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 Wednesday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Tuesday, 3 October 2017.
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Explosion rocks East London Industrial Development Zone News24 reports that eleven factory workers were injured in an explosion at one of the factories at the East London Industrial Development Zone on Tuesday evening. People across East London reportedly heard the loud explosion. The eleven injured people - eight males and three females - were taken to hospital for medical attention. No major injuries were seemingly reported. Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said: "At this stage, it is suspected that the cause of the explosion is the chemicals that they are working with at the factory. Fire fighters were also summoned to extinguish the fire and the factory is currently closed." Mqala said an inquiry would be opened. Read this report by Derrick Spies in full at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Harmony’s Kusasalethu mine back in full production after deadly seismic event ANA reports that Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu mine near Carletonville in Gauteng is back to full production following temporary closure in August as government investigated the cause of a seismic event that killed five workers. Operations at the mine were halted following a seismic event that resulted in a fall of ground on 25 August. Five employees were trapped as a result and their bodies were only recovered at least a week later. A memorial service was held for them on 4 September and they were laid to rest that weekend. Harmony’s Lauren Fourie said on Tuesday that the mine was now back to full production, although the loss on production would only be calculated later in the year. Fourie referred further questions about the investigation of the accident to the Department of Mineral Resources, but it was not available for comment on whether it had completed its investigation or what it had found. Read this report in full at Mining Weekly Workers at Gupta-owned Shiva Uranium Mine strike over alleged unfair labour practices and racism SABC News reports that workers at the Gupta-owned Shiva Uranium Mine at Hartebeestfontein in North West have downed tools over alleged unfair labour practices and racism. This comes after management informed employees that the mine was being closed down. Last week Thursday, workers torched an Oakbay bus after employees were suspended for refusing to work overtime. Security has since been beefed up at the mine entrance. Among other things, the workers allege that they perform multiple tasks, but are only being paid for one. Also on their list of grievances are disparities between the salaries reflected on their employment contracts and the salaries that appear on their pay slips at the end of the month, some with differences of more than R15,000. The workers have vowed to protest until their grievances are heard and the mine's promises to them have been met. This report by Olebogeng Kgosilentswe is at SABC News. Read too, Third-party pay agent Terbium ditches Gupta-linked Oakbay, at BusinessLive (paywall access) Chamber of Mines’ wage offer for coal mines favourable, says Solidarity Mining Weekly reports that trade union Solidarity said on Tuesday that it had received a favourable wage offer from the Chamber of Mines, following extensive coal industry pay bargaining. The wage offer ranges from 5.5% to 7.5% and involves a 7.5% wage increase at the Anglo Coal, Exxaro and Glencore mining houses, a 7% increase for Kangra and a 5% increase at Delmas and Msobo. Solidarity’s Connie Prinsloo said that provision had been made for an increase in housing and travelling allowances and that the union had been successful in negotiating four months of maternity leave for female employees. “A dispute would not have been to the benefit of the industry,” said Prinsloo, who is awaiting feedback from members. The three-year agreement offered by the Chamber is seen as being conducive to industry stability. This short report is at Mining Weekly. See too, Trade union Solidarity receives ‘favourable offer’ from coal producers, at The Citizen. Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online Forum for unemployed demands recognition from traditional council in North West ANA reports that hundreds of unemployed people near Brits in North West Province gathered at the entrance of Bapo Ba Mogale Palace on Tuesday demanding that the traditional council recognise their forum as representing the unemployed when it came to relationships with mining companies in the area. “We want a letter from the traditional council that confirms that Tshepo “Stepestepe” Molaole is recognised as the chairperson of the Bapo Ba Mogale Unemployed Forum,” said Reuben Kaise, one of the group’s leaders. He claimed Molaole needed a letter as proof to mining companies that he was credible to represent unemployed people and negotiate on their behalf because there was another parallel structure of unemployed people in Bapong. Four vehicles and a bus were burnt on 27 September when the two rival bodies representing the unemployed clashed. The traditional council said it was aware of the parallel unemployed representation structures and was mediating with the view of finding a lasting solution. Read this report in full at The Citizen No steps taken by Khulubuse Zuma to oppose sequestration over Pamodzi-linked debts BusinessLive reports that President Jacob Zuma’s nephew Khulubuse Zuma has taken no steps yet to oppose an application for his provisional sequestration for about R1.52bn owed to Pamodzi Gold companies. The application could open up a full investigation of his financial affairs for the past eight years. Zuma was believed to have taken up permanent residency in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis said on Tuesday. If the High Court in Durban grants the sequestration order on 8 December, a liquidator will be appointed, who will pursue Zuma’s sequestration in the UAE. The sequestration application was filed by the joint liquidators of the Pamodzi Gold companies, whose Orkney and Grootvlei mines were managed by Aurora Empowerment Systems. Under Aurora stewardship the mines were stripped of all their infrastructure and workers were unpaid. Zuma, an Aurora director, agreed in a settlement agreement in 2016 to pay R23m in instalments. Du Plessis said in total Zuma had paid only R9m-R10m. Read this report by Charlotte Mathews in full at BusinessLive Postings on Mining Charter
Thousands of jobs on the line as more than four million birds culled due to bird flu The Citizen reports that with thousands of jobs on the line, the SA Poultry Association (Sapa) is anxious that the industry “may never recover” from the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of bird flu currently gripping the country. The devastating outbreak has already resulted in losses of R800 million for affected farms, which have been forced to cull a countless number of egg producing chickens. Sapa’s Dr Charlotte Nkuna said: “In 2016, the total number of people employed by the industry and associated industries was about 132,000. Over 1,000 jobs have been affected directly by the outbreak. We expect the numbers to grow once the impact cascades to secondary industries.” Bird flu is currently spread along Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and the Free State provinces. “Our estimate is that over 4 million birds have been or are in the process of being culled,” Nkuna indicated. Speaking about affected producers, Nkuna pointed to financial assistance being necessary for recovery of farms. Read this report by Yadhana Jadoo in full at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
SAPS lays disciplinary charges against striking 10111 workers ANA reports that a police spokesman said on Tuesday that they had begun laying disciplinary charges against striking 10111 crime call centre staffers who had failed to return to work as instructed. Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said the SA Policing Union (Sapu) was aware of a signed and binding agreement and that it could no longer claim that the strike was protected. “While the majority of these employees have returned to work, some have not and the necessary disciplinary action is being instituted against those members that have chosen not to return,” Naidoo said. Members of Sapu stood their ground last week when police management instructed them to return to work by Friday or face disciplinary charges because the strike was unprotected. This followed an agreement that SAPS signed with majority union Popcru (Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union) at the industry’s Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC) in August. Sapu responded this week it would intensify its strike and march to the Union Buildings on 16 October. Read this report in full at eNCA See too, SAPS management reaffirms that 10111 strikers will face disciplinary action, at News24. And also, 10111-staking: ‘Meerderheid’ het teruggekeer werk toe, at Maroela Media Strike looms at SAA Technical (SAAT) ANA reports that South African Airways (SAA) warned on Tuesday that its operations might be disrupted after one of its labour unions gave notice of intention to embark on industrial action at its aircraft maintenance unit. SAA Technical (SAAT) received the notice at the weekend following the tabling of a wage increase proposal. The airline indicated that parties have held several other meetings since the notice was served and were expected to meet again on Wednesday morning. The airline will advise after the meeting with the unions on whether the strike would, in fact, take place or the extent to which the strike will affect operations, if at all. As a result of the intended strike notification, the airline said it has begun to review and update its contingency measures to ensure business continuity and to minimise the impact of strike action on its operations. Read this report in full at eNCA. See too, SAA Technical receives notice of possible strike action, at Fin24. Read SAA’s press statement in this regard at Polity Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Cosatu threatens protest action at Saturday’s Test between the Boks and All Blacks TimesLive reports that Cosatu has threatened protest action at Saturday’s Test match at Newlands between the Springboks and the All Blacks. The labour federation has also, through its firebrand Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich‚ launched a withering attack on SuperSport rugby analysts Nick Mallett and Naas Botha. At the core of Cosatu’s grievance is DSTV’s monopoly over rugby’s broadcast rights, with Ehrenreich saying they’ll resort to protest should DSTV and the Government not agree to air the game live and all other national games on SABC. If they don’t get their way in a meeting with DSTV‚ government and SA Rugby in Cape Town on Thursday, they will protest at Saturday’s clash as well as at the hotel where the All Blacks will be staying. Ehrenreich also said they would write to the international rugby federation “to make them aware of the discrimination that is taking place in South Africa around national games." Read this report by Liam Del Carme in full at TimesLive. Read Cosatu’s press statement at Cosatu Today
Cosatu apologises to Joburg MMC Michael Sun for racist slurs News24 reports that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has apologised unreservedly for the barrage of insults hurled at City of Johannesburg MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun, saying it did not condone racism or racial discrimination. At the Cosatu protest against state capture and corruption last Wednesday, Sun was delegated to receive and sign the marchers’ memorandum. Many offensive slurs were thrown his way, while SA Communist Party (SACP) secretary general Blade Nzimande looked on, along with other leaders. Sun is a South African-born citizen of Chinese descent. Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba threatened to take Cosatu and the SACP to the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) if they did not apologise. Cosatu came out on Tuesday morning, apologising for any embarrassment and hurt caused by the derogatory statements. Read this report by Nation Nyoka in full at News24. Read Cosatu’s apology at Cosatu Today
Seven years' backpay for 61 reinstated Pick n Pay staff who were fired unfairly TimesLive reports that sixty-one Pick n Pay staff have been reinstated by the Labour Appeal Court after being fired for going on strike for an hour in 2010. Acting Judge Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane ordered the retailer to pay the 61 retrospectively to the date of their dismissal. Costs were awarded in their favour. However‚ the fight may not be over, as the company is studying the judgment before deciding on its next move. The 61 members of the SA Commercial‚ Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) downed tools at 3pm‚ an hour before the store closed on Heritage Day in the midst of a wage dispute. But, they did not know the strike had been delayed by four hours as the shop stewards’ phone at their store was out of order. The appeal judge criticised Pick n Pay for failing to give the workers a written ultimatum to warn them of the consequences of striking at 3pm‚ failing to allow them to submit representations before firing them‚ inconsistency in the way it treated striking workers and making an “absurd” argument that the trust relationship with the staff had broken down. Read this report by Dave Chambers in full at TimesLive Home Affairs DG Apleni’s case against suspension postponed due to 'complexity' Pretoria News reports that the urgent application in which suspended Director General of Home Affairs, Mkuseli Apleni, asked the Gauteng North High Court to urgently overturn his suspension, did not go ahead on Tuesday. His lawyer told the media that the matter was too complex to deal with in the urgent court with its congested roll. The parties will approach Deputy Judge President for a special court to deal with the matter and it will only be known later this week when it will be heard. Apleni turned to court after Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize on 18 September placed him on precautionary suspension. He claimed in court papers that the minister’s reasons for suspending him were irrational and the process followed by her was procedurally unfair. He claimed only the president had the power to suspend him. But in answering papers, President Jacob Zuma said Mkhize had had his backing in firing Apleni, as he had delegated his powers to her. Read this report by Zelda Venter in full at Pretoria News. Read too, Home affairs minister rejects suspended D-G Apleni’s claims, at BusinessLive. And also, Apleni’s allegations against Home Affairs Minister border on ‘hysteria’‚ says acting DG, at TimesLive. As well as, Home Affairs Minister unavailable to explain DG’s suspension to Parly committee, at EWN
See our listing of links to labour articles published on the internet on Tuesday, 3 October 2017 at SA Labour News
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