Leave SABC presenters alone and prosecute and dismiss SABC looters

19 November 2020

Solidarity today demanded that presenters and other innocent SABC employees be left alone and that the looters and corrupt ones be prosecuted and dismissed. Solidarity entered the fray that is the SABC’s controversial retrenchment process on behalf of its members. 

“With irregular expenditure of more than R5 billion that is still awaiting condonation, or is subject to further investigation, it is reckless and merciless to retrench staff with no further ado, while the corrupt ones get away with murder,” Dr Dirk Hermann, Solidarity Chief Executive contends.

Solidarity also requests that the Public Protector investigate the chaotic situation at the SABC. According to Solidarity, tax money has been used recklessly. The problem must be investigated at its root and the guilty ones must be taken to task or prosecuted. 

“Taxpayers must take a stand to stop the squandering of tax money,” Dr Dirk Hermann, Solidarity chief executive, said. “Solidarity will not only act on behalf of its members at the SABC, but also for the sake of taxpayers. This culture of plundering by the state and its officials cannot and will no longer be tolerated”.

The national broadcaster’s financial situation is chaotic. According to the SABC’s latest financials, it has made yet another loss of R511 million. “This did not come about as the result of good employees but is the result of rotten management that plunged the broadcaster into a crisis through reckless decisions. If rotten and reckless management is the problem, then the answer cannot be to get rid of your best staff. Retrenchments cannot be an option until the rotten management has not been removed. This is especially true when management does not even make up a third of the staff complement, but gobbles up almost half of the total remuneration,” Hermann concluded.

Issued by Dirk Hermann, Chief Executive, Solidarity, 19 November 2020