SABC announces 'possible retrenchment' of 600 staffers

The SABC headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. File photo: ANA/Karen Sandison

The SABC headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. File photo: ANA/Karen Sandison

Published Jun 18, 2020

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Durban - The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said on Thursday that it had issued a notice of possible redundancies that could affect about 600 employees. 

"The notice follows the launch of the SABC’s new Target Operating Model - a strategic renewal initiative aimed at transforming the corporation into a financially sustainable, self-sufficient and fit-for-purpose public broadcaster," said the organisation.  

The public broadcaster said it had a duty to ensure its continued viability in order to fulfil its public mandate "and effectively serve the millions of South Africans who rely on it for education, information and entertainment".

"The notice of redundancy will impact approximately 600 employees and these affected employees will be invited to make representations during a consultation process which will be facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). This is to ensure full transparency, accountability and impartiality in terms of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA)."

Organised labour as well as representatives of the non-unionised employees would be consulted within a "meaningful joint consensus seeking process as mandated by Section 189 of the LRA", said the organisation.

The broadcaster has about 3,000 permanent employees, and has been battling to cut staff since a new board and management took to the helm after the financially disastrous term of former acting chief operations officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng. 

When the state-owned entity tried to cut just over 2,000 jobs in 2018, after Motsoeneng was booted, newly appointed communications minister, Stella Abrahams, said it would not happen. 

The entity is about R2 billion in debt. 

African News Agency

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