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The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Here's how much FlySafair pilots are earning as increase offer rejected
An increase of 5.7% offered by FlySafair was rejected by the majority of pilots as union Solidarity are demanding 10.5%. FlySafair have revealed how much their captains earn as the airline suffers scheduling disruptions due to a pilot strike. Wage negotiations stalled last week and the airline made public that their captains are among the nation's highest earners. Solidarity, the union representing the pilots, set the desired wage increase at 10.5% plus additional benefits, but FlySafair said the increase amounted to 'an unsustainable escalation'. Salaries in excess of R2m FlySafair on Sunday reiterated that it had tabled a 5.7% increase, accompanied by additional benefits and a bonus. The airline said that Solidarity's demands amounted to a 20% increase in the overall cost to the company, and that their current position takes into consideration the effect the increase would have on the airline's other 1 700 employees. FlySafair chief marketing officer Kirby Gordon said that the airline's pilots were already among the highest paid in the country. 'Our captains earn between R1.8 and R2.3 million annually. Many pilots earn more than members of FlySafair's executive committee,' Gordon said. The proposed increase in above inflation but the South African Revenue Service forces citizens earning over R1.81 million per annum to pay a fixed amount of R644 000 in tax plus 45% of taxable income over R1.81 million. Escalating dispute Solidarity deputy general secretary Helgard Cronje said last week that flight schedules were leaving pilots exhausted. Gordon responded by saying the International Air Transport Association and International Civil Aviation Organization capped flight duty at 100 hours per month. 'In terms of workload, FlySafair captains spent an average of 63 hours last month in the cockpit flying passengers,' said Gordon. Solidarity initially issued a notice to strike for just one day, but the airline retaliated with a seven-day lockout notice. In turn, Solidarity dug their heals in and issued a notice to double the airline's lockout with a 14-day strike. 'Solidarity's one-day notice was aimed at forcing the company back to the negotiating table, but FlySafair has now escalated the dispute, which could last for weeks,' Cronje added. NOW READ: FlySafair pilots down tools, travellers warned of delays and cancellations
The Citizen
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Mpumalanga premier fires two MECs and a HOD
The Mpumalanga premier, Mandla Ndlovu, reshuffled his cabinet and fired two MECs on Tuesday, July 15. He removed the MEC for education, Cathy Dlamini, and the MEC for economic development and tourism, Makhosazane Masilela. He also announced the termination of Godfrey Ntombela's contract as the head of the Department for Culture, Sports and Recreation with immediate effect. He appointed the former Ehlanzeni executive mayor, Jesta Sidell, as the new MEC for economic development and tourism. Lindi Masina, the speaker of the Provincial Legislature, was appointed as the new education MEC. They are expected to start their duties with immediate effect after being sworn in by Deputy Judge President Takalani Vincent Ratshibvumo. ALSO READ: Mpumalanga premier releases investigation report on R2m laptops 'The removal of Dlamini and Masilela comes after the provincial government had made several assessments across the departments and realised we needed to make certain changes. This is aimed at strengthening the work of government to address service delivery as well as a number of other challenges that impede us from reaching the targets set for this administration,' Ndlovu said. ALSO READ: Mpumalanga education department's laptop scandal investigated He also said when he took over the office he had made a promise to the people of Mpumalanga that he wanted to lead a government that would deliver to the people of this province and he is determined to do that. Regarding Ntombela's termination, Ndlovu said: 'It has also come to my attention that fraud has been committed, whereby former premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane's electronic signature was used for the extension of Ntombela's contract. There is also an alleged payment of R80 000, exchanged for the misuse of the former premier's electronic signature. This matter is viewed in a very serious light. As a result I have consulted the acting provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, to investigate the matter.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Nkomazi Local Municipality CFO suspended
The CFO of the Nkomazi Local Municipality, Steven Thobela, has been put on suspension pending an investigation into his alleged financial misconduct. The municipality suspended Thobela with effect from last week Friday, June 13, following a council resolution that was taken at the KaMdladla Community Hall. 'The suspension stems from several allegations of financial misconduct against the CFO. The suspension will allow proper investigation to be undertaken and also allow the official to clear his name if the allegations are not true,' said the municipality's spokesperson, Mbuso Malale. Sipho Mathaba has been appointed as an acting CFO pending the finalisation of the investigations against Thobela. Malale refused to elaborate on the merits of the investigations saying it was sub-judice. Thobela's suspension comes just a month after the municipal manager (MM) Xolani Mabila resigned without giving reasons. ALSO READ: Nkomazi court sentences rapist to 12 years in jail According to Malale, the reasons for Mabila's resignation remained close to his own chest, but unconfirmed reports suggested it was related to alleged corruption within the municipality The suspension of the CFO and the resignation of the MM come in the midst of serious corruption allegations by the DA against the municipality. The DA councillor in the Nkomazi Local Municipality, Nhlonipho Dlamini, said the party urged the provincial Department of Co-operative Governance Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) to intervene in the alleged corruption within the municipality. The DA in Nkomazi will write to Coghsta to investigate municipal officials implicated in the delay of upgrading the Naas Water Treatment Works project. The project which aimed to alleviate water challenges for residents around Naas and neighbouring towns was initiated in September 2020. However, the project has cost the municipality over R39m to date and has been delayed by more than two years,' said Dlamini in a statement. 'It is understood that the project was supposed to be completed in different phases. However, according to the Auditor-General's 2023/24 Management Report, the municipality has poorly managed this project. These are some of the alarming findings that the AG flagged,' added Dlamini. 'These items include mechanical and electrical equipment to the value of R2m. The municipality stored some of the equipment to the value of R7m off-site while there is no written agreement with suppliers regarding warranty and insurance,' said Dlamini. ALSO READ: City of Mbombela sounds alarm on tender scam According to him, at some point, the contractor had halted the project due to cash flow problems and that the municipality had failed to impose penalties against the contractor. 'The municipality paid for equipment before it was procured by the contractor from the supplier (up to 15 months in advance). It was also revealed that at some point the municipality failed to efficiently dispatch water tankers to communities affected by the upgrading of the Naas water treatment works project,' Dlamini said. 'Coghsta must intervene and regulate the implementation of infrastructure projects. It cannot be business as usual while money meant for service delivery is misused,' added Dlamini At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
TimesLIVE
11-06-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Mashatile defends ‘wasteful' expenditure on international trips
The office of Deputy President Paul Mashatile has defended his international travel expenses which have sparked criticism. In a parliamentary written reply, Mashatile provided a breakdown of his international travel costs for transport and accommodation since taking office last year. He said he has been on international trips to Ireland, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Japan which cost more than R2m. During his Japan trip, Mashatile was accompanied by several ministers and deputy ministers, including: minister of sport, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie; minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen; minister of higher education Dr Nobuhle Nkabane; minister of trade, industry and competition Parks Tau; deputy minister of international relations and cooperation Thandi Moraka; and deputy minister of science and innovation Nomalungelo Gina. Among other costs, Mashatile and his wife spent more than R900,000 on four nights' accommodation in Japan, sparking criticism from ActionSA, which called it 'wasteful expenditure' that could be spent on building decent homed for those in need. Mashatile's office clarified the deputy president did not 'misuse state funds or was extravagant in financing the costs of his international travel'. It said the visits were necessary to advance the global agenda. 'The office of the deputy president wishes to reiterate Mashatile undertakes all international working visits not in his personal capacity but on behalf of the government as delegated by President Cyril Ramaphosa. 'Moreover, the most these strategic international visits are aimed at strengthening existing bilateral, political, economic and diplomatic relations between SA and visited countries,' Mashatile's office said. His office reiterated the Japan visit was of the same importance. 'The Japan working visit achieved several key objectives, including representing the first high-level engagement between SA and Japan in the past 10 years, signalling an acknowledgment and appreciation for the long-standing relationship between the two countries based on a wide area of cooperation not limited to trade and investment. 'The visit was beneficial in terms of SA's African Agenda, the confluence of SA's G20 chairship and Japan's hosting of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in August, presenting a unique opportunity for SA to communicate its own and the continent's position and priorities to Japan and the expected support and role Japan could play in this regard.'
TimesLIVE
06-06-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
GNU ministers spent R200m of taxpayers' money on travelling since taking office
Ministers in the government of national unity (GNU) have spent more than R200m on travel expenses since July last year. This was revealed by ActionSA through its GNU performance tracker after receiving replies to parliamentary questions sent to ministers. This week, the party said Deputy President Paul Mashatile and his staff splurged more than R2m on travel expenses for transport and accommodation since last year. In a written reply, Mashatile said he has been on four international trips - to Ireland, Botswana, Zimbabwe and, recently, Japan. A total of R613,214 was spent on flights, R1,235,569 on accommodation and R410,926 for ground transport for all trips. Other costs included laundry services at R8,033 and R51,393 for restaurant services. ActionSA MP Alan Beesley criticised the spending, calling it 'executive indulgence' and 'wasteful expenditure'. 'This sort of wasteful expenditure, an extension of ANC excess now rebranded under the GNU, has become business as usual for the world's most bloated executive,' Beesley said. 'South Africans deserve leadership that puts people before perks and not a R200m travel spree by the world's largest cabinet.' The sport, arts and culture department's travel expenses have also raised concern. Minister Gayton McKenzie said he and his staff undertook 11 international trips costing more than R2m. R164,556 was paid for a trip to Burkina Faso that never took place. 'Not only is this spending exorbitant, but it is riddled with red flags, gaps and inconsistencies. The public paid for flights and accommodation for an event that was abandoned, a textbook case of wasteful expenditure, as defined by the Public Finance Management Act. 'Unless the minister can demonstrate that this loss was unavoidable and efforts were made to recover the funds, this reflects a serious failure of financial oversight and internal control.' ActionSA has introduced the Enhanced Cut Cabinet Perks Bill to address unchecked government spending. 'This bill seeks to slash ministerial perks and restore much-needed fiscal discipline.'
