The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has sharply criticised a ruling of the Labour Court that exempts the City of Tshwane from increasing its employees’ salaries as collectively negotiated in the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Bargaining Council. The contentious ruling, handed down on Friday, followed an application by the then Democratic Alliance (DA) run City of Tshwane. At the time, the city argued that it lacked the financial resources to implement the salary increments. Other municipalities, including…

Recently, the City of Tshwane has approved a policy that provides special leave for employees who need to undergo ukuthwasa. This is a significant approval in South Africa, especially from a government institution. The announcement is a positive and progressive development from the employment law’s perspective. It also aligns with the Constitution’s values, recognising African customary law and indigenous practices.  It addresses the issues related to the Indigenous practices of African people, particularly concerning the ongoing victimisation of those undergoing…

Three factors convinced Nthabiseng Mkase that things were falling apart in Hammanskraal: her six-year-old child was vomiting profusely under the weight of diarrhoea, the local hospital seemed overwhelmed with cholera patients, while sewage spills were overflowing in the streets.    It all began two weeks ago when Mkase’s child started vomiting endlessly on a Friday night. The following morning, the grade 1 pupil failed to wake up, sparking concerns and fear in Mkase.  However, when the child failed to eat breakfast…