ANC: SABC cannot be run ‘as though it is a stokvel’
African National Congress (ANC) has warned of a class action suit against the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) if it continues with retrenchments.
The governing party joined the Communications Workers Union (CWU) at its lunchtime picket at the public broadcaster’s headquarters in Auckland Park.
The CWU continued with the picket on Friday despite the board issuing a statement in the morning saying the retrenchment processes will be suspended for seven days to allow for further engagement.
The union wants all retrenchment letters that have been issued to be retraced with immediate effect.
"We are saying abandon these senseless retrenchments and scrap the new structure now," said the union's general-secretary Aubrey Tshabalala.
The CWU and ANC Youth League handed over their memorandums to the group CEO Madoda Mxakwe.
The ANC's spokesperson Pule Mabe joined the picket in solidarity with the unions and workers.
Mabe said the governing party is keeping a close on the eye on developments and believes the SABC needs to find creative ways to get funding.
"Turnaround plans are not found in boardrooms, get out of the boardrooms and hear what the people of South Africa have to say," Mabe said.
Mabe said the party would remove current board if they failed to fulfil their mandate.
"We must use the power of legislation to use the SABC. They must not take decisions as though the SABC is a stokvel," Mabe said. "If the SABC management continues with this we must bring what is called class action to stop this thing.”
