Strike warning for South Africa, and tensions rise over SABC bill withdrawal

Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:

• Strike warning: South Africa’s metal workers’ union said it will go on strike at ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd on Thursday to protest job cuts that have impacted 107 workers. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said in a statement that it would pick up the company’s Vanderbijlpark head office south of Johannesburg on Thursday. [News24]

• SABC Bill issue: Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, publicly criticised Solly Malatsi for withdrawing the SABC bill, claiming it breaches protocol. This disagreement signals another potential conflict between the ANC and DA within the Government of National Unity (GNU), namely the ANC and the DA. [BusinessDay]

• National Disaster: South Africa has declared a national disaster following severe floods and storms that caused extensive damage across several provinces. This declaration enables the government to allocate emergency funds for relief efforts and reconstruction. [BusinessTech]

• Private university uncertainty: Educor Holdings staff and students remain uncertain about whether they can complete the academic year, even after Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane provisionally reinstated its registration in August. This is after then higher education minister Blade Nzimande in March said the registration of Educor institutions — City Varsity, Damelin, Icesa, City Campus and Lyceum College — had been cancelled on 26 July 2023. [Mail&Guardian]

• Markets: South Africa’s rand staged a recovery on Wednesday after three days of heavy losses as markets fretted over what U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s policies could mean for trade relations, while U.S. inflation rose as expected. On Wednesday (13 November), the rand was trading at R18.28 to the dollar, R23.19 to the pound, and R19.28 to the euro. Oil is trading at $71.89 a barrel. [Reuters]