News reports that, as of Sunday afternoon, mineworkers at Kimberley Ekapa Mining Joint Venture (KEM-JV) in the Northern Cape remained underground after refusing to return to the surface on Friday when their shift ended. The members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) were apparently salary increments and fair treatment from mine management. NUM members were served with a court interdict demanding their immediate evacuation of the mine premises, in respect of which NUM Regional Organiser, Orapeleng Moraladi, commented: "The interdict itself stipulates what should happen, stipulates that management should facilitate the process, they should allow us to go underground and read the contents of the interdict itself to the workers. If they don't want us to go underground then the ball is in their court, it means then they're saying that simply there's no use for them to obtain that interdict," says Moraladi. This short report by Noluthando Ngcakani is at SABC News Other labour / community posting(s) relating to mining
Salary dispute between Sita and PSA could affect state employees’ salary payments Netwerk24 reports that thousands of state officials could bear the consequences of a salary dispute between the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) and the Public Servants Association (PSA). Sita’s computers handle salary payments for the public service. All negotiations deadlocked in the past week. According to Tahir Maepa of the PSA, this could lead to a protected strike that will have an effect on salary payments. “We rejected Sita’s salary offer in its entirety. We are now consulting with our members about whether the strike should take place,” he advised. At least one state department, namely defence, has had its salary payments made early because of a concern that the strike could commence this week. The dispute relates to the lower salary adjustments that will apply to Sita staff in comparison with regular state officials. According to Lucky Mochalibane of Sita, the 3,168 officials who work for the agency are paid on a different salary scale to other state officials. Sita’s offer for the lowest-paid employees is 6%, for mid-level employees 4% plus a once-off 1.7% payment; and 4% for senior management. An increase of 7.3 applies to state officials. The consumer inflation rate is 6.3%. (Loosely translated from Afrikaans) Read this report by Erika Gibson in full in Afrikaans at Netwerk24 (limit on access)
With taxis to strike on Monday, Western Cape commuters told to make other transport plans EWN reports that Western Cape commuters have been warned to make alternative means of transport as all taxi groups across the province are expected to go on strike on Monday morning. The taxi organisation's provincial spokesperson Besuthu Ndungane said it was time Western Cape Transport MEC Donald Grant paid attention to the pleas of local taxi associations. He indicated that, among a number of demands; the taxi industry wanted to discuss the matter of vehicle impoundments. A short report by Lauren Isaacs is at EWN. See too, Cape Town prepares for “illegal taxi” strike, at SABC News. And also, Police ready ahead of planned Western Cape taxi strike, at eNCA Taxi strike in Cape Town on Monday turns ugly TimesLive reports that a minibus taxi strike turned ugly in Cape Town on Monday‚ forcing commuters to change their travel plans. Usually busy taxi routes were deserted. Golden Arrow bus service said they had received reports of buses being stoned and there were early morning reports of roads being blocked in parts of the city with burning tyres. There were unconfirmed reports of buses being torched. MyCiTi bus operations were also reported to be delayed. Taxi operators are unhappy about the leadership of the Congress of Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) and have called for intervention by Western Cape MEC for Transport and Public Works, Donald Grant. They are also unhappy about the impounding of taxis. Read this report by Nomahlubi Jordaan in full at TimesLive. See too, Cape commuters stranded amid taxi strike, Tshwane strike postponed, at EWN Two buses torched amid Cape Town taxi strike EWN reports that the taxi strike in Cape Town on Monday turned violent, with a MyCiTi bus torched on the N2 highway. The N2 incoming was accordingly closed at the R300 and motorists were asked to take caution when approaching that area. A Golden Arrow bus was set alight in Delft South, while several other buses and vehicles came under attack. In Grassy Park, commuters travelling on a Golden Arrow bus were forced to vacate the vehicle. Golden Arrow bus services have also received reports of buses being stoned in the Nyanga area. Some roads were blocked with burning tyres in parts of the city and thousands of commuters were affected by the strike. Taxi bosses in the Western Cape halted services over leadership concerns and the impounding of their vehicles. Provincial government officials were in a meeting with operators at midday on Monday to resolve the matter. Read this report by Ilze-Marie Le Roux & Kevin Brandt in full at EWN. See too, Flames, rubber bullets mark Cape Town taxi strike, at News24. And also, Golden Arrow says only limited bus services available due to violent taxi strike, at The Citizen Santaco condemns planned Tshwane taxi strike SowetanLive reports that the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) says it will not be supporting a planned taxi strike in Tshwane. Reports said the strike was due to last a week. “Following a reported taxi driver strike planned‚ Santaco consulted with its structure in Tshwane which decided the strike cannot be supported as it would not benefit the taxi industry and importantly taxi commuters. Taxi owners in Tshwane have vowed to present themselves in the early hours of [Monday] morning at various taxi locations to ensure that no taxis are taken as part of the strike‚” the association said. Taxi drivers have reportedly threatened to harshly punish non-striking drivers, but taxi owners say they will be monitoring the situation to ensure that the safety of non-striking drivers is protected. Read this report by Nomahlubi Jordaan in full at SowetanLive. See too, Pretoria taxi strike ‘just a small group’, taxi owners say, at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Centralised collective bargaining in metals and engineering sector on a knife-edge Engineering News reports on a panel discussion at last week’s 2017 Metals and Engineering Indaba on the topic of centralised collective bargaining in the metals and engineering industries sector. It is said that the system is at a critical “turning point”, with the sustainability of the current model being widely questioned in light of growing opposition to the extension of wage settlements to non-parties to the negotiations. Seifsa’s Lucio Trentini said that the recently concluded three-year wage deal was likely to be contested by non-parties and, should such legal action succeed, “the industrial-relations consequences could be extremely serious.” Bowmans partner Graham Damant argued that recent legal attacks on the binding nature of settlements to non-parties were indicative that the system would need to change. Numsa’s lambasted employer organisations that continually objected to collectively negotiated agreements, noting that a mechanism already existed to offer exemptions where necessary. Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis noted that the post-Marikana labour-relations environment was characterised by a new, more disruptive culture, which had the potential to undermine collective bargaining. Department of Labour chief director Thembinkosi Mkalipi was of the view that the real issue was the fight between employer organisations for control over the bargaining council. Read this interesting report in full at Engineering News
Gauteng Health MEC gives assurance staff will be paid even though accounts frozen Sunday Independent reports that all Gauteng health workers will be paid on time despite the sheriff of the court’s warrant of execution to attach 14 departmental bank accounts. This was affirmed by Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa. Last week’s order is for the payment of more than R30 million relating to four medical negligence cases for children who sustained brain damage at birth. In recent weeks, the sheriff attached desks, chairs and computers from the department to force payment of R6.2m for medical negligence cases. Moreover, Telkom has cut off the telephone lines at the department’s central office because of non-payment of bills. Asked how the department would pay its employees with its bank accounts frozen, Ramokgopa said there was no way her employees would not be paid. “All our employees are going to be paid on time and there is no threat whatsoever,” she stated. Ramokgopa said the issue of how the health department was going to deal with its financial challenges was before the executive council because the department could not handle it alone. “And there is a special committee that is being chaired by the MEC for finance which is advising the executive council and the premier on the resolution of these issues,” she indicated. The department’s financial crisis is said to be having a heavy impact on staff members who deal with patients on a day-to-day basis in terms of shortages of staff, heavy workloads, infrastructure problems and security scares. Read this report by Roland Mpofu and Amanda Maliba in full at SA Labour News New law will limit garnishee (EAO) orders to 25% of salary Personal Finance reports that employees whose income is “garnisheed” to pay off their debts will be able to breathe easier thanks to new legislation that was assented to recently. On 31 July, President Jacob Zuma signed into law the Courts of Law Amendment Act. While this article does not indicate the date when the amendments will come into operation, the gazetted Act can be read at http://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/2017-007.pdf An EAO is an order issued via the courts by a creditor on an indebted worker’s employer, known as the “garnishee”. It compels the employer to deduct money from the worker’s salary or wage to pay the creditor. Previously, EAOs were authorised by the clerk of the court, regardless of where employees worked or lived, or whether they were present to defend themselves. An EAO will henceforth have to be authorised by a magistrate at a court that has jurisdiction. The new law will impose a limit on the total amount that may be deducted, which can be no more than 25% of a worker’s salary or wage, regardless of the number of active EAOs against them. The legislation will not apply retrospectively, meaning that EAOs already in place will not be affected. The 25% limit will apply to basic income and will exclude additional remuneration for overtime or other allowances, meaning that such additional remuneration cannot be garnished. Another protective mechanism is a clause that prohibits anyone from requiring a credit applicant to consent to a judgment, instalment order or EAO prior to the granting of a loan. Read the original of this report at SA Labour News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SAA 23% flight cut decision faces headwinds from Numsa due to likely job losses Fin24 reports that the decision of SA Airways (SAA) to implement a turnaround strategy that involves cutting flights has come under fire from the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa). "The airlines plans will inevitably result in job losses and it unilaterally made this decision without consulting any of the trade unions," Numsa said in a statement on Sunday. SAA is on course to cut flights by 23% by December 2017. Numsa is of the view that the decision amounts to an attack on workers, which it believes have been at the forefront of exposing rampant looting at the national carrier. "They are systematically punishing unions like the South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) and Numsa for exposing the rot. Some of our members have been suspended and dismissed for exposing corrupt tendencies, but they have failed to act against managers who are looting from the airline," the union claimed. Read this report in full at Fin24. Read too, 'Corrupt' SAA Technical execs must pay up R5m, according to Numsa, at Fin24
Numsa demands that SAA Technical executives pay back the money BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has demanded that South African Airways Technical (SAAT) should begin legal proceedings to recover about R5m from its senior executives. Numsa said on Sunday that it had not ruled out a strike at SAAT, where the trade union’s members were allegedly being victimised for attempting to blow the whistle on corruption. The union has also called for the enforcement of a labour court judgment in August that ordered the suspension of senior SAAT executives. The company has indicated it would be appealing against the judgment. No time frame had been given for a response from SAAT, but a strike would remain the last resort, a Numsa spokeswoman said. Numsa’s allegations are based on a forensic report which confirmed that proper supply chain management policies were not followed at SAAT, which resulted in losses having been incurred. SAA has confirmed receipt of Numsa’s correspondence, which will be referred to the relevant internal structures for consideration. Read this report by Karl Gernetzky in full at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Alleged murderer of Eskom’s Thembisile Yende due back in court on Monday According to a News24 report, David Ngwenya was due to appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the murder of Eskom employee Thembisile Yende. The 29-year-old mother of one went missing on 17 May. Her body was found in an office at the isolated Eskom Pietersboth substation in Springs, Ekurhuleni, after Eskom workers picked up a putrid smell over a week after she was reported missing. Ngwenya was arrested on 15 June. The 43-year-old Eskom technician stands accused of injecting his lover Yende with a substance before striking her head with a crowbar and subsequently suffocating and strangling. This allegedly happened after he suspected that she would "spill the beans" on his involvement in a copper cable theft syndicate. When Ngwenya last appeared in court, on 17 July, the case was postponed for further investigation. A short report by Jan Gerber is at News24. See too, Eskom employee’s ‘murderer’ to appear in court on Monday, at The New Age Man nabbed in Brakpan for impersonating labour department inspector A 38-year-old male, Presby Linda Nyamakazi, was arrested earlier this month and appeared in Brakpan Magistrate Court on Monday for impersonating a labour inspector and extorting money in the Brakpan businesses area. He was found in possession of falsified a labour inspector’s identification card, employers’ registration forms relating to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Disease Act, and copies of RMA forms and Home Affairs work permit application forms. The man went to a company under the pretext of checking their records and level of compliance. He told the owner that his company was not complying with labour legislation and that he needed R40,000 for non-compliance or he would close the company. The labour department has encouraged other employers and the general public to report any “bogus” activity to the provincial office in Braamfontein and alert its labour centres of any similar incidents happening elsewhere in the country. Read this report in full at SA Govt News Agency
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet from Friday, 15 September to Sunday, 17 September 2017 at SA Labour News
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