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President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: by PresidencyZA)
ANC

Ramaphosa rebukes Malema’s allegations of betrayal during liberation struggle

The president cautioned the Economic Freedom Fighters leader to play the ball, not the man

  • Emsie Ferreira
4 min read
South Africa, the world’s seventh-largest coal producer, faces a climate challenge that has largely flown under the radar: methane emissions from coal mines. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
BLESSING MANALE

Have coal industry workers been left in the dark?

South Africa’s transition to renewable energy is challenged by a shortage of planning, skills development and training, an investigation by Oxpeckers finds

  • Thabo Molelekwa
  • Oxpeckers
11 min read
The proposed 4 000MW project would be built at Duynefontein next to the existing Koeberg nuclear power station near Cape Town. Photo: David Harrison
ANDRE DE RUYTER

NUM clashes with Eskom over Koeberg

Union questions the utility’s decision to stall maintenance at the nuclear power plant

  • Mandisa Makgakga
4 min read
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Pravin Gordhan. (Halden Krog/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
2021 JULY RIOTS

Editorial: A political solution from Ramaphosa or Gordhan will not solve the Eskom load-shedding crisis

After more than 10 years of meddling and the countless executive game of musical chairs, please leave political actors out of Eskom problem-solving. This is a problem to be…

  • Editorial
3 min read
Zwelinzima Vavi, the secretary-general of the South African Federation of Trade Unions. (Photo credit should read JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images)
ANDRE DE RUYTER

Vavi, NUM add to calls for De Ruyter and company to leave Eskom

Saftu and NUM leaders warn that load-shedding will cause devastating job losses and scupper economic recovery

  • Emsie Ferreira
4 min read
A mine employee measures the temperature of a mineworker, enroute to his evening shift at the Sibanye-Stillwater platinum mine, before letting him board a company bus at the Wonderkop taxi rank in Marikana, near Rustenburg. (Photo by Michele Spatari/AFP)
CORONAVIRUS

Mining industry vaccinates over 200 000 workers, mandatory vaccination not on the cards for now

Minerals Council aims to get 80% of its workforce vaccinated by November

  • Marcia Zali
2 min read
Bargaining season: Amcu members at the Masizakhele Stadium in Driefontein during the gold sector strike earlier this year. Platinum companies are hoping their negotiations proceed more smoothly. (Oupa Nkosi)
ANGLO AMERICAN PLATINUM

Amcu inks R14 000 deal

The agreement could lay the foundation for a showdown in the platinum sector ahead of further negotiations

  • Thando Maeko
5 min read
Resigning himself: SAA chief executive Vuyani Jarana had to answer to the airline’s board about its poor performance and outstanding financials. (Elizabeth Sejake/Gallo Images/Rapport)
NUM

Inside the SAA battle: Throwing toys and bugging boardrooms

The chief executive has resigned but most unions are backing him and the board has yet to respond

  • Sabelo Skiti
6 min read
Amcu — which rose to prominence during the labour unrest which led to the Marikana massacre in 2012 — began as a breakaway from the ANC-aligned National Union of Mineworkers. (Oupa Nkosi/M&G)
AMCU

Amcu, govt showdown looms amidst threat to deregister union

Amcu — which rose to prominence during the labour unrest which led to the Marikana massacre in 2012 — began as a breakaway from the ANC-aligned NUM

  • Natasha Marrian
3 min read
Power struggle: Eskom’s plans to unbundle and its deals with independent power producers is anathema to at least a contingent of its 47?658-strong workforce. Photo: Wikus De Wet/AFP/Getty Images
ESKOM

Numsa denies ‘politicised’ workers are a threat to Eskom

Numsa’s general secretary says the party’s aim is to push the workers’ interest in all sectors of society.

  • Natasha Marrian
4 min read
Power struggle: Eskom believes it may need the help of the police, military and crime intelligence to help it to protect national key points from its employees and other ‘elements’ if it has to retrench staff. (Oupa Nkosi)
BHEKI CELE

Eskom: Army and police on standby

The utility fears sabotage if Nersa doesn’t grant a price hike, which may lead to retrenchments

  • Sabelo Skiti
  • Thanduxolo Jika
6 min read
The constitutional court has granted parliament an extension of the deadline set in its New Nation Movement NPC ruling in 2020 to amend the Electoral Act to allow independent candidates to be elected to the national and provincial legislatures (David Harrison/M&G)
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

Elections 2019 will test SA’s value system

The president and his party face a difficult time in the months ahead and the outcome is far from certain

  • Richard Calland
8 min read
Gold Fields has not been able to produce since the strike began, resulting in a cash burn of around R6-million per day and R70-million in lost wages. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
GOLD FIELDS

New offer to end Gold Fields strike likely to be rejected, says union

NUM downed tools on ​November 2 in protest against 1 082 employees and 420 contractors losing their positions

  • Tehillah Nieselow
3 min read
Amcu President Joseph Mathunjwa has accused Sibanye-Stillwater of paying large salaries to executives while “not sharing the wealth” with workers. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
ASSOCIATION OF MINE AND CONSTRUCTION

Amcu firm on Sibanye strike, warns of fresh strike in platinum sector

Amcu President Joseph Mathunjwa promised to embark on a secondary strike in the platinum sector, at a yet-to-be-determined date

  • Tehillah Nieselow
3 min read
The consultations with communities took place through a nationwide roadshow held over three months by Gwede Mantashe and his officials. But this was still not enough. (David Harrison/M&G)
GWEDE MANTASHE

Communities reject Mantashe’s mining charter

Community umbrella body Macua says consultation road shows were short and the process flawed

  • Govan Whittles
3 min read
Cosatu boss Sdumo Dlamini and his deputy Zingiswa Losi (right) are both in the running to be elected president of the federation at its elective congress next month. (Lucky Maibi/Gallo Images)
COSATU

Cosatu’s boss loses favour to his deputy

The NUM and Nehawu are leading Zingiswa Losi’s campaign to replace S’dumo Dlamini

  • Govan Whittles
4 min read
Teachers
GOLD FIELDS

Gold Fields set to cut jobs in restructure

The mining company is set to cut more jobs despite numerous restructuring efforts

  • Gemma Ritchie
2 min read
Eskom has put forward two three-year wage options to the unions, the first being a 7% wage increases for three years, with a housing allowance, or 7.5% in 2018 and 7% in 2019 and 2020, with no housing allowance.
ESKOM

Unions hold the cards as Eskom faces fresh strike threat

Numsa and NUM are yet to sign the latest wage offer of a 7.5% increase for 2018 and a 7% increase for the next two years

  • Fin1
2 min read
(Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
COSATU

Cosatu, NUM resolve to fight Implats retrenchments

The mining company announced its intention to go ahead with the mass retrenchments in its strategic review last Thursday

  • Sarah Smit
2 min read
Eskom has put forward two three-year wage options to the unions, the first being a 7% wage increases for three years, with a housing allowance, or 7.5% in 2018 and 7% in 2019 and 2020, with no housing allowance.
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

Thuma mina: Unions unmoved by president’s challenge

‘All the problems of unemployment and inequality are all getting worse since President Ramaphosa took over’

  • Tebogo Tshwane
4 min read