South Africa is currently facing a wave of labor disputes alongside intensified efforts to combat corruption. In the aviation sector, FlySafair cabin crew members, represented by the South African Cabin Crew Association, began a strike at midnight over pay and work‑roster issues. The striking workers are demanding higher wages and a review of their schedules. Despite the action, FlySafair has assured passengers that its flight schedule will remain uninterrupted, with more than two‑thirds of the cabin crew opting to continue working.
In a separate development, the Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructure has enlisted the support of traditional leaders in KwaZulu‑Natal to tackle construction mafias that have been disrupting government projects. Minister Dean Macpherson and KZN MEC Martin Meyer met with King Misuzulu to discuss infrastructure developments and strategies to curb the influence of construction gangs, which have been accused of extortion, project delays and violence. A new framework of social facilitation has been created to curb the mafia’s activities, and the king pledged his support for the department’s efforts to improve infrastructure in the province.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has opened wage negotiations with Eskom, demanding a 15 % salary increase, a monthly housing allowance of R7,000 and an 80 % contribution to medical aid from the company. The current three‑year wage agreement expires in June next year, and NUM warned that talks could be complicated by Eskom’s restructuring into three entities, which the union says undermines collective bargaining and worker unity. NUM reiterated that all negotiations should remain within the central bargaining forum. With rising living costs justifying the wage demand, the outcome of these negotiations is likely to have significant implications for the sector.
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