There is tension in the mining sector as Anglo American Platinum prepares to unveil its job cuts plan on Friday. Amplats is expected to cut down on the number of jobs it intended to slash as it tries to balance out cost cuts and the threat of labour unrest.

The company had planned to cut 14 000 jobs and mothball two mines to pull back to profit.

Mining minister, Suzan Shabangu, furiously accused the company of betrayal. Amplats has been in talks with the government for months to hammer out the agreed plan.

Industry sources say the final plan would be pared back, with as few as 5 000 jobs cut.

The talks have been tough, but Amplats, which declined to comment on Thursday, has promised the market there will be a final outcome this week.

At the talks have been tough, but Amplats, which declined to comment on Thursday, has promised the market there will be a final outcome this week.

Mathunjwa also told a media briefing the AMCU would submit its wage demands to individual platinum companies in two weeks’ time but did not say what workers would push for

At the entrance to the Khuseleka operations – one of two mines near the platinum belt city of Rustenburg slated for closure – workers waited to hear their fate on a cool autumn day.

“We are all waiting to hear who is losing their job and who is keeping it,” a rockdriller from the Eastern Cape province, where much of the mine workforce is drawn from, told Reuters as he waited for a company bus to take him home after his shift.

He and others declined to have their names published. “Everyone is anxious about who will go and who will be left,” said another, who supports seven people on his salary, including his parents and a sister in university.

The average South African mineworker has eight dependants, so the social consequences of the lay-offs in a country with a jobless rate of over 25% will be far reaching.

Militant workers have signalled they will launch protest strikes, even if the job cuts fall far short of the initial target. Social tensions are running high after violence rooted in a labour turf war killed more than 50 people last year and sparked illegal strikes that hit production.

For Amplats, reining in costs and cutting production to such an extent that it lifts the price of platinum, used for emissions-capping catalytic converters in motor vehicles, is absolutely crucial after it fell into a loss last year.

“From the point of view of Amplats itself, both numbers will be critical; how many ounces will you produce, but also how many people, because that impacts on the cost base,” said Alison Turner, an analyst at Panmure Gordon.

But AMCU leaders in Johannesburg said they would not endorse any illegal protest actions or strikes.

“We are not supporting anything like that. AMCU does not vouch for unprotected (illegal) industrial action,” AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa said.

Militant workers have signalled they will launch protest strikes even if the job cuts fall far short of the initial target. They say even a scaled back proposal to cut 5,000 or so jobs would be seen as too many.

Mathunjwa also told a media briefing the AMCU would submit its wage demands to individual platinum companies in two weeks’ time but did not say what workers would push for. Additional reporting by Reuters

Mamelodi Sundowns will hope to improve their chances of finishing their troublesome season within the top-eight bracket on the PSL log when they face Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

But they will have their work cut-out against the Buccaneers side, who apart from their outside chance of winning the league championship, still hope to at least finish second on the log to secure a place in next years’ Caf Championship league.

Sundows go into the clash on the back of a morale-boosting 5-1 triumph over relegation-threatened Black Leopards on Tuesday while Pirates put up a sterling performance against TP Mazembe in the Caf Champions league last weekend. Despite losing the controversial match 1-0, Bucs advanced to the knockout stages of the tournament by virtue of a 3-2 aggregate score.

Lamontville Golden Arrows welcome title-chasers Platinum Stars to Durban this weekend in a Absa Premiership title decider.
A win for Dikwena will put them level with leaders Kaizer Chiefs who are on 56 points after 28 games. A loss, however, could be tantamount to handing the PSL title to Chiefs on a silver platter.

Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium will host the 2013 Nedbank Cup final on the 25th of May

At the Harry Gwala Stadium a win against struggling Maritzburg United could get Ajax Cape Town out of the relegation zone.

Moroka Swallows visit SuperSport United at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, while Bloemfontein Celtic takes on Free State Stars in a derby at the Free State Stadium.

Meanwhile, Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium will host the 2013 Nedbank Cup final on the 25th of May.

The 2012/13 Nedbank Cup final will feature Kaizer Chiefs and defending Nedbank Cup champions SuperSport United.

This world cup venue is regarded as the neutral venue for both Matsatsantsa and Amakhosi.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

The ANC NEC deployees have maintained that proper processes were followed in the run up to the re-run of the Free State elective conference.

The conference is set to begin with registration of delegates later on Friday.

Earlier, disgruntled ANC members calling themselves “Regime Change” charged that the procedures have been flouted again. The repeat conference follows a Constitutional Court ruling which nullified the previous provincial leadership structure which was elected in June last year.

The Regime Change has accused ANC NEC deployees as well as the Provincial Task Team appointed to oversee the re -run of the conference of undermining the Constitutional ruling which declared the June Parys Conference unlawful.

The leader of Regime Change Mpho Ramakatsa says: “The sense that some of the regions not in good standing continue to be recognised by the ANC deployees and the PTT is a surprise.”

However, task team member, Mathabo Leeto says all requirements for the province to go ahead with the conference have been met. “All the processes were followed to the latter.”
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Sifiso Myeni and Ayanda Gcaba will miss Orlando Pirates’ clash against Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, while Thulasizwe Mbuyane faces a late fitness test.

Gcaba received his fourth yellow card of the season against Chippa United, while Myeni was sent off.

‘Juju’ has been out for over two months, after injuring his thigh during the Soweto Derby in March, and the Bucs physiotherapist John Williams are to make a decision on his fitness levels today.

“I do not feel pain anymore … I am working hard to be in the team – I have been out for a very long time and obviously I have to take it easy with training and stuff,” the player tells Pirates’ official website.

“I still have a few sessions to go through as well as a late fitness test before the game, so ja, let us hope all goes well – I really want to make the team but I have to pass the test first.”
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter says his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson grew stronger after he recommended Henrik Larrson to the Red Devils in 2007.

“He is one of these people that if you do something for him, he never forgets you,” Baxter says.

While coach at Swedish club Helsingborg, Baxter received a call from Ferguson to ask if he had any strikers because of injuries and suspension to his key players.

“When I was Helsingborg, Alex Ferguson called me to see if there were any strikers in Sweden who could help them out.

“So I suggested Henrik Larsson, and he asked whether I felt he could still do it,” says Baxter, who has led Chiefs to the Nedbank Cup Final and within touching distance of the League title.

“I said yes, they took Henrik, and the rest is history. They wanted to keep him there, but remember Henrik had promised his wife that he would enjoy his swan-song in Sweden, so he returned as planned.”

Larsson signed on loan at Manchester United from 1 January until 12 March 2007, coinciding with the Swedish League’s off season. He scored on debut against Aston Villa in the FA Cup Third Round at Old Trafford.

United were eager to extend the loan deal, but Larsson stuck to his promise to return to Sweden.

Still, Ferguson was full of praise for the striker, who scored three goals in 13 matches in all competitions during his three-month stay, saying at the time: “He’s been fantastic for us, his professionalism, his attitude; everything he’s done has been excellent.”

“We would love him to stay but, obviously, he has made his promise to his family and Helsingborg and I think we should respect that – but I would have done anything to keep him.”

“I knew him (Alex Ferguson) loosely before this time. But when Jim Lawler (a colleague and friend of Baxter’s) moved to work at United I had more contact with him.

“So since then I have had a lot more to do with him. [Laughing] Before then I was not sure if I should salute him and call him Sir Alex or Mr Ferguson,” joked Baxter.
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Interest in the services of Ajax Cape Town attacking midfielder Lebogang Manyama continues to grow as his contractual situation at the club remains hanging.

Though Ajax have struggled this season, Manyama has provided some inspiring performances along with the way just like Khama Billiat – who is also in demand up in Gauteng – which catapulted interest in his services from Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits while Kaizer Chiefs are believed to be also sniffing around.

KickOff.com has been informed that Manyama’s contract runs up at the end of June but Ajax have an option of a further year which however doesn’t have any figures attached to it.

Manyama’s contract situation with Ajax means that even though the Urban Warriors exercise the option of the further year he can still enter into a pre-contract at the beginning of next year and walk away for free if he doesn’t find a way out during the next transfer window.

The 22 year-old has left his options open but would be keen on a move back home to Gauteng in the new season that will provide him with improved remuneration compared to what he is currently earning in the Mother City.
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Cape Town – Parliament’s chief financial officer Leslie Mondo has been dismissed with immediate effect following the findings of a disciplinary hearing, the national legislature said on Friday.

Mondo was found guilty on four out of five counts of misconduct.

The charges relate to the salary advance of R186 000 paid to National Assembly Secretary Zingile Dingani for a security wall around his plush Panorama residence.

Mondo had allegedly ordered Parliament’s finance department to grant Dingani the advance payment.

“Mr Mondo was charged with five counts of misconduct related to financial matters. He was found guilty on four of these,” Parliament said in a statement.

Mondo has already been informed of the findings.

“No further internal processes will be entered into.”

The disciplinary hearing against Dingani had not yet been concluded. Both Dingani and Mondo were placed on special leave in March after the misconduct allegations surfaced.

The auditor general was asked to investigate, and later recommended that Parliament discipline them.

– SAPA

Cape Town – Metrorail security guards are accused of burning down about 50 hawker stalls at the Khayelitsha railway station in Cape Town, it was reported on Friday.

The Cape Argus reported that Metrorail had not denied responsibility for burning the stalls.

“Traders were requested to remove their belongings from the site. Any confiscated items may be reclaimed after payment of the requisite fine. Remaining rubble and waste was burnt,” Metrorail regional manager Mthuthuzeli Swartz told the newspaper.

Trading illegally

He said the hawkers had been trading illegally on “railway property”.

The lack of formal trading amenities had led to excessive littering, had posed a health hazard and had become an “additional financial burden”.

“We will continue to remove unlawful traders from trains and stations, but always in compliance with the law,” he said.

Hawker Christina Mafenuka, 50, told The Cape Argus her sales of fruit, sweets and chips at the station in the past 23 years had helped her support her entire family and send her two children to university.

She said the hawkers met with Metrorail last year when it was agreed they could trade along a single line so commuters could easily walk past.

“We did that. If they saw that we were not following the agreement they should have come to us.”

– SAPA

Cape Town – Parliament spent about R16m on food and beverages last year, according to a report.

Parliament’s annual budget for refreshments stands at R18m. This includes tea, coffee, cool drinks and platters of finger food available at committee briefings, Eyewitness News reported.

Parliamentary spokesperson Luzuko Jacobs told EWN that Parliament does not only cater for numerous briefings, but also for major external events such as the Take Parliament to the People programme, which involves catering for over 30 000 people.

However, opposition parties have criticised the amount spent on catering at Parliament as excessive.

“I think it’s money wasted. If they want a cool drink, they must buy it themselves,” the DA’s Watty Watson said, adding that he believes most of the food ends up being wasted.

He said R16m could feed eight million children twice a day for a full year.

The DA will ask for a full breakdown of Parliament’s catering expenses.
For more http://www.news24.com

Soweto – Beneath the undying loyalty of poor blacks to the ANC, there is a growing resentment towards the movement that delivered South Africa from apartheid 18 years ago.

In Soweto, once home to anti-apartheid heroes Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, residents struggling against high unemployment, crime and pervasive corruption are not afraid to speak frankly about what they call the ANC’s rot.

“The ANC is not a bad movement, it is the people who have brought the rot to the party,” said Slavate Marema, who has never had a job since finishing school five years ago.

“Leaders don’t seem to care much about us once they get our votes. All they seem to care about is enriching themselves and driving around in fancy cars, and telling us that government has no money,” said the 22-year-old.

After decades of championing the fight against apartheid rule, the ANC led South Africa peacefully into a “rainbow nation” in 1994 and its leader Mandela was elected the country’s first black president.

But the ruling ANC is now accused of abandoning its roots and core constituency.

“As far as I am concerned we have no government. They are serving themselves, busy lining their own pockets,” said France Diholo, a retired factory worker.

“The rot that you see today, did not start with [Jacob] Zuma, it has been creeping up slowly since Mandela days,” he lamented.

Service delivery

Too often, Soweto residents complain, ANC membership has become synonymous with instant wealth and the beneficiaries of lucrative government contracts seem to be politically connected.

The ANC government has often come under fire for excessive spending on luxury hotel stays, and providing small armies of round-the-clock security to officials, while the most of the population battle unacceptably high crime rates.

“These days security seems to be reserved for high profile ANC politicians, who travel with groups of armed police in fast cars. When communities need them they are not available,” fumed Tankiso Mmusi.

Although the ANC government has built 2.8 million homes since taking power, around 20% of South Africans still have no electricity and 10% no running water. Protests over service delivery are frequent.

Reports that the government spent more than R200m of taxpayers’ money upgrading Zuma’s private home, complete with helipad, underground bunkers and a clinic, are jarring for many.

A divided society

Despite being the largest economy on the continent and home to a burgeoning black middle class, South Africa remains one of the most unequal societies in the world.

The grievances are reaching a crescendo at a difficult time for the ANC, as it prepares for a leadership conference on Sunday, held every five years, which effectively kicks off the campaign for elections in 2014.

But like many people who felt angered by the ANC, Diholo said he will continue voting for the party, which still holds a commanding electoral majority.

Failed transformation

At the 2009 elections the ANC won almost 66% of the 17-plus million votes cast.

The DA, which is often seen as “too-white” by black voters, got just 17% of the vote.

The bigger risk for the ANC may be that voters stay away from the polls altogether.

But according to Andile Mngxitama, a firebrand columnist for The Sowetan newspaper, the “conditions for a revolution are rife in South Africa”.

“The ANC has failed to transform the state into an instrument of the people,” he wrote in a recent column.

“The question we need to ask is will the South African revolution be by the ballot or by insurrection, like the Arab Spring?”

That may be over-exuberant, but there is little doubt the ANC’s revolutionary lustre has lost some of its shine.

– AFP