Latest news with #SouthAfricanLocalGovernmentBargainingCouncil
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Progress made in metro's efforts to clean house
The Tshwane metro has intensified its efforts to rebuild institutional integrity and restore financial discipline through strong consequence management and a transparent approach to resolving wage disputes. Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya recently conveyed that the Labour Court ruled in favour of the metro's exemption from implementing a 5.4% increase. It sent the matter of a 3.5% increase for the 2021/22 financial year back to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) for reconsideration. Moya provided a six-month progress report on the work of the multiparty coalition government at Tshwane House on May 22. The metro held a meeting with Samwu and Imatu, the two recognised municipal unions, in response to the ruling. Although the unions expressed disappointment over the ruling on the 5.4% increase and reserved the right to appeal, all parties agreed to pursue mediation through the CCMA under Section 150 of the Labour Relations Act. 'This mediation process offers the best chance to reach a fair and sustainable outcome for our employees while maintaining the metro's financial stability,' said Moya. She commended both unions for engaging in open and transparent dialogue in the interest of Tshwane's workforce and uninterrupted service delivery. Moya also highlighted the metro's accelerated progress in addressing unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful (UIFW) expenditure, an issue that has plagued the municipality's governance for years. The metro has completed investigations into R11.7-billion UIFW expenditure, with another R1-billion expected to be finalised before the end of the 2024/25 financial year. LISTEN: She said this marks a dramatic increase from the R1.2-billion investigated in the previous financial year. The metro has also recorded notable progress in disciplinary and legal actions: – 349 officials have been flagged for disciplinary proceedings (up from 126 in February 2025) – 44 cases have been referred for criminal prosecution. – More than 900 cases are now before the Financial Disciplinary Board, an enormous jump from just 70 cases earlier this year. – 85 officials have been dismissed, involving serious offences including sexual harassment, fraud, corruption, bribery, and dereliction of duty. Moya said five officials have been served letters of intention to suspend over mismanagement of the Refilwe and Cullinan stadiums, and a former Section 79 Chairperson has been referred to the Speaker for violating procurement policies. 'The metro is also moving to blacklist eight non-performing contractors, although delivery of formal notices has been challenging due to vacated premises.' Legal advice has prompted the metro to pursue blacklisting in absentia, which signalled a no-tolerance to underperformance and fraud. Moya said R36-million has been allocated in the new budget to Group Audit and Risk for forensic investigations to reinforce the metro's anti-corruption drive. 'These actions show that we are not merely making promises, but acting decisively to clean up governance, build public trust, and restore pride in the administration of our Capital City,' she said. ALSO READ: Toddler finally laid to rest after 8 months in government mortuary Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Endumeni municipality loses another labour case – and must pay up
Endumeni municipality loses another labour case – and must pay up Another failed labour dispute is set to cost Endumeni Municipality R1 042 673, following an arbitration ruling handed down by the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. This ruling adds to the municipality's financial woes, coming just months after a separate October 2024 Bargaining Council decision that already dealt a blow of nearly R1-million to its budget. The latest case centres on the 2023 dismissal of Sifiso Mhlungu, the former municipal human resources manager. While the council found the dismissal to be procedurally fair, it ruled that it was substantively unfair, meaning the decision lacked valid reasoning despite being carried out through the correct process. Mhlungu is to be reinstated retrospectively from November 2023 and is due back at work at the end of the week. The municipality has 14 days to pay him out. Charges were brought against Mhlungu related to misconduct and negligence carried out in his duties as HR manager. However, the hearing found that in one instant, an employee had been served with a suspension notice before Mhlungu was appointed – hence, there was no case. The arbitrator decided not to award costs as Mlungu was returning to work and believed that this would not be 'conducive to a healthy working environment'. It is unclear if the municipality has paid the money it was ordered to pay to the fired corporate services manager, Sakhele Zulu. Commissioner P van Zyl had ruled that the case against Zulu was procedurally unfair and he awarded Zulu 11 months' salary, amounting to over R996 972. He had previously taken further legal action after the municipality failed to meet the payout deadline, but there has been no further news if he has received the money. The municipality is yet to comment on the ruling. HAVE YOUR SAY: Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
03-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
KwaDukuza municipality employees to strike on Monday over salary complaints
KwaDukuza municipality employees to strike on Monday over salary complaints KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) staff aligned to the South African Municipal Workers' Union will strike from 8am-4pm on Monday. According to a statement released by the union, the strike is being held because of salary complaints, particularly what they deem unfair grading. Salary grading is a system that decides municipal pay scales based on the population size and revenue of a given municipality. There are six grades in total. 'We will not be bullied or coerced into abandoning our fight for fair treatment and correct salary alignment,' said the union. 'All we are demanding is that the municipality honours the 2020 council resolution and commitment to align all employee salaries with Grade 5, just as they have already done for senior staff.' KDM spokesperson Sifiso Zulu said the municipality received notice of the peaceful picket. 'Essential services including fire, emergency, lifeguard, waste management, disaster management, electrical and community safety will continue as normal,' he said. 'All employees have been cautioned to observe picketing rules issued by the commissioner as the breach of those may have negative legal implications. The 'No Work, No Pay' principle will apply as appropriated by the Labour Relations Act.' Zulu said that the union's demands fell outside of national collective bargaining processes and that the decision was the jurisdiction of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. The majority of the strike action will be focused in KwaDukuza at the following locations: 36 Chief Albert Luthuli Street. Corner Chief Albert Luthuli and King Shaka Streets. Corner of Mahatma Gandhi and Gizenga Streets. Corner of King Shaka Street and Chota Road. Outside the municipal building at Industrial Crescent. The final strike location will be outside KDM's Nokukhanya Luthuli House at 10 Leonora Drive in Ballito. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
29-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Labour Court rejects George Municipality's bid to validate unqualified HR appointment
A former employee of the George Municipality was appointed as an HR manager under circumstances which amounted to an unfair labour practice as the person did not have the minimum qualification requirement. Image: File The George Municipality's Labour Court bid to have a now-retired employee's appointment declared lawful has been dismissed, with the court upholding that the appointment flouted fair labour practice. The municipality appointed the woman as a Human Resources manager in 2015 without having the minimum qualification requirement. A commissioner of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council found the municipality committed an unfair labour practice in shortlisting and appointing the woman without the NQF Level 7 qualification. This prejudiced two other employees who applied for the same position and held the required qualification but ranked lower in the interviewing process. The employee has since retired. The municipality sought the arbitration sanction to be reviewed and set aside, and for it to be heard afresh before a new commissioner. It was in 2019, during an audit of the municipality's Human Resources Department, that the two employees who held the qualification became aware that their now-former colleague did not have an NQF level 7 qualification when she was appointed, as she was missing one subject for her qualification. Acting Judge of the Labour Court, Glen Cassells, noted in his judgment that no condition was stipulated in the woman's appointment letter that she was required to obtain the qualification within a reasonable time. The arbitration award noted that the municipality, as a local authority, is expected to comply with the requirements stated in the advertisement and that if the provisions existed to accommodate a candidate who otherwise did not meet the minimum requirements of the advertisement, this should be recorded in all relevant documentation. 'The arbitration award notes that (the former) employee had a national diploma in library and information services and that her highest incomplete qualification related to post school education, and that accordingly it would have been reasonable to frown upon choosing her, as the qualification stipulated in the advertisement was relevant to the position and deviating from it to accommodate a qualification not close to the position was problematic. 'The arbitrator concluded that the shortlisting committee and the Municipal Manager would have acted differently if they knew that she did not possess the minimum qualification… In the circumstances, she should not have been shortlisted and accordingly not appointed into the advertised position, and by allowing her to be part of the process and to be appointed under the circumstances amounted to an unfair labour practice as it was based upon a wrong principle,' said Cassells.
IOL News
25-04-2025
- IOL News
George Municipality's attempt to legitimise unqualified HR appointment rejected by Labour Court
A former employee of the George Municipality was appointed as an HR manager under circumstances which amounted to an unfair labour practice as the person did not have the minimum qualification requirement. Image: File The George Municipality's Labour Court bid to have a now-retired employee's appointment declared lawful following an arbitration sanction has been dismissed when the court upheld that the appointment flouted fair labour practice. This was after the municipality appointed a woman as a Human Resources manager in 2015 without having the minimum qualification requirement. A commissioner of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council found that the municipality committed an unfair labour practice in shortlisting and appointing the woman without the NQF Level 7 qualification. This prejudiced two other employees who applied for the same position and held the required qualification but ranked lower in the interviewing process. The employee has since retired. The municipality sought the arbitration sanction to be reviewed and set aside, and for it to be heard afresh before a new commissioner. It was in 2019, during an audit of the municipality's Human Resources Department, that the two employees who held the qualification became aware that their now-former colleague did not have an NQF level 7 qualification when she was appointed, as she was missing one subject for her qualification. Acting Judge of the Labour Court, Glen Cassells, noted in his judgment that no condition was stipulated in the woman's appointment letter that she was required to obtain the qualification within a reasonable time.
