The presses that print the Cape Times and Cape Argus, two of the oldest newspapers in the country, will close on March 31, Independent Newspapers told staff yesterday, ending an era in Cape Town’s newspaper industry.
From April both newspapers, as well as the company’s community newspapers and the Daily Voice, will be printed by Cape and Transvaal Printers (Pty) Ltd in Parow.
Ishmet Davidson, general manager of Independent Newspapers Cape, told staff that the company had lost the Avusa contract to print the Sunday Times and Business Day, because of print quality from the ageing presses. This had affected profitability.
“We have to acknowledge that our presses are old and outdated,” Davidson said.
The company had considered a number of options after losing the Avusa contract, and had decided that outsourcing the entire printing operation was the most economically viable route.
The closure of the presses means 92 staff from Independent Newspapers Cape will lose their jobs in various departments: the machine room, plate-making, insert and dispatch, central stores, production management and health and safety. Of these, 37 will be re-employed by Cape and Transvaal Printers.
The presses, Harris Graphics, were installed in the early 1980s.
Igshaan Patterson, foreman of the machine room with 32 years service, said the presses were in operation “almost 24 hours a day”, leaving little time for maintenance.
But Patterson said the presses were outdated technology and ultimately the only solution would have been to invest in new presses. - Staff Writer