SA HR news roundup: Pop-up vax sites on N3, new EE Act expected by 2022

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The Road Freight Association trials pop-up vaccination sites on N3.

Clothing workers receive second wage increase in 2021, new EE Act aims to reduce burden on small business and Nedlac report shows job loss impact of sugar tax. Meanwhile, a five-day pilot project tests truck drivers’ appetite for pop-up Covid-19 vaccination sites.

Nedlac reports shows job losses in sugar sector
A report commissioned by the National Economic Development and Labour Council shows that, in the first year of the sugar tax’s implementation, there were 16,621 job losses across the industry, of which 9,000 were in the cane growing sector.

The report also highlighted that the sugar farming sector's output had declined by a cumulative R414.2 million by 2019 as a result of the sugar tax, while the sugar processing sector's output had declined by a cumulative R772.1 million.

Second wage increase for clothing workers
About 70,000 clothing workers, most of whom are members of the Cosatu-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu), will receive a 4.2 percent average wage increase as of 1 September.

This is the second wage increase for clothing workers this year.

New EE Act expected to be finalised by March 2022
The Department of Employment and Labour’s Employment Equity (EE) Directorate is gearing itself up for the implementation and enforcement of the new EE Act once Parliamentary processes are finalised by March 2022.

EE director Ntsoaki Mamashela is hopeful that the processing of the EE Bill will now be expedited, as Parliament has resumed after recess.

The Amendment of the EE Act of 1998 is intended to reduce the regulatory burden on small business, while simultaneously empowering the Employment and Labour minister to regulate sector-specific EE numericals and to promulgate Section 53 of the EE Act for the issuing of EE compliance certificates.

Pop-up vaccinations sites for truck drivers
The Road Freight Association (RFA) has partnered with Trucking Wellness, Engen and the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry to establish pop-up vaccination sites at Engen garages along the N3 route.

This will allow truck drivers to be vaccinated while on the road. The first site will be at Engen Highveld 1-Stop West on the R21, from 6 to 10 September.


The RFA said the five-day pilot project was to see whether drivers were interested in getting vaccinated.

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