SABC retrenchments: More will follow if unions donât accept alternatives
8 January 2021 1:36 PM
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To save jobs, the SABC wants to freeze salaries for every employee â from top to bottom â for 3 years, says its COO Ian Plaatjies.
The SABC will retrench at least 303 employees â almost half the projected number.
FILE: SABC employees protesting against retrenchments. Picture: Xanderleigh Dookey Makhaza/Eyewitness News.
The public broadcaster said it may be able to reduce the final number of retrenchments if labour unions accept these proposed alternatives to job cuts:
Three-year salary freeze for all employees
Fewer annual leave days
Fewer sick leave days
CWU unhappy with SABC over outcome of Section 189 process Makhosandile Zula and Reitumetse Makwea
General views of the SABC building in Auckland Park, Johannesburg on 18 November 2020. Picture: Michel Bega The union has questioned the public broadcaster on its decision to take on freelancers while retrenching employees.
The Communications Workers Union (CWU) says that in its view, the Section 189 retrenchment process at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has not been concluded, following an announcement by the public broadcaster that it had been wound up.
In a statement on Thursday, the SABC said the Section 189 process was concluded “after an extensive six-month consultation process”.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize. Picture: GCIS.
South Africa’s frontline healthcare workers will be the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. And they will not have to wait long.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Thursday that the first batch of one million AstraZeneca vaccine vials would arrive in the country in January. The second batch of 500,000 would come in February.
The good news was confirmed to the Department of Health this week by the Serum Institute of India, the main vaccine producer for AstraZeneca globally.
Since March last year, frontline healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 have hardly had any time to rest, and the resurgence of infections had taken place before they could take a break.