The Sunday Times reports that the cash-strapped SA Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC’s) turnaround plan includes cutting staff by up to 33% and closing down five offices.  

This is contained in the public broadcaster’s latest road-map strategy, which is now being further tweaked in a bid to gain the support of the Treasury and the Department of Communications (DOC).  The document, seen by The Sunday Times, also proposes cutting 19 general manager posts, saving R28.5m a year; dissolving SABC Sport and incorporating it in the television and radio division; reducing management by 37%, thereby saving R82m; and cutting news staff by 233 from the current 936, saving R62.23m.  Phase 1 of the plan requires all group executives to present plans to their executive directors by the first week of August on how to cut personnel costs by 30%.  The turnaround plan – initially approved by the board in August last year – was rejected by the finance and communications ministries when the SABC applied for a R3.2bn government guarantee in March.  However, a senior source at the SABC said the strategy was still being implemented by the broadcaster with “a few changes here and there as proposed by Treasury and DOC.”  The plan indicates that of the SABC’s 300 independent news contractors, 100 must be cut.  A further 101 must be cut from the sports section and 86 from the media technology and infrastructure unit.  The plan envisages closing offices in Tshwane, Montague Gardens in Cape Town, Ulundi, Kimberley and George.

• Read more of Mpumzi Zuzile’s report in The Sunday Times of 14 July 2019 at SA Labour News

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