EWN reports that the board and top management of the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) have been told to carry out skills and salary audits before pressing ahead with plans to cut jobs at the public broadcaster.  The SABC is technically insolvent.  

It is in talks with unions over plans to restructure and cut costs, which could see 981 permanent employees retrenched and the loss of about 1,200 freelance jobs.  But Parliament’s communications portfolio committee on Tuesday told the SABC board and management that it must first carry out audits of staff skills and wages before retrenching anyone.  The SABC said that retrenchments were unavoidable as it needed to restructure to slash costs and banks were reluctant to lend the corporation money due to its disclaimed audit opinion and doubts about its ability to continue as a going concern.  But MPs across parties insisted skills and salary audits must be done first.  The committee also wants to hear from SABC unions and staff.

Read the full original report by Gaye Davis at EWN

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