Question NW2981 to the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
24 October 2022 - NW2981
Kohler-Barnard, Ms D to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
What (a) amount was spent on legal fees in relation to the firing of the approximately 600 staff, and in view of the current recruitment drive whereby the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) are now advertising for hundreds of new staff and (b) exactly did the truly terrible culling process actually achieve other than decimate the quality of the SABC product across the board, resulting in the concomitant drop in audience and revenue generation?
Reply:
I have been advised by SABC as follows:
a) The Section 189 process was led internally by SABC Executives, i.e. the Chief Operating Officer and Group Executive: Human Resources. The process was facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). No legal costs were incurred during this period. However, as is common knowledge, Organised Labour (BEMAWU) took the SABC to court during the tail-end of this process. The court ruled in favour of the SABC after which BEMAWU appealed. The court also ruled against the union upon appeal. Several individuals also took their cases to the CCMA and Labour Court respectively. The Labour Court upheld its earlier decision and ruled in favour of the SABC in all these cases. The rulings confirmed that the SABC executive followed all elements of procedural and substantive fairness. These matters are now considered closed. In total R 2 133 016.61 was spent on legal fees in the cases related to the S189 process.
b) The reorganisation of the SABC and the reduction in the employee compensation costs were vital elements in efforts to stabilise the finances of the Corporation as it embarked on a cost-cutting exercise. The SABC would have, in all likelihood, been left in a worse financial position were the status quo to have remained.
Authorised for submission by
MR TINYIKO NGOBENI
DIRECTOR-GENERAL (ACTING)
DATE:
Recommended/not recommended
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HON. PHILLY MAPULANE, MP
DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
DATE:
Approved/ not approved
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HON. KHUMBUDZO NTSHAVHENI, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
DATE: