South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Wednesday 30 September

Never miss a beat when it comes to the latest news in South Africa; check out what’s making the headlines on Wednesday 30 September.

As South Africa grapples with the national pandemic of joblessness emanating from the stringent coronavirus-induced lockdown, operations at multiple state owned enterprises continue to be negatively impacted by strikes arising from bitter wage disputes.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, Wednesday 30 SEPTEMBER

More than 2 million jobs lost during hard lockdown

While South Africa’s hard lockdown strategy — implemented between April and June at higher levels — managed to quell the coronavirus’ pervasive spread, the subsequent impact of halting the economy had a disastrous impact on the country’s unemployment rate. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has revealed that 2.2 million South Africans lost their jobs in the second quarter of 2020; this translates to an average of 24 000 daily job losses over the course of three months.

No sectors were spared the jobs bloodbath but community services and trade industries were hardest hit by the period of economic inactivity.

Stats SA revealed that the country’s official expanded unemployment rate had risen to 42%, with job losses in the second quarter of 2020 being the highest on record.

Opposition parties, trade unions and civil society organisations have noted, with grave concern, the rise in economic exclusion and South Africa’s descent further into poverty. The Democratic Alliance (DA) called on the ruling party to adopt progressive economic policies and abandon talks of nationalisation, saying:

“The bad news for unemployed South Africans is that there isn’t going to be a quick recovery in the job market as long as the government fails to move beyond rhetoric and start pursuing a genuine economic structural reform programme.”

Strikes hurt Eskom, SAA

Dissatisfied workers have decided to down tools at a critical time for two of South Africa’s most-troubled state owned entities. Eskom, the country’ embattled power utility which has been marred by operational failures, financial disasters and a sordid history of corruption, has been further hurt by a strike orchestrated by maintenance workers.

On Tuesday, employees of Eskom Rotek Industries picketed near several power stations, demanding that labour brokers be taken to task over payment irregularities. The strike, which is expected to continue today, comes as Eskom attempts to recover from a series of dire power plant maintenance meltdowns which led to load shedding earlier in September.

Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha criticised the strike action, noting that workers’ grievances were already being dealt with by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

The country’s national carrier, South African Airways (SAA), which recently avoided outright liquidation as a result of an accepted business rescue plan, is also contending with strike action at the hands of its technical staff. South African Airways (SAA) Technical employees, supported by National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), are expected to continue their protests outside the airline’s headquarters in Kempton Park.

Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola confirmed that the technical staff were embroiled in a bitter wage dispute which was connected to withholding of funds associated with the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters). The strike has embattled other airlines which rely on SAA technical staff to service aircraft.

Mashaba vows fight back following IEC dismissal

The former Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, has been left fuming following a shock rejection by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Mashaba, who resigned as mayor and from the DA in 2019, launched his new political party — Action SA — almost a month ago. Vowing to challenge the status quo at the polls, Mashaba had hoped to contest the upcoming municipal elections in 2021.

The IEC, however, rejected the former mayor’s application to register Action SA as a political party, citing striking similarities to an already-registered organisation, Party of Action (POA), and Mashaba’s use of the South African flag as part of the party’s logo. Mashaba has vowed to fight back, saying:

“Disappointed, but not surprised. The IEC has applied the law incorrectly. This won’t stop us. We will defend our identity without hesitation. I am asking our followers, volunteers and members, don’t lose a single sleep. Leave this matter to my team and I’s  capable hands. South African laws are still in place”

The IEC has given Mashaba and his party two options; amend the Action SA symbol and publish a fresh notice of application or appeal to the Commission against the decision of the Chief Electoral Officer within 30 days.

Mamabolo intervenes to curb taxi violence at Bosman station

Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC, Jacob Mamabolo, has instructed the taxi associations operating at Bosman taxi rank to abide by the law and stop the intimidation that has resulted in some operators being barred from the rank.

This follows tensions which have been simmering between three minibus taxi associations, including Pretoria Mabopane Pietersburg Taxi Association (PMTA), the Pretoria Long Distance Taxi Association (PLDTA) and the Great North Taxi Association (GRENTA) – all operating the route from the capital city to Polokwane.

This prompted Mamabolo to bring all organisations into negotiations as part of efforts to keep the tension at Bosman rank from exploding into violence.

Mamabolo said he has met the associations and made it very clear that violence has no place in the taxi industry.

“As the provincial government, we will spare no effort in ensuring that violence becomes a thing of the past in Gauteng,” Mamabolo said. (Source: SAnews)

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