SABC denies retrenchment reports
The public broadcaster says they are merely considering lay-offs as an option in the midst of their cash crunch.
According to Business Report, the SABC had confirmed that they would be laying off hundreds of their employees due to a number of financial reasons during a meeting with unions on Thursday.
Chief among those financial constraints was the SABC’s widely discussed inability to pay service providers on time.
The SABC has since denied the reports, even though various staff members confirmed receiving an internal memo about the retrenchments.
The SABC says although it’s in a difficult financial position, it has not made any decision on job cuts. Management at the public broadcaster held a meeting with staff earlier today to present the corporation’s annual financial statement.
— SAfm news (@SAfmnews) September 3, 2018
On Tuesday, 4 September, the SABC reported a net loss of R622 million for the 2017/18 financial year, compared with R977 million in the previous financial year.
ALSO READ: SABC reports R622m loss, slapped with disclaimer
Speaking to News24, SABC spokesperson Neo Momodu said that the meeting with unions was merely to bring them up to speed with the recent cost-cutting measures they had implemented to return the corporation to a state of financial stability. Momodu went on to add that they were merely considering retrenchment as an option and that it was not yet going to be effected.
“It’s a contemplation and we told the unions that we had done all we can to cut costs in all the areas of the corporation,” she said.
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