OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Brits correctional services official kills herself after intimate photos with inmate go public

News24 reports that a correctional services official at the Losperfontein Correctional Centre in Brits committed suicide on Monday after pictures of her kissing an inmate surfaced on social media.  Department of Correctional Services (DCS) regional manager Mandla Mkabela said in a statement that the department was shocked and grieved by the incident.  He said a team of senior managers and counsellors had been dispatched to the facility to provide the necessary support to fellow personnel.  Mkabela, however, still condemned the conduct of the official seen in the photo and said it was disturbing and strictly prohibited.

A short report by James de Villiers is at News24. See too, Probe underway after North West prison warder commits suicide, at EWN

MINING LABOUR

Following recent mining accidents, Amcu calls for commission into mine safety

Mining Weekly reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has called for a commission to be set up by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to determine the real causes of several mining accidents over the past few months.  The commission would determine whether more could have been done to avoid the consequences and would take place in addition to regular inquiries in terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act.  This comes after a spate of incidents during the past few months, including one on Saturday morning at AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng mine that saw one worker being killed and two mineworkers being trapped.  While one worker has been extracted and is in hospital, the other worker is still trapped underground.

Read this report in full at Mining Weekly. Read Amcu’s press statement at Amcu online

Sibanye’s cost-cutting keeps platinum shafts working and saves jobs

BusinessLive reports that Sibanye-Stillwater saved up to 10,000 jobs by backing away from a decision to close up to 300,000oz of annual platinum group metal (PGM) production from its Rustenburg mines, saying it was on track to save R1bn at the mines.  Spokesman James Wellsted said Sibanye had done the work to save its three deep-level conventional mines from closure and while the news was not great for the platinum market it meant unit costs of production were lower and the mines were headed for breakeven or profits.  The good news comes at a time when the company is in talks with organised labour at its Beatrix West and three Cooke shafts to close the operations at a cost of up to 10,000 jobs.  It is said that Sibanye will probably allow the formal talks to run their course before considering options around selling one or both of the mines.

Read this report by Allan Seccombe in full at BusinessLive. Read too, Sibanye-Stillwater avoids closure of certain PGM business units, at Mining Weekly. And also, Sibanye preserves 300,000 oz in platinum output as saves R1bn, at Miningmx. As well as, Sibanye-Stillwater shelves plans to shut some SA operations, at Moneyweb

INDUSTRIAL ACTION / STRIKES / LOCK-OUTS

Solidarity’s strike at Mango Airlines set to continue on Tuesday

EWN reports that with still no agreement to its wage demands, trade union Solidarity has vowed to continue its strike at Mango Airlines for a second day.  Over 100 pilots and other flight crew affiliated to the union are demanding an 8.5% wage hike, while the employer is offering 6%.  Solidarity said its members would continue their work stoppage until Mango agreed to renegotiate salaries.  The trade union’s spokesperson Deon Reyneke said they were waiting on management to reschedule a meeting after talks broke down on Sunday.

A short report by Katleho Sekhotho is at EWN. See too, Mango strike not yet resolved, at eNCA

Mango claims 25% of flights affected on first day of wage strike

EWN reports that according to low-cost airline Mango, 25% of its flights were affected on Monday by a strike over a salary increase for pilots.  Over 100 workers affiliated to trade union Solidarity are demanding an 8.5% wage hike, while the employer is offering 6%.  Mango spokesperson Sergio dos Santos commented:  “An hour at this stage, was the longest that people had to wait for a flight.”  Meanwhile, Solidarity said the strike would continue indefinitely until management agreed to renegotiate salaries.  The union said they were waiting on management to reschedule a meeting after talks broke down on Sunday night.

Read this report by Mia Lindeque & Katleho Sekhotho in full at EWN

Striking 10111 call centre workers vow to intensify strike if wage demands not met

ANA reports that workers at the 10111 call centre, who man the police emergency number, on Monday vowed to intensify their strike if their salary demands were not met.  The workers, who belong to the SA Policing Union (Sapu), have been on strike since 18 July.  On Monday, they marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to hand over a memorandum of grievances and demands.  The union wants the SA Police Service (SAPS) to increase their salary level by two notches, an estimated increase of R50,000 per annum, in accordance with the recommendations of a task team set up by former national police commissioner Riah Phiyega in 2013.  Such an adjustment would apparently put their salaries at same level as employees at other state call centres.  SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi marched with the strikers.

Read this report in full at eNCA. See too, Striking 10111 workers rope in Zuma to intervene in wage dispute, at EWN. And also, Striking 10111 workers give Zuma seven-day deadline to respond to grievances, at EWN

NUM members down tools at PPC Cement Slurry over wages

ANA reports that according to the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), its members at PPC Cement Slurry in Mafikeng, North West, have embarked on a strike over wages.  The NUM gave the company a strike notice on Sunday last week and workers commenced with the industrial action on Monday.  PPC Cement is a leading supplier of cement and related products.  The NUM is demanding a 12% wage increase across the board, while the company is offering 6% across the board.  The union said that the company must close internal wage gaps, whereas management was creating the wage gaps instead of closing them.  Among other demands, the union is demanding a R1,000 monthly housing allowance.  

Read this report in full at Engineering News. Read the NUM’s press statement in this regard at NUM online

Workers down tools at KZN plastic factory over unacceptable working conditions

ANA reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Tuesday that workers had embarked on a strike at Venk-Pac Plastics in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, to protest against working conditions at the plant.  Venk-Pac, which currently employs over 200 workers, provides plastic packaging solutions to various sectors.  Numsa said at least 150 workers had been on strike at the firm for the last two weeks, claiming that some managers had physically assaulted them and that female workers were allegedly forced by managers to have sex in exchange for jobs.  There were also allegations of racism and discrimination against African workers by their Indian counterparts.  Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi said the union was shocked by the treatment of workers at this firm and that the union would pressurise the labour department to intervene.  However, the Venk-Pac management claimed the strike had been resolved and that operations had resumed.  No more details were provided.

Read this report in full at The Citizen

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• Police call centre workers march to Union Buildings, at GroundUp

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT

Unemployed youth roped in under EPWP programme to protect tourists at hot spots

TimesLive reports that recent attacks on international and domestic tourists and diplomats have forced government into overdrive in an effort secure the country's image as a safe place to visit.  The result has been the launch on Tuesday by the national and Gauteng tourism departments of a pilot tourist safety monitor project‚ which will see unemployed youth trained to provide advice to visiting tourists.  Two hundred safety monitors will take up their posts at Gauteng's tourist hot spots‚ including Soweto and OR Tambo International Airport.  The monitors will eventually form part of more than 2‚000 who will be stationed around the country's tourist attractions.  "The employment of these monitors is being done through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).  All the monitors will undergo security vetting by the police and other security agencies.  The plan is to rally support from the private sector‚ especially in the form of sponsorship.

Read this report by Graeme Hosken in full at TimesLive

Other internet posting(s) in this news category

• UN labour body report paints bleak picture for jobs worldwide, at BusinessLive

RETIREMENT AND OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT FUNDS

PIC's Dan Matjila: We haven't closed the door on SAA if it meets the right criteria

Fin24 reports that the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), which is responsible for managing state employees' pension money, said it would still consider investing in South African Airways (SAA), provided the ailing airline met certain conditions.  PIC CEO Dan Matjila told members of Parliament on Tuesday that the fund manager had not "closed the door on SAA", but added that the struggling state-owned entity would need to turn around its finances and governance.  The PIC manages investments on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and the Compensation Fund and other funds.  The PIC and the GEPF appeared on Tuesday before Parliament's standing committee on finance regarding their annual reports for the 2016/2017 financial year, their investment mandates and general performance.  Rumours that the PIC might be called upon to provide a lifeline for SAA, have been doing the rounds for months and have elicited very strong negative reactions from unions.  

Read this report by Liesl Peyper in full at Fin24. Read too, PIC willing to invest in SOEs that 'meet right criteria', at SowetanLive. And also, GEPF’s Mokate under fire for dodging state capture questions, at EWN

DISMISSALS / SUSPENSIONS / DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Home Affairs DG's challenge of his suspension to be heard in court in Tuesday

News24 reports that Mkuseli Apleni, director-general of the Department of Home Affairs, was expected to challenge his suspension by Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.  Mkhize announced Apleni's precautionary suspension in a short statement on 18 September, but did not give reasons.  Apleni was appointed to the position in 2010.  He appeared in the High Court on 3 October, but the matter was not heard at that time.  His attorney SJ Thema said at the time that Apleni believed that the minister did not have the powers to suspend him.  Thema also said his client had filed a supplementary affidavit to deal with Mkhize's comments during an eNCA interview in which she said Apleni was "unstable and delusional".

A short report by Jeanette Chabalala is at News24

Rough start at to Koko’s Eskom disciplinary hearing with chairman arriving unprepared

BusinessLive reports that Eskom’s disciplinary process in respect of suspended executive Matshela Koko got off to a rough start on Monday, with the chairman arriving unprepared and unable to proceed with the hearing.  Advocate Mzungulu Mthombeni, who only had a notebook and pen with him, explained that he had only been appointed on Friday and had been furnished with neither a charge sheet nor the case files.  Mthombeni was also quick to concede that he did not know what the terms of reference of the case were.  The hearing got stuck on the first point of argument, necessitating an adjournment.  Koko’s legal representatives raised the issue of Mthombeni’s status as an independent chairman.  Mthombeni admitted he had not read Eskom’s disciplinary code.  Koko is accused of not declaring a conflict of interest after he contributed to awarding about R1bn in deals to a company in which his stepdaughter is a shareholder.  The case is due to resume on Wednesday.

Read this report by Sikonathi Mantshantsha in full at BusinessLive. See too, Disciplinary hearing against Matshela Koko will continue on Wednesday, at TimesLive