Latest news with #CommissionforConciliation
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Wage talks between Samwu and City of Tshwane break down, leaving workers in limbo
The recent CCMA-led talks between Samwu and the City of Tshwane failed to reach an agreement over the outstanding 3,5% wage increase for the 2021/22 period. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Media The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)-facilitated talks between the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and the City of Tshwane on June 10 and 23, 2025, broke down without an agreement over the outstanding 3.5% wage increase for the 2021/22 period. The talks followed a May 9 Labour Court ruling, which sent the matter back to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council for a new hearing on the 3.5% wage increase after the city initially sought an exemption. In the same breath, the court ruled that the city is exempt from implementing a 5.4% wage increase for the 2023/2024 financial year after it cited financial constraints. The city approached the court after its application for exemption from a wage agreement with the unions was rejected by the bargaining council. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Samwu regional secretary Donald Monakisi said the union has formally appealed against the ruling on the 5.4% salary increase and is waiting for the Labour Appeal Court to schedule a hearing date. Regarding the outstanding 3.5% salary increase, he said both the union and the city failed to reach an agreement during the recent CCMA-led negotiations regarding the process to finalise such an increase for municipal workers. He said the bargaining council has scheduled the exemption hearing for July 21, 2025. Monakisi explained that the CCMA-facilitated talks were held ahead of the upcoming exemption hearing at the bargaining council, in an effort to narrow down the issues in dispute and explore possible settlement options that could be formalised as a bargaining council award. However, the meetings failed to yield consensus between the two parties, but they agreed on the value of ongoing dialogue before the scheduled hearing. Monakisi said Samwu remains committed to these discussions, hoping to reach a mutually beneficial resolution in the best interest of workers. 'The union remains relentless in its position that the 3.5% salary increase, owed to workers from 2021, must be honoured. The prolonged delay in payment has imposed significant financial strain on municipal workers, who continue to provide essential services under increasingly difficult conditions. In this regard, Samwu's legal team is diligently preparing for the exemption hearing, with the aim of securing a just outcome for our members,' he said. Monakisi emphasised that the City of Tshwane has confirmed the availability of funds to meet its obligations to employees. He was referring to Mayor Nasiphi Moya's State of the Capital Address two months ago, where she noted Tshwane's improving financial outlook due to decisive actions and increasing resident support. 'We are proud to report that our cash reserves are projected to reach R2.86 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. This marks an important step toward financial stability, with our liquidity coverage improving from 23 days to 43 days over the next two years,' she said. The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union demanded transparency and accountability, arguing that the city cannot claim financial stability for the public while citing financial distress as a reason for not paying its workforce. Last month, the city and both unions jointly acknowledged the strain the ongoing wage dispute had placed on municipal employees. 'The city reaffirmed its appreciation for the dedication of its workforce and its commitment to working collaboratively with organised labour to find a fair and sustainable resolution,' parties said in a statement.
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Public Service Commission faces mounting grievances, soaring leave liability
The Public Service Commission (PSC) has raised alarm over a growing number of formal employee grievances within government departments and public institutions, and a ballooning capped-leave liability exceeding R16bn. At a media briefing in Pretoria, PSC commissioner Anele Gxoyiya revealed the commission registered 439 formal grievances by March 31, including 85 cases carried over from the previous financial year. 'Of the 439 grievances, 77% have been concluded and 23% remained pending at the end of March,' he said. Breaking down the 338 concluded cases, Gxoyiya said: only 18 were substantiated; while 84 were unsubstantiated; nine partially substantiated; 43 were internally resolved by departments after PSC intervention; and the remaining 184 were closed for different reasons, including duplication with other proceedings before bargaining councils, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration or the courts.
The Citizen
29-05-2025
- The Citizen
Hazyview Twin College teachers claim unfair dismissal by school's owner
Six educators at Twin College claim they were unfairly dismissed by the owner of the school on May 22. They also claim that the way they were allegedly dismissed was inappropriate, as it reportedly happened in front of the learners. 'The owner came to the school and asked if he could see all the books of the learners, as he wanted to check their performance. After that, he told us that we should leave the school premises; we are fired. If we did not leave, we would be trespassing on his school. We then left, but the worst part is that we left the kids unattended. The kids are still in Grade One and they cannot be left unattended,' they said. ALSO READ: Fake, expired and unsafe food products confiscated in Hazyview The distressed teachers also claimed they were not given any warning. According to the Labour Act, they were supposed to receive a verbal warning and three warning letters before they could be dismissed. 'All those protocols were not followed and our rights were violated. That is why we took the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Friday. The owner then called some of the educators to return to work. Some of us refused to go back because the way he fired us was unlawful and we want the CCMA to deal with him. How will the learners respect us after what they saw him do to us?' they said. The owner of the school, Lwazi Mhaule, dismissed the allegations. He said he instructed the teachers to go home and do introspection if they still want to be part of the school. ALSO READ: Deputy minister of basic education engages in dialogue with faith leaders 'I did ask the pupils to bring their books to check their progress, only to find that the learners have had only two classwork assignments since January. That was a clear indication that the teachers are being paid full salary while they are not doing their jobs. It's also a lie that this occurred in front of the learners, because I was talking to the teachers in the staff room. On Friday I told the principal to call the teachers to report for duty, but none of them returned,' he said. Mhaule also dismissed the claim that the learners had been left unattended. He said after the six teachers left the school, he called other teachers from his sister school to come and assist. 'Teaching and learning were not disrupted. We had teachers who were assisting in teaching. I can also confirm that the door is still open for the teachers to come back, provided they are willing to teach,' he said. Mhaule said he is aware that he had been reported to CCMA. He said will cross that bridge when he gets to it. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Star
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged. The Human Cost of Institutional Rot The CCMA's R900 million budget (unchanged since 2023) is dwarfed by entities like the Competition Commission (R1.4 billion). Meanwhile, the Labour Court backlog now exceeds 18 months — a direct result of the CCMA's paralysis. Workers wait six months for hearings; others give up entirely. This isn't bureaucratic failure — it's systemic betrayal. The victims are always the same: Black workers in townships, domestic employees, and farm labourers. They are dismissed without pay, harassed without recourse, and silenced without a platform. The constitutional 'safety net' is a cruel illusion. Reclaiming the CCMA's Mandate: To salvage the CCMA, three steps are urgent: 1. Increase funding and reinstate part-time commissioners, reopen service centres, and modernise systems. 2. Hold labour federations accountable and change the status of their board seats to advocacy, not apathy. 3. Prosecute employers who exploit the CCMA's collapse to violate labour laws. The question remains: Who ate the cheese? • Was it the state officials diverting funds? • The federation pocketing board fees? or • Are the employers thriving in chaos? Until this is answered, the CCMA's promise remains a carcass picked clean by vultures — and even its most capable leaders are left powerless. South Africa's workers deserve more than crumbs. They deserve justice. Tahir Maepa, the Secretary General of the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa, and founder of the Resistance Against Impunity Movement
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
To blame the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie, says the writer. When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged.
