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Labour News

Patel unpacks employee share ownership schemes progress

By: Marleny Arnoldi 30th April 2021 Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel is drafting guidelines on employee ownership and other broad-based ownership schemes. He intends to publish, in the coming week, a practice note dealing with some clarifications around community trusts and individual ownership schemes. →

Eskom to hold wage talks next week

By: Simone Liedtke 30th April 2021 State-owned power utility Eskom will start regular wage discussions with the company’s recognised labour representative unions on May 4. It warns that these discussions may be “unpredictable” and that it may result in rising tensions. →

Mchunu calls for proposals to resolving government-labour wage negotiations deadlock

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 26th April 2021 Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu is calling for citizens to come forward with proposals that could help to resolve the deadlock between government and organised labour over the current public service wage negotiations. Government and labour reached a deadlock on... →

Transnet wage negotiations stall

By: Donna Slater 23rd April 2021 Following a second round of talks, wage negotiations between State-owned freight logistics group Transnet and its affiliated labour unions have reached a deadlock. The negotiations took place with the South African Transport and Allied Union (Satawu) and the United National Transport Union... →

SA is at war against corrupt activities in public service – Mchunu

By: Yvonne Silaule 23rd April 2021 Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu announced that Cabinet has approved the Public Service Amendment Bill and the Public Administration Management Amendment Bill for public comment, as he provided an update on the current public service wage negotiations. Mchunu welcomed the... →

Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu

Saai, Neasa ink partnership to improve labour relations in the agriculture sector

By: Simone Liedtke 22nd April 2021 Family farming organisation Saai and employers’ organisation the National Employers Association of South Africa (Neasa) on April 22 signed a partnership agreement to bridge labour issues in the agriculture sector and to assist farmers with labour problems, as well as influencing policy-making.... →

Saai chairperson Dr Theo de Jager and Neasa CE Gerhard Papenfus

Cabinet welcomes recommendation on lifting of J&J vaccine pause, says Mkhize to announce recommencement details

By: Terence Creamer 22nd April 2021 Cabinet has welcomed the recommendation by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority regarding the lifting of the temporary pause placed on the Johnson & Johnson Sisonke Vaccination Programme, but did not immediately announce an end to the suspension following its Wednesday meeting,... →

UASA disappointed at Denel’s employee benefit amendment

By: Donna Slater 19th April 2021 Trade union UASA says it is “bitterly disappointed” by State-owned defence company Denel’s policy change proposals concerning the benefits paid out to employees under certain circumstances. UASA says Denel has set up a meeting with organised labour for April 19 to discuss the proposed policy... →

Business outlines strategy for supporting ramp-up to daily vaccination tempo of 250 000 by September

By: Terence Creamer 16th April 2021 Business for South Africa (B4SA) has outlined its strategy for a steady upscaling of the private sector’s capacity to administer the Covid-19 vaccine and position the country’s public and private health sectors to reach a daily vaccination rate of more than 250 000 by September. B4SA health... →

SEZ Programme successfully driving industrialisation – DTIC

By: Donna Slater 13th April 2021 Despite the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on South Africa’s economy, Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina says the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Programme continues to “successfully drive industrialisation” of the country. She explains that the programme... →

Recovery from Covid-19 hinged on private sector growth

By: Donna Slater 8th April 2021 Strategy consulting and market intelligence firm Frost & Sullivan says the economic growth prognosis for South Africa in the next five years is not all “doom and gloom”, as the private sector has the ability to grow and create jobs. For the private sector to flourish, however, it needs to... →

World Bank report highlights big economic benefits of an accelerated South African vaccination roll-out

By: Terence Creamer 31st March 2021 An analysis published in a new World Bank report shows that vaccinating 60% of South Africa’s population to induce so-called “herd immunity” against Covid-19 would have a benefit-cost ratio of more than 29, and that the economic benefits would be amplified by an accelerated vaccination roll-out.... →

Return2Work launches vaccine-centred workplace information

By: Marleny Arnoldi 18th March 2021 The Return2Work public private growth initiative has launched new resources to assist in raising awareness among workers and employers across the country related to the Covid-19 vaccines. The initiative was launched in collaboration with the Solidarity Fund last year to facilitate collaboration... →

Cobra initiative succeeds in saving businesses, jobs

By: Marleny Arnoldi 16th March 2021 Despite the South African economy having contracted by 7% year-on-year in 2020, marking the worst annual performance in the history of the country’s economic data recording , the Covid Business Rescue Assistance (Cobra) initiative has managed to save dozens of businesses and thousands of jobs.... →

Survey shows notable increase in those willing to get Covid-19 vaccine

By: Donna Slater 12th March 2021 Just over one year since the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, a new World Economic Forum (WEF)/Ipsos survey found notable increases in people’s intention to take a Covid-19 vaccination, with a majority wanting to be vaccinated as soon as possible. Adults who strongly or... →

Treasury to block R384m funding for Alfred Nzo Municipality due to poor performance

By: News24Wire 12th March 2021 National Treasury plans to stop R384 million in funding to the cash-strapped Alfred Nzo Municipality due to under-performance and non-compliance relating to water service and municipal infrastructure. Treasury wrote to its municipal manager, Zamile Sikhundla, in February to inform him it intended... →

National Treasury Director Dondo Mogajane

Renewable energy sector striving to increase gender representation at all levels

By: Simone Liedtke 8th March 2021 A decade into the creation of South Africa’s renewable energy sector, it has become apparent that it is still lagging in gender diversity, which is why South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli says the industry is actively giving attention to adjust and improve the... →

SAWEA CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli

List outlining eligibility for ‘Phase 2’ vaccination roll-out to be released soon

By: Terence Creamer 5th March 2021 A list confirming which South Africans will be eligible for Covid-19 vaccination when the ‘Phase 2’ roll-out begins in late April or early May will be published in the “next week or two”, Department of Health deputy director-general Dr Anban Pillay reported on Friday. Phase 2 will focus on the... →

UIF opens applications for Covid-19 TERS benefit extension

By: Donna Slater 5th March 2021 Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has signed an updated Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) Directive, which was gazetted on March 4, laying the foundation for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to process claims for the new TERS extension. The new Directive is... →

Labour Court dismisses SAAPA's application for leave to appeal lawfulness of pilots lockout

By: Donna Slater 4th March 2021 Labour Court judge Andre van Niekerk on March 3 dismissed the South African Airways Pilot’s Association’s (SAAPA’s) application for leave to appeal the Labour Court’s December 2020 judgment, with a costs order in favour of South African Airways (SAA) and the business rescue practitioners (BRPs).... →

Companies committed to transformation honoured

26th February 2021 Entries are open for the seventh annual Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) Awards for Excellence and the federation is calling on all companies within the metals and engineering (M&E) industry to send in their submissions for the Most Transformed Company of... →

TRANSFORMATION GOALS The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award honours and celebrates companies that have been able to transform their workplaces meaningfully

Agri SA warns 4 000 jobs are at stake this year as a result of minimum wage increase

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th February 2021 After surveying 577 participants among member companies, industry association Agri SA has found that a potential 4 384 jobs could potentially be lost in 2021/22 as a result of the increase in the national minimum wage for farmworkers. Agri SA reports that 549 of the 577 participants will exceed... →

A 'more conducive business environment’ needed for South Africa to recover – report

By: Simone Liedtke 18th February 2021 With the largest number of jobs created in 2021’s economic recovery expected to come from the private sector, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that government will need to continue working with the private sector to create “a more conducive business environment” as an enabler of job creation.... →

TIPS encourages South Africa to leverage just transition imperatives already in place

By: Marleny Arnoldi 18th February 2021 According to Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), South Africa is in a position where it has a multitude of policies, processes and interventions that could be leveraged towards affecting a just transition to a green economy. During a development dialogue webinar hosted by the... →

Ramaphosa’s SoNA holds bold promises, but lacks finer details, says BLSA

By: Donna Slater 15th February 2021 In his February 13 State of the Nation Address (SoNA), President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted factors that will serve to lift the economy, tackle Covid-19 and boost ailing electricity infrastructure, says Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso. Of particular interest, she says,... →

Agri associations warn of farmworker jobs losses as minimum wage increased

By: Marleny Arnoldi 10th February 2021 Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has announced that the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for each ordinary hour worked has been increased from R20.76 to R21.69 for 2021, effective March 1. The NMW legislation came into effect on January 1, 2019, starting with R20 an hour, which is the... →

Govt has secured vaccines for 26-million people

By: Sane Dhlamini 5th February 2021 Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize revealed on Friday that government had secured enough Covid-19 vaccines for 26-million people, so far, with more agreements in the pipeline. He revealed that China could be one of the countries that South Africa procures vaccines from. On Monday, the country... →

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize

Vaccine nationalism may create conditions for increased political turmoil – Zane Dangor

By: Sane Dhlamini 4th February 2021 Special advisor to Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Zane Dangor stated on Thursday that vaccine nationalism is the opposite of the solidarity approach that was spoken of at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic. Dangor was addressing an online discussion on ‘Trade, Patent Law... →

SA fails to make progress in Corruption Perceptions Index

By: Sane Dhlamini 28th January 2021 Civil rights group Corruption Watch pointed out, on Thursday, that corruption has impacted the ability of countries around the world, including South Africa, to manage their health care responses to the coronavirus pandemic. Recent statistics from the Corruption Perceptions Index reveals that... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Executive director of CW David Lewis

Transitioning fossil-fuel labour forces into new sectors critical for ‘clean, just energy transitions’

By: Terence Creamer 26th January 2021 The chair of a new global commission established to offer governments guidance on making their energy transitions more “people-centred” says that the creation of green jobs and the transitioning of existing fossil-fuel labour forces into new sectors will be “key factors for a clean, just energy... →

Danish Energy and Climate Minister Dan Jørgensen, who chairs the International Energy Agency’s new global commission on people-centred clean energy transitions, on the need to integrate social justice with the energy transition. Camera Work: Kutlwano Matala. Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Report finds educational attainment gaps limit success of women-owned businesses in Africa

By: Simone Liedtke 21st January 2021 A new report by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on women entrepreneurship, has found that educational attainment gaps limit the success of women-owned businesses in Africa. The report also offers potential solutions to tackle the imbalance. →

R68 766 000 invested in Covid-19 research – Nzimande

By: Sane Dhlamini 18th January 2021 The Higher Education, Science and Innovation Ministry on Monday announced that it has invested R68 766 000 towards coronavirus (Covid-19) research and development. Addressing the media, Minister Dr Blade Nzimande said the funds were approved to support Covid-19 research and development in... →

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande

Department of Basic Education delays reopening of schools by two weeks

By: Sane Dhlamini 15th January 2021 The Department of Basic Education and the National Coronavirus Command Council announced on Friday that the reopening of private and public schools will be delayed by two weeks. The new dates for the reopening of private schools will vary depending on the calendar that they follow. For public... →

Solidarity publishes return-to-work Covid-19 safety plan

By: Donna Slater 12th January 2021 Trade union Solidarity has compiled and distributed a ten-point plan outlining its strategy for the return-to-work of hundreds of employees following the festive season. Solidarity says the premise of the plan is that employers should be “fearless against the [Covid-19] virus”, as well as... →

Return2Work Initiative, Solidarity Fund launch videos to advance workplace safety

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 12th January 2021 The Return2Work Initiative has launched a range of accessible safe back to work videos to address the need for workplace safety as thousands of South Africans return to work from all over the country. These videos are available free online for use and distribution to any business, union, employee... →

Dept urges health, safety of employees as second wave continues

By: Simone Liedtke 8th January 2021 The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) is urging all businesses to prioritise the health and safety of their employees and to take all necessary steps to ensure they are not exposed to the Covid-19 virus. “It is crucial that industries, businesses and entities, both private and in the... →

REIPPPP requires more traction to address challenges

By: Mamaili Mamaila 11th December 2020 The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) continues to take years to move through the various phases – from initiating tenders to delivering energy to the end-user – which, considering the challenges that South Africa is facing, is a luxury the country cannot... →

PROCUREMENT ROAD MAP The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy will seek to procure 6 800 MW of solar photovoltaic and wind renewable energy from 2022 to 2024

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