The mining industry is reluctant to adapt to change, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) said on Tuesday.

“Simple things, such as providing clothing to female workers, is a problem. The industry is used to providing a one-piece overall to male workers… female workers need a two-piece,” general secretary Frans Baleni said at a mining lekgotla in Johannesburg.

Baleni said the industry had to adapt to changes and transform if was to be competitive.

“Cutting corners in skilling workers is working against being competitive.”

Mining companies should ensure that workers were healthy.

“Health is important; it reduces the rate of absenteeism.”

The remuneration of workers should take into consideration the risks to which they were exposed.

“It should reflect the danger they are exposed to every time they go underground, the high temperature they face and dusty environment they are exposed to.”

The Num is preparing to go on strike in the gold mines after wage negotiations deadlocked last week.

The union is demanding R7000 a month for surface workers and R8000 a month for underground workers.

Gold producers have offered a 6% increase.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

About 200 police reservists have handed over a memorandum of grievances to the office of the President at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

They want full time employment. Reservist Jeffrey Mohlala described the working conditions as difficult. He says permanent members of the SAPS have got psychologist who are counseling them but no one organizes that for the reservists.

“We have sacrificed for our country but the SAPS does not acknowledge that. When there are posts they don’t employ the majority of the reservists,” he added.

Spokesperson for the Minister of Police Zweli Mnisi says not every reservist can expect to be permanently employed.

He says being a reservist is about volunteerism to assist the police in the fight against crime. “This does not mean that once you are a reservist you will automatically come into the SAPS. If you want to become a police officer the is a process where by you have to go to college. So its unfortunate that they resorted to a march in order to communicate this. But from our side we have always been clear the process has always been transparent. And we believe in goodwill we try and accommodate all those who qualify but it cannot be a mass recruitment it should be based on each persons assessment.”

Johannesburg – All participants in the mining sector have a role to play in bringing about stability, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said on Tuesday.

“Each role-player must engage in building a relationship based on trust…; each partner bring in a unique contribution to ensure stability,” he said at a three-day mining lekgotla in Johannesburg.

Motlanthe recently brokered a framework agreement with mining companies and trade unions aimed at restoring peace and stability in the mining sector.

All trade unions except the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) signed the agreement, which was reached after 44 people died at Marikana last year in violence in the Rustenburg platinum belt in North West.

Thirty-four mineworkers died when police fired on them on 16 August.

Another 10 people, including two security guards and two policemen, died in the preceding week.

Motlanthe said everyone had to work together to bring peace and stability to the mining sector.

Mining companies had a responsibility to ensure workers were accommodated in proper housing.

He said the core of workers were cheap, migrant labourers.

“To move forward, the industry must break with its undesirable past by making workers feel valued for their contribution as wholesome human beings, that must have decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods, including proper housing, recreation and time with families.”

Rewarding workers

He said the democratic conditions under which the industry was now operating required that it re-skill the labour force and rewarded workers commensurate with their contribution.

“The industry must therefore transform itself by focusing on ideas to improve productivity through innovation, human resource development and training.”

Mining companies and workers had a collective responsibility to work together to tackle problems.

“In this regard, government’s primary responsibility is to create an enabling environment.”

Motlanthe said government had no intention of micro-managing mining companies.

“Save for the ever-present room for improvement, our legislative framework is sufficient for regulating the environment within which the industry operates.”

A group of people protested outside the Sandton Convention Centre, where the lekgotla was held. The group, from villages near mining operations, claimed it had not been included in the lekgotla.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – The SACP on Tuesday condemned violent protests at the Germiston Civic Centre in Ekurhuleni by a group claiming to be military veterans.

“While the SACP fully understands and supports the legitimate demands of our ex-combatants, we condemn the use of violence against organs of the democratic state, that were a product of selfless sacrifices by the gallant forces and martyrs of our entire liberation movement,” said SA Communist Party (SACP) Gauteng spokesperson Lucian Segami.

“The purpose of the protest was apparently to highlight and bring to the attention of the city the plight of ex-combatants,” Segami said.

On Monday, the Ekurhuleni municipality said a group of people calling themselves military veterans arrived at the Germiston Civic Centre.

Ekurhuleni mayoral spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said around 100 people trashed and looted the centre, which accommodates the executive mayor, speaker, chief whip, staff and political parties.

They damaged furniture, fridges and computers and stole items.

Several staff members were injured in the unrest, and others had to receive counselling.

Around 60 people were arrested and charged with theft, vandalism, trespassing and assault. They would appear in court soon.

Dlamini did not believe the attackers were military veterans.

“We had a bunch of people masquerading as former MK [Umkhonto we Sizwe] members,” he said.

“Surprisingly, some of them were in their mid-20s. They were not even born during times of the struggle.”

He said it was not clear what the group wanted, as it did not communicate any demands to officials.

On Monday, the military veterans’ department condemned the violent protests.

“We urgently call on those involved to immediately desist from violent action lest they face the full might of the law,” said director general Tsepe Motumi.

“While military veterans, like any other citizens, have a right to peaceful protest, violent protests are totally unacceptable,” he said.

The SACP called on ex-combatants to use the existing platforms to channel their demands and concerns.

– SAPA

Cape Town – Police officers with criminal records cannot be summarily dismissed, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega told the Western Cape legislature on Tuesday.

Mark Wiley, chairperson of the standing committee on community safety, had asked Phiyega about a recent audit up to January 2010, which found 1 448 officers had criminal records.

Parliament heard in August that most of the officers were convicted after joining the service, and that none of them had been dismissed yet.

“The non-disclosure of a criminal record in most organisations would result in a summary dismissal. Why is it not the case with the SA Police Service [SAPS]?” Wiley asked.

Phiyega said labour law had to be followed.

“You’ll agree with me that we are like most organisations. In terms of our agreement with labour and other people, we will use all the labour laws that are at hand to ensure we respect the rights of everybody.”

She said dismissing officers without following the correct procedure would result in many days spent in court defending those actions.

“Okay, I think you’re being very soft on them… The many organisations I know, it’s a straight walk,” Wiley replied.

Phiyega said the fact that the audit had been done showed the commitment there was to ensuring the police service was cleaned up.

Last month, SAPS acting deputy national commissioner for human resource development Nkrumah Mazibuko addressed MPs about the audit.

“These people are subjected to disciplinary process and then they take the matter up on appeal, and we get an order to reinstate the person,” Mazibuko said.

Police members convicted and jailed were automatically fired.

“If that person appeals the sentence… and he gets the sentence reduced, maybe to a suspended one, by a criminal court, then in terms of our own [police] act, such a person is entitled to apply for reinstatement.”

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Letlhabile-A 28-year-old suspect was arrested by Letlhabile police for the murder of Marriam Seaposa (24) on Monday, at about20:00 in Letlhabile near Brits.
“It is alleged that the suspect and victim were an item and were staying together. It is further alleged that the couple had an argument and the suspect strangle the victim to death” sergeant Kelebogile Moiloam said.
The police were called to the scene and arrested the suspect.
“The suspect is expected to appear before Brits Magistrate Court tomorrow on charges of murder” Moiloa said.
Investigation Continues.-TDN
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By TDN
Lehurutshe-In recognition and honour of the women who led the women’s revolt in Lehurutse in 1957 against the Anti-pass laws, which later spread to other villages in Zeerust, such as Dinokana, Lekgopung, Motswedi, Moshana and Gopane, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture saw it fit to host a Women in Dialogue to be held on the 29th August 2013 at Gopane Village, Tribal Offices in Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality.
As August marks a significant and symbolic month to pay homage to the bravery of South African Women who played a vital role in the liberation of our country as a whole, of which these women from Lehurutshe also played a huge role in. It is therefore the main aim of the Department to honour and celebrate the mammoth task these women had to go through during those times.
“We salute all women for their resilience against pass laws, severe repression they endured during the oppressive regime”, said MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Mme Tebogo Modise.
“Wathinti abafazi, wathinti imbokodo (you strike a woman you strike a rock) this was a song that these women sang during the struggle and which these women have shown courage and determination the previous year” said MEC Modise.
She further said that it is for this reason that they will not cease in encouraging, and educating our young people about our history.
“This event will be a dialogue between the heroines and the young women of today with regards the events of the past and to also educate young women of today through this dialogue in order to pave a way for Women empowerment and gender equality”.
“It is our mission and vision of the Department to preserve the history of this province with regards the liberation of this country” she said.
The event will be celebrated under the theme of “A centenary of Working together towards sustainable Women empowerment and gender equality”

The dialogue will be held as follows:
Venue: Gopane Village Tribal Offices
Date: 29th August 2013
Time: 10h00
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By TDN
Mahikeng-North West Department of Social Development, Women, Children and People with Disabilities has invested R3 million in empowering rural young people with construction skills, through the implementation of National Youth Service Programme, MEC Collen Maine said on Tuesday.
“About fifty (50) unemployed youth between the ages of 18 and 35, Maine said were trained on as brick-making, brick laying, enterprise development and end-user computing in 2012/2013 financial year. The youth were recruited from Koffiekraal, Brakkuil and Uitkyk villages in Moses Kotane Local Municipality” minister Maine said.
“Tomorrow we will host a certificate ceremony to honour these learners. We are doing this, so that they become future employers and be the change agents in the communities they come from,” he said.
Maine said that the skills the learners have acquired will increase their employability and encourage them to venture into the labour market.-TDN
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Kaizer Chiefs and Moroka Swallows shared the spoils in their league clash at FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.

After a goalless – and, frankly, boring – first half, the game sprung into life after the break, with two goals in four minutes setting the tone.

First Lerato Chabangu opened the scoring with a first-time finish from Dikgang Mabalane’s cross.

However, Chiefs were level on 60 minutes when Bernard Parker netted from the spot ater Knowledge Musona was brought down.

Chabangu also had two great efforts saved Itumeleng Khune, while Musona flashed a shot across the face of goal late on.
For more http://www.kickoff.com

Pietermaritzburg – Nineteen members of an alleged copper theft syndicate appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court on Tuesday.

They could face charges of sabotage in addition to the charges they already faced, the court heard.

Prosecutor Annelie Harrison told the court her national directorate would be asked for authority to charge the accused of sabotage in terms of the Internal Security Act.

Harrison said the charges against the accused in more than 20 dockets dealing with copper and other thefts would be correlated.

Most of the 19 men were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal, but some also faced charges in other provinces, the court heard.

The group included Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals.

During the multiple arrests across KwaZulu-Natal, police found stolen cables worth thousands of rands and five cars.

“Cable recovered during four arrests near Pietermaritzburg had cost Eskom R720 000 to replace. This cable would have fetched R72 000 as scrap,” Inspector Nico Smith of the Pietermaritzburg police told the court.

The matter was postponed to October 24.

Sapa