Troubled SABC plans to slash jobs

SABC bosses have told parliament that nearly one in five people in the state broadcaster's employ will lose their jobs within the next three years.

The acting head of human capital services, Justice Ndaba, told parliament's portfolio committee on communications that the SABC planned on shedding 699 jobs as part of its turnaround plan. The broadcaster currently employs 3699 staff members.

Ndaba, along with board chairman Ben Ngubane and acting CEO Rob Nicholson, presented their strategic plan to the committee.

Emphasising that forced retrenchments would be implemented as a last resort, Ndaba said the SABC would place some of its employees on early retirement, negotiate voluntary retrenchments and retrain some workers. It would also not renew employment contracts that were due to expire.

But ANC MP Ntsiki Magaza said this went against President Jacob Zuma's declaration of job creation.

Nicholson and Ndaba said job losses were inevitable because the SABC was in a process of closing its analogue studios in preparation for digital TV.

Recently the SABC declined to renew the contracts of its top seven executive managers, including Phumelele Ntombela-Nzimande, wife of higher education minister Blade Nzimande.

SABC board member and trade unionist Cedric Gina said: "It is unfortunate that maybe in that process [retraining staff] we will not be able accommodate every employee of the SABC."