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On Tuesday, the executive of news and current affairs group Phathiswa Magopeni agreed to stop issuing Section 189 spending cut letters after being confronted by angry staff.
FILE: SABC headquarters in Johannesburg. Image: supplied
JOHANNESBURG – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) says it will go ahead with the cuts as planned, despite the apparent slowness at the public broadcaster on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, news and current affairs group executive Phathiswa Magopeni agreed to stop issuing Section 189 reduction letters after being confronted by angry staff, saying she would speak to Human Resources about the notices, adding that the work must continue.
“In light of the unfortunate incident that took place in our news division last night, please note that the S189 process continues as planned. SABC management and its Board apologize for any confusion that was created yesterday afternoon.” Human Resources Director Mojaki Mosia said in a three-line email sent to staff Wednesday morning.
“Management will engage with the news team on the concerns they have raised.”
LOOK: ‘It’s not okay’: SABC journalist makes a tearful call against layoffs
“As an accountable person and as a person who expects you to do your job according to public mandate, I will go to negotiate it later, but at this point for the public service work to continue, I will speak to human resources. [and] Whoever is older, but from a responsibility to the editorial staff, I cannot continue with these letters, ”Magopeni said Tuesday.
The institution plans to lay off about 400 workers, with 170 positions to which they can apply. Employees apparently slowed down Tuesday as they addressed their concerns about the Section 189 notices looming at the corporation with management.
“He is heading towards Christmas. You fired Portia, without whom the newsroom can’t survive, Lester … all those people. How do you do something like that? It’s not okay ma’am, “said television journalist Chriselda Lewis as she made a passionate plea for Magopeni to reconsider the staff cuts at SABC.
COO Ian Plaatjes also addressed staff members Tuesday pointing to the unions.
“The unions have not yet managed to produce an alternative or criteria for us to use. It was a delaying tactic they used to prolong the process. And I told them, and I’ll say it again: they failed their members by doing that. “
Workers at the SABC building in Auckland Park have been picketing since the beginning of this week to shed light on the issue. They have also asked that the corporation’s management resign.
SABC has reported a net loss of R511 million for the financial year ending in March.
But the corporation said it was doing well in meeting its content obligations for nation-building and social cohesion.
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