by Thinus Ferreira
Around 31 workers who worked inside MultiChoice with MultiChoice identification and on behalf of the pay-TV operator in outgoing call service have been fired without notice at Canal+'s MultiChoice operations in Nigeria.
According to Sahara Reporters, the 31 MultiChoice workers were fired from the so-called customer value management (CVM) unit, in Abuja, Nigeria, where they, through outsourcing firm ZetaWeb Nigeria, called DStv and GOtv subscribers, called potential new subscribers, encouraged DStv subscription renewals and helped with DStv service-related concerns.
A condition of Canal+'s takeover of MultiChoice was that no workers would be retrenched for a period of three years, but already several people across Africa, including South Africa, have lost jobs who did service-related work for MultiChoice at companies outside MultiChoice.
Production companies who did projects and other companies that provided services for MultiChoice and M-Net have had this terminated.
There are also people and companies still waiting to get paid by M-Net and MultiChoice, several months after they were abruptly ordered to cut purchase orders by 20% and given no answers by M-Net as to when they are going to get their money for work already done.
In South Africa, the Competition Commission has contacted multiple of these companies and people as part of an investigation to get to the bottom of what M-Net and MultiChoice under Canal+ has allegedly done to them, and what M-Net and MultiChoice have allegedly still not done - like paying invoices.
According to the report, the 31 workers were called to a meeting in Abuja and fired, with several who have done the work for between 4 and 10 years for MultiChoice. According to sources, they were not given a notice period and just told their "services were no longer needed".
Interestingly, Maxime Saada, Canal+ CEO, told investors a month ago during Canal+'s financial results presentation that the French company was going to hire at least 1 000 people more on a contract basis to sell and upsell DStv to try and lift DStv subscriber numbers across the African continent.
According to the report, the fired staff asked MultiChoice to please reconsider and to reinstate them, with a source noting that "We are appealing to the management to look into our case. If it is about performance targets, we are willing to improve. We just want an opportunity to continue working".
The workers have now hired a lawyer.
"We were asked to vacate the premises within 10 minutes, as if we were criminals," said one of the workers. "It was humiliating and unfair."
"We have taken steps to pursue justice. Our lawyer is reviewing all the details and will proceed with the necessary court actions. We are determined to ensure that our voices are heard and that due process is followed."
"Some employees are primary breadwinners, single parents and widows whose livelihoods depend entirely on this job."
Emmanuel Mitoto, Zeta-Web Nigeria human resources executive, said that the fired workers have been properly informed that they're losing their jobs.
