SABC halts retrenchment process until end of December
The board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has extended the suspension of its retrenchment process to the end of December.
This comes after they initially halted the process last week for 7 days.
Some 400 jobs are expected to be shed by the ailing broadcaster.
But the board is under immense pressure from unions to retract the section 189 notices.
SABC acting spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo says the decision comes after talks with unions and other stakeholders.
The board met with the Minister of Communications Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi on Monday.
“During this period, the SABC management and its employees, will jointly work with all participating parties, to further review the proposed structures with the intent to ensure that they are optimal and enabling to achieve the public mandate of the SABC,” says Seapolelo.
“The SABC and the participating parties will utilise this time for further mediated sessions with an independent labour expert to explore alternative options to minimising the impact of retrenchments.”
The redundancy letters will also be extended by the same period.
The public broadcaster still faces threats of a blackout by protesting workers.
ALSO READ:
Ndabeni-Abrahams, Nxesi meet SABC board amid retrenchment row
The national broadcaster is planning to retrench some 400 staff members as part of its plans to improve its financial viability. Communication spokesperson Mish Molakeng says both ministers have requested the SABC to return to the negotiating table.
