For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines: Bills setting minimum wage passed in Parliament, Mabuza denies claims that intervention in North West was 'political armed robbery' And, parliament’s public hearings on land expropriation will begin across the country
Bills setting minimum wage passed in Parliament
Three contentious labour bills giving effect to a national minimum wage in South Africa and the introduction of a requirement that trade unions institute a secret ballot before deciding on strike action were passed in the National Assembly yesterday.
The National Minimum Wage Bill, which sets minimum wages at R3 500 a month or R20 an hour, except for farmworkers and domestic workers, was passed by the majority of members of Parliament gaining 202 votes from mostly ANC benches.
MPs from the DA, one of the bill's biggest critics, walked out before the vote commenced.
The Labour Relations Amendment Bill was also passed.
If signed into law by the president, this would require unions to rely on a secret ballot before deciding on a strike.
Mabuza denies claims that intervention in North West was 'political armed robbery
Deputy President David Mabuza has denied that the national government put the North West province under administration as a political ploy to get rid of former premier Supra Mahumapelo, as opposition MPs charged.
DA chief whip John Steenhuisen asked what reasons the Inter-Ministerial Task Team had given for putting the province under administration, and which national department would lead the administration, as Mabuza answered questions in the National Assembly yesterday.
Mabuza replied that the issues of North West province had been sharply raised through various voices in that province, resulting in protests that were accompanied by the destruction of property.
He added that the national government had to intervene to bring an end to the situation.
Parliament’s public hearings on land expropriation will begin across the country
Parliament's Constitutional Review Committee - which is looking into amending Section 25 of the Constitution, that deals with expropriation of land without compensation - will embark on a provincial tour to hold public hearings from next month.
From June 26 to August 4, the committee will - in two teams - travel to the nine provinces, where they will hold at least three meetings per province in different venues.
Members of the public can still make written submissions to the committee, either by letter or email, before June 15. To find out which towns will host the meetings, please visit Polity’s website.
That’s a roundup of news making headlines today
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