[ad_1]
The SABC building in Auckland Park in Johannesburg.
Veli Nhlapo / Gallo Images
The SABC has responded to criticism from the Communication Workers Union, saying it is not on the “brink of collapse.”
Earlier in the week, the public broadcaster, which has been battling financial challenges for years, announced that its long-running restructuring process had finally concluded. To cut his pay bill, 346 of his employees had opted for severance packages, while 275 have been laid off.
Two days later, he suffered the embarrassment of broadcast interruptions at some radio stations due to a power outage.
The job losses were criticized by the CWU, who said they were “grossly unfair” and lacked transparency.
“We believe there will be more layoffs in the future and an unsustainable public broadcaster,” said the union’s general secretary, Aubrey Tshabalala.
In a statement, the union said the broadcast interruptions were just the “tip of an iceberg.”
The CWU said the station’s management caused the disruptions by failing to appreciate the “dynamics and complexity” involved.
But on Saturday, the SABC said that the interruption of its transmissions was due to power supply problems at City Power in Johannesburg.
“SABC has put in place mitigation plans to ensure continuity of transmission across all its platforms and remains fully committed to fulfilling its mandate to inform, educate and entertain the public,” he said.
