Board chair says no conversation around retrenchments at SABC

SABC Board Chairperson Khathu Ramukumba has rejected any rumors of a second Section 189 process at the public broadcaster.

He accordingly wrote to Communications and Digital Technologies Department to encourage other government departments to lead by example and pay their outstanding TV license fees.

More than 600 SABC employees were affected during the retrenchments in 2021, under the previous board.

Speculation has resurfaced that the SABC may embark on another Section 189 process.

However, this has been dismissed by Ramukumba.

“There is no such. I can categorically state that the board has never engaged in such conversations and I do not believe that the progress we have made in the last 15 months, this board working with management and all its staff members of the SABC, we are in a situation where we can talk about retrenchments, business rescue. We are not there. And our commitment to the SABC employees and stakeholders, including viewers and the listeners of SABC, is that we are committed to make the SABC work.”

On the issue of TV license collection, at the end of last year the SABC was owed more than R50 billion in outstanding license fees.

Among those who are not paying, include some big businesses and government institutions.

Ramukumba says he has registered his concern with the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies.

And while the SABC Bill seeks to create a new funding model for the corporation, the current TV license regime remains in place.

“The TV license collection remains a fundamental funding component in the SABC broader funding model. So, that’s why you would note that we continue to appoint companies to be debt collectors to assist us in pursuing those who owe us from the TV license regime. Interestingly you are mentioning the government departments who also don’t pay. I wrote a letter to the new minister, about two or three weeks ago where I was really pleading with him to really say can he engage his colleagues in Cabinet to ensure that they can lead government, lead by example and engage their respective departments so that it can be able to pay. And one of the key priorities we have said to the debt collectors, that we have brought on board, they must pursue big business before they even pursue individuals.”

Ramukumba also touched on the SABC’s commitment to honour the remainder of last year’s outstanding wage agreement.

“Our position remains that end of September we would have gone at least half way through the new financial year. Let’s sit around the table, let’s look at the progress that we have made so that we can see how then do we take care of this critical asset of the SABC because our position is that there is no SABC without its employees. So, the employees of the SABC remain its greatest asset and we would want to create an environment which is conducive for the workers of the SABC. From the board’s perspective and I believe I also speak on behalf of management; the commitment remains that we aim to take care of this great asset that I speak about and we will not shortchange workers.  We aim to act but not just speak, but also act in demonstration of the value we place on our staff members, so I think let’s wait for the numbers.”

The SABC Board is expected back in Parliament on Tuesday, next week, when it will present its corporate plan to the Communications and Digital Technologies Committee.