Labour
Plan to extend unemployment payouts
More than 8.5 million people are receiving payments from the Unemployment Insurance Fund. If a bill before parliament’s labour committee is passed, benefits could be extended to a year.
GroundUp Staff
News | 17 June 2014
“White foreigners”: The danger of history repeating itself
Gwede Mantashe, former chairman of the SA Communist Party, former general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and now the powerful secretary-general of the governing ANC, sounded furious this week. In what must qualify as the most ironic case of “we’ve heard all that before”, he blamed the platinum belt strike and the consequent crisis on “white foreigners”.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 13 June 2014
NUM and Nzimande defence of Zokwana raises questions about transparency for unions
The recent allegations of financial impropriety in the upper ranks of the SA Municipal Workers’ Union are only the latest in a string of similar scandals over the years. And it is little wonder that these have erupted, for many trade unions have transformed themselves into bureaucratic organisations with business links.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 11 June 2014
Can the platinum producers afford the wages demanded?
Like any good question, the answer to whether the platinum producers can afford the demands made by striking workers is: “it depends”.
Gilad Isaacs
Opinion | 9 June 2014
Unions get back to democratic basics
Misunderstanding and confusion about the platinum sector pay issue persists. And much of the media is to blame for repeating, without analysis, the public relations spin of the mining companies.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 2 June 2014
Striking miners come to Cape Town
North West province mineworkers striking for better salaries are lobbying with the power of film to gain support for their cause countrywide.
Yazeed Kamaldien
News | 29 May 2014
Anger as municipality forces small farmers to pay to use common land
Already hit by drought, small farmers in the Upington area will now have to pay fees to graze their animals on common land.
Selby Nomnganga
News | 29 May 2014
An ‘oasis of excellence’ in the arid karoo
For all the special pleading by the major teachers’ union, Sadtu and the assertions by basic education minister Angie Motshekga that all is well, our schooling system is in crisis.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 26 May 2014
Government should do more to protect communities from companies that destroy environment
Tracey Davies explains how the Batlhabine community fought back against a mining company that ignored the law. She also argues that the Department of Mineral Resources should have done more to help.
Tracey Davies
Opinion | 20 May 2014