NEHAWU rejects SABC intention to retrench workers as part of a restructuring strategy
30 October 2018
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] rejects the intention by the South African Broadcasting Corporation [SABC] to retrench 981 permanent workers and over 1000 freelancers as part of a restructuring strategy.
Workers cannot suffer because of the circus that was ran by one Hlaudi Motsoeneng while at the helm of the public broadcaster. Hlaudi and the former board was allowed to run the SABC like their own spaza shop and now workers must lose their jobs because their inability to practise good governance and financial prudency. As NEHAWU, we reject any job bloodbath that comes as a result of the mismanagement by a few individuals who did not have the public broadcaster’s interest at heart.
We find it flummoxing that treasury is willing to rescue South Africa Airways [SAA] and SA Express but no measures are put in place to save the SABC as the public broadcaster.
A verification process by the SABC has revealed that between the period 1st April 2015 and 31st March 2017 there was a indeed a large number of employees who were irregularly appointed, promoted or had their salaries irregularly increased. As part of practising sound governance procedures and promoting a culture of accountability, we call on the SABC to find alternative ways to correct these irregularities instead of laying off workers.
We support our sister union, the Communications Workers Union [CWU], in fighting the looming retrenchments. We call on the SABC to negotiate in good faith, they agreed that a facilitator must be appointed by the CCMA to deal with the matter. However, that process has not taken place yet and the SABC has already unilaterally announced the restructuring strategy without consulting with unions.
The looming retrenchments comes on the heels of the Presidential Job Summit which took a resolution that there must be a moratorium on job losses both in the public and private sector. To prove that the summit was not another talk show government must proactively protect the jobs of SABC workers.
Issued by Khaya Xaba, Media Liaison Officer, NEHAWU, 30 October 2018
