Focus
Minimum wage increase barely covers workers’ costs
There has been pushback from business regarding the 1 March increase in the national minimum wage, but the latest Household Affordability Index report has highlighted how difficult it is for low-income earners to feed their families with nutritious food, writes ...
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South Africa
Current growth rate won’t tackle unemployment
The World Bank cautions that a 2% GDP growth rate in SA is insufficient to significantly reduce poverty and unemployment. In its latest economic update, which also includes a section on SA’s basic education system, the lender says it expects ...
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Scramble to deal with freeze on US foreign aid
SA’s healthcare community is scrambling to deal with the fall-out from the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid. The freeze has put more than 15 300 healthcare workers’ jobs on the line, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told Parliament. The personnel ...
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One month reprieve for Amsa workers
ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa) has again delayed the shutdown of its longs business following a R380m cash injection, writes BusinessTech. Amsa is quoted as saying it had delayed the closure by about one month to enable the fulfilment of the higher-than-anticipated ...
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Community workers' jobs cut plan reversed
Block on pension payout upheld
Banking sector falling short of some transformation goals
Acrimonious exit of Exxaro CEO ‘not good for the company’
‘Total breakdown in internal controls’ at Compensation Fund
Officials dismissed for awarding irregular tender
Bank official's dismissal found to be fair
Sleeping on the job case referred back to CCMA
More union support needed for 5% public service offer
Union objects to naming and shaming dismissed workers
Thousands of public school jobs remain vacant
UIF’s recruitment policies under scrutiny
Principal reinstated without disciplinary hearing
Sex for jobs claims rife in Eastern Cape state departments
Crime Intelligence head accused of dismissal conspiracy
eThekwini official paid millions while suspended
Miners and municipal workers die on the job
Experts call for relevant skills for new technologies
Sama says mismanagement causing doctor shortage
Clients plan to re-use two-pot system – AlexForbes survey
Analysis
Retirement age dismissals not clear-cut
A Constitutional Court judgment, handed down in December, creates legal uncertainty regarding the consequences of an employee reaching the normal or agreed retirement age. JJ van der Walt, counsel in employment law at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, notes that two matters ...
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Rolling back DEI could impact companies’ bottom line
In recent weeks, headlines have been dominated by US companies scaling back their DEI (diversity, equality, and inclusion) initiatives. The Trump administration and big names like McDonald’s and Meta are among those rebranding or even dismantling their diversity programmes in ...
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World
Judges block Trump’s executive actions
A US federal judge granted a temporary restraining order, halting the Trump administration’s attempt to sideline nearly 2 700 US Agency for International Development (USAID) employees by placing them on paid leave and recalling most of those stationed abroad. A ...
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Kenya’s new policy of sending workers abroad
They line up by the hundreds to meet recruiters at schools in provincial towns and convention halls in large cities, some carrying advanced diplomas, others with only a primary education to their name. BusinessLIVE reports each is hoping to land ...
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Lesotho health workers caught up in USAID suspension
About 1 500 health workers, including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and counsellors – working in Lesotho in US-funded programmes, have been directly affected by Trump’s unilateral suspension of USAID. Minister of Health Selibe Mochoboroane said the government was working to ...
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‘Gen Z’ motivations should be considered by law firms
Abuse allegations threaten McDonald’s expansion agenda
Celebrity chef faces allegations of abuse
Woolworths Australia starts back to office plan
Briefs
Pick n Pay announces store closures
* Pick n Pay has announced that it has closed the doors of 32 stores and converted five company-owned supermarkets to franchises. The retailing giant said that all staff affected by the store closure and conversions were consulted and ‘more than ...
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Fraud accused told to pay back the money
* A Western Cape municipal official convicted of defrauding the municipality has been ordered to pay back R500 000 using his pension fund. Bergrivier Municipality's former chief of credit control, Pieter Jacobus Adams was found guilty of 435 counts of ...
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KZN health workers protest work conditions
* Healthcare workers affiliated with the Public Servants Association are picketing outside the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, south of Durban. They say that the hospital has been without water for two weeks, affecting hygiene and patient care, and the ...
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Government announces new internship programme
Case Law Briefs
Shaw v Absa (Pension withdrawal)
Financial Services Tribunal:
Shaw v ABSA Bank Pension Fund and Another
Judgment: 25 January 2025
Keywords: Pension Funds – Reconsideration application – entitlement to one-third lump sum withdrawal – election on retirement is binding
Summary: The applicant, Hermann Matthysen Shaw ...
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SA Municipal Workers Union v Miya (Court jurisdiction)
Free State High Court (Bloemfontein):
SA Municipal Workers Union v Mokone Moses Miya
Judgment: 30 January 2025
Keywords: Jurisdiction – residence – definition of residence
Summary: The SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) instituted action against Mokone Moses Miya for payment ...
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Mthetho Hlamandana v Premier, Eastern Cape (Powers of removal)
Eastern Cape High Court (Mthatha):
Mthetho Hlamandana & Another v Premier, Eastern Cape Provincial Government & Others
Judgment: 4 February 2025
Keywords: Review application – Disciplinary hearing – Allegations of procedural irregularities in hearing and acting ultra vires statutory powers ...
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BOOK REVIEW
EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS: EMPLOYMENT LAW FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE - VOLUME 1
EFFECTIVE WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS: EMPLOYMENT LAW FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE - VOLUME 1
U Stander and B Jordaan | Print ISBN: 9781485160335; eBook ISBN: 9781485160342
Effective Workplace Solutions – Employment Law from a Business Perspective (Volume 1) is a practical, user-friendly guide to ...
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