Johannesburg – The SABC spent more than R2.35 billion paying the salaries of 2 979 employees at an average salary of R791 000 per person during the 2019/20 financial year, the public broadcaster’s annual report shows.
By comparison, in the previous financial year, the public broadcaster had spent more than R2.4bn paying the salaries of 3167 employees at an average salary of R762 000 per person during the 2018/19 financial year.
The SABC announced a R511 million net loss for the 2019/20 financial year and more than 400 staffers face the prospect of retrenchment after Section 189 letters were issued.
In a bid to remain commercially viable, the SABC said it planned to issue retrenchment notices to 400 workers in a bid to save R700m each year for the next three years. Just over 170 jobs would be saved from those issued with notices.
The SABC said it would restructure the organisation, freeze salaries for three years, end the leave encashment policy and review its sick and annual leave policies in a bid to make the public broadcaster viable.
In its annual report, the SABC showed eight top management employees walked away with an average salary of R3.9m. The eight top management employees were paid a collective R31m between them in the year ended. In the previous year, 11 top managers were paid R38m at an average salary of R3.46m.
In terms of senior management, 27 employees were paid a collective R58m between them, at an average cost of R2.1m each. Last year, 34 senior managers were paid a collective R67.6m between them, at an average cost of R1.9m each.
In terms of middle management, 374 employees were paid a collective R461m between them, at an average cost of R1.2m each. Last year, 412 middle managers were paid a collective R484m between them, at an average cost of R1.1m each.
In terms of junior management, 489 employees were paid a collective R487m between them, at an average cost of R998 000 each. In the previous year, 522 junior managers were paid a collective R492m between them, at an average cost of R944 000 each.
In terms of supervisors, 1 652 employees were paid a collective R1.1bn between them, at an average cost of R678 000 each.In the previous year, 1 762 employees were paid a collective R1.1bn between them, at an average cost of R646 000 each.
The lowest paid group of staff, referred to as “rest of staff” in their salary level codes, saw 429 employees paid a collective R199m at an average cost of R464 000 each.
In the previous year, 426 employees were paid a collective R192m at an average cost of R451 000 each.
Salaries by department
The SABC’s annual report did not make distinction in pay by job type, but it did show the various salaries it paid by the different divisions in the group.
Some savings were noted across the various divisions at the SABC as staff numbers began to go down slightly.
The annual report showed that the news service had the biggest salary bill and the most employees in the group.
The 767 news employees took home a collective R618m, at an average cost – inclusive of benefits, of R806 000 per person. In the previous year 842 employees took home a collective R659m, at an average cost of R784 000 per person.
The 606 technology/MTI employees took home a collective R464m, at an average cost of R766 000 per person. In the previous year, 651 employees took home a collective R478m, at an average cost of R735 000 per person.
The 667 group services employees took home a collective R517m, at an average cost of R776 000 per person. Last year, 679 employees were paid a collective R475m, at an average cost of R700 000 per person.
The 303 radio employees took home a collective R243m, at an average cost of R803 000 each. Last year, 322 employees took home a collective R255m, at an average cost of R793 000 each.
The 218 commercial enterprises employees took home a collective R170m, at an average cost of R783 000 each. Last year, this division paid a collective R201m to 230 employees at an average cost of R876 000 each.
The 231 television employees took home a collective R191m, at an average cost of R829 000 each. Last year, 243 employees took home a collective R192m, at an average cost of R793 000 each.
The 135 provincial operations employees took home a collective R103m, at an average cost of R766 000. Last year, 147 employees took home a collective R100m, at an average cost of R685 000.
The 52 sport employees took home a collective R48m, at an average cost of R924 000 each. Last year, 53 employees took home a collective R50m, at an average cost of R955 000 each.
The annual report also showed the SABC had a total of 237 unskilled workers, 1006 semi-skilled workers, 1814 skilled workers and 472 professional qualified workers.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the SABC said it would press ahead with retrenchments at the public broadcaster after the group executive for news and current affairs, said on Tuesday afternoon in a heated meeting with staff, that retrenchment notices had been withdrawn.
“In light of the unfortunate incident which took place at our news division last night, please note that the Section189 process is continuing as planned.
“SABC management and its board apologise for any confusion that was created yesterday afternoon. Management will engage with the news team on the concerns that they have raised,” the SABC said in an urgent update on Wednesday morning.
Deputy board chairperson Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi said the board was divided on retrenchments at the public broadcaster.
She said at least five board members – including herself – were against retrenchments at the SABC.
“Some on the board do not agree with the Section 189 process. We feel there must be better consultation and we feel that Section 189 takes the SABC backwards instead of forwards.
“Some on the board have been pushing this issue of Section 189 very vigorously, but some of us feel that the Section 189 process will have a detrimental effect on the turnaround strategy of the SABC,” she said.
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