Latest news with #CommissionforConciliation
The Citizen
29-05-2025
- The Citizen
Hazyview Twin College teachers claim unfair dismissal by school's owner
Six educators at Twin College claim they were unfairly dismissed by the owner of the school on May 22. They also claim that the way they were allegedly dismissed was inappropriate, as it reportedly happened in front of the learners. 'The owner came to the school and asked if he could see all the books of the learners, as he wanted to check their performance. After that, he told us that we should leave the school premises; we are fired. If we did not leave, we would be trespassing on his school. We then left, but the worst part is that we left the kids unattended. The kids are still in Grade One and they cannot be left unattended,' they said. ALSO READ: Fake, expired and unsafe food products confiscated in Hazyview The distressed teachers also claimed they were not given any warning. According to the Labour Act, they were supposed to receive a verbal warning and three warning letters before they could be dismissed. 'All those protocols were not followed and our rights were violated. That is why we took the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Friday. The owner then called some of the educators to return to work. Some of us refused to go back because the way he fired us was unlawful and we want the CCMA to deal with him. How will the learners respect us after what they saw him do to us?' they said. The owner of the school, Lwazi Mhaule, dismissed the allegations. He said he instructed the teachers to go home and do introspection if they still want to be part of the school. ALSO READ: Deputy minister of basic education engages in dialogue with faith leaders 'I did ask the pupils to bring their books to check their progress, only to find that the learners have had only two classwork assignments since January. That was a clear indication that the teachers are being paid full salary while they are not doing their jobs. It's also a lie that this occurred in front of the learners, because I was talking to the teachers in the staff room. On Friday I told the principal to call the teachers to report for duty, but none of them returned,' he said. Mhaule also dismissed the claim that the learners had been left unattended. He said after the six teachers left the school, he called other teachers from his sister school to come and assist. 'Teaching and learning were not disrupted. We had teachers who were assisting in teaching. I can also confirm that the door is still open for the teachers to come back, provided they are willing to teach,' he said. Mhaule said he is aware that he had been reported to CCMA. He said will cross that bridge when he gets to it. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Star
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged. The Human Cost of Institutional Rot The CCMA's R900 million budget (unchanged since 2023) is dwarfed by entities like the Competition Commission (R1.4 billion). Meanwhile, the Labour Court backlog now exceeds 18 months — a direct result of the CCMA's paralysis. Workers wait six months for hearings; others give up entirely. This isn't bureaucratic failure — it's systemic betrayal. The victims are always the same: Black workers in townships, domestic employees, and farm labourers. They are dismissed without pay, harassed without recourse, and silenced without a platform. The constitutional 'safety net' is a cruel illusion. Reclaiming the CCMA's Mandate: To salvage the CCMA, three steps are urgent: 1. Increase funding and reinstate part-time commissioners, reopen service centres, and modernise systems. 2. Hold labour federations accountable and change the status of their board seats to advocacy, not apathy. 3. Prosecute employers who exploit the CCMA's collapse to violate labour laws. The question remains: Who ate the cheese? • Was it the state officials diverting funds? • The federation pocketing board fees? or • Are the employers thriving in chaos? Until this is answered, the CCMA's promise remains a carcass picked clean by vultures — and even its most capable leaders are left powerless. South Africa's workers deserve more than crumbs. They deserve justice. Tahir Maepa, the Secretary General of the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa, and founder of the Resistance Against Impunity Movement
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
To blame the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie, says the writer. When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
The collapse of the CCMA: Betraying South Africa's workers
CCMA's collapse has led to the betrayal of South Africa's workers, says the writer. Image: Picture: Pexels When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3A entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it must operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access—have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged. The Human Cost of Institutional Rot The CCMA's R900 million budget (unchanged since 2023) is dwarfed by entities like the Competition Commission (R1.4 billion). Meanwhile, the Labour Court backlog now exceeds 18 months—a direct result of the CCMA's paralysis. Workers wait six months for hearings; others give up entirely. This isn't bureaucratic failure—it's systemic betrayal. The victims are always the same: Black workers in townships, domestic employees, and farm labourers. They are dismissed without pay, harassed without recourse, and silenced without a platform. The constitutional 'safety net' is a cruel illusion. Reclaiming the CCMA's Mandate To salvage the CCMA, three steps are urgent: 1. Increase funding and reinstate part-time commissioners, reopen service centres, and modernize systems. 2. Hold labour federations accountable and change the status of their board seats to advocacy, not apathy. 3. Prosecute employers who exploit the CCMA's collapse to violate labour laws. The question remains who ate the cheese? • Was it the state officials diverting funds? • The federations pocketing board fees? • The employers thriving in chaos? Until this is answered, the CCMA's promise remains a carcass picked clean by vultures—and even its most capable leaders are left powerless. South Africa's workers deserve more than crumbs. They deserve justice. *Maepa is the Secretary General of the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa (PSCU) and founder of Resistance Against Impunity Movement (RAIM) NPC. **The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media
The Citizen
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Workers' deal just gets tougher
What never changes, though, is that the rich will get richer and the workers will work harder for less. In reality, workers around South Africa would have done little celebrating yesterday, Workers' Day. Even the ones enticed or pressured to attend rallies addressed by ANC ministers pretending to have the 'common touch' would have found little to get down and party about. Times are tough for most workers in this country, pressed by rising prices and incomes which are not keeping up with inflation and looking over their shoulders about possible retrenchments as companies struggle to keep their heads above water. ALSO READ: Celebrating Workers' Day with no work? Unemployment forum boycotts the day Some business owners might point to the raft of worker-friendly laws passed since 1994 as the reason companies are battling… and because of this, they are hiring fewer people. Though they won't say it publicly, they hire foreigners because it is perceived they will work for less and won't go to organisations like the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration for fear of exposing their immigration status. Yet, on a moral balance, the laws the ANC has pioneered have brought much greater protection to a class of people who were hitherto powerless and at the whims of employers. Workers in South Africa are better off than in many other countries because of this. ALSO READ: Govt increases minimum wage – here's how much domestic workers should earn from 1 March However, there is no doubt that, complaints by big business notwithstanding, unions in our country have been far less disruptive than in the past. Is it because their leaders have sold out for a comfy life? Let's not forget that our billionaire president, Cyril Ramaphosa, was once a firebrand mineworkers' leader. As veteran labour expert Terry Bell notes today, the muted marking of Labour Day reflects that workers and organised labour are uncertain about the future because of developments like artificial intelligence, which will change the nature of work forever. What never changes, though, is that the rich will get richer and the workers will work harder for less. READ NEXT: Numsa demands wage increase, night shift allowance for motor industry workers
