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By African News Agency 
2h ago
By Jonisayi Maromo
Pretoria – Disgruntled employees of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) have planned a “silent protest” that has been dubbed “Black Monday” as the state broadcaster announced that it will lay off 400 employees.
“We declare Monday, November 16, 2020 as ‘Black Monday’ and a day of action against the new structure. We ask all South Africans to pray for us and keep us in their thoughts and meditations, ”the movement said in a press release.
“We invite you to participate in our silent protest in any way possible via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or join us outside the SABC at 1pm or at any of the SABC offices throughout the country on Monday. “
Despite intense criticism, the state broadcaster announced last week that Section 198 notices were being issued to workers.
He also said earlier this month that employees who will be laid off will be offered a one-week severance package for each full year of service.
“It became clear that, unfortunately, our organization requires a difficult but necessary process that will result in downsizing,” SABC said at the time.
“The SABC is aware of the fact that this process will affect people’s livelihoods. However, having exhausted all other options, we now face the difficulty of having to restructure the organization to ensure its sustainability ”.
The reduction of around 400 employees comes after the SABC initially announced the possibility of 600 employees facing a reduction in June.
At the time, the Economic Freedom Fighters said that an institution could not hope to build self-reliance and ultimate prosperity by dwindling its workforce.
“It is not a sustainable solution and will lead to the collapse of the SABC,” the party said at the time.
On Sunday, the SABC Section 192 Movement said the new structure on the table was “imposed by management.”
“We are public service broadcasters, who believe that section 192 of the South African constitution requires us to provide universal access to radio waves, to all South Africans, rich or poor. We believe that the new structure imposed by management through a procedurally unfair and unfair process is inherently inappropriate for public broadcasting, not to mention that it is unconstitutional, ”the movement said.
“We are encouraged and encouraged by the support for our cause offered by our country’s leading trade union federations, civil society, religious organizations, parliamentarians and all democracy-loving South Africans.”
Last week, at the Auckland Park headquarters, some SABC employees, dressed in black, denounced the impending staff cuts.
African News Agency (ANA)
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