You're reading it here first. The SABC just gave the order to close five more of it's international news bureaus TODAY!! The SABC is scaling back its international news operations around the world and across Africa.The closing of five more bureas follows an announcement earlier this year by die SABC to immediately start closing four other news bureaus.
The ones that will start to close down IMMEDIATELY are:
Beijing, China
Dakar, Senegal
Brussels, Belgium
Sao Paolo, Brazil
One office in New York (leaving just the one at the United Nations)
The SABC will still have correspondents in Harare (Zimbabwe), Lagos (Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenia), London (United Kingdom) and in New York at the United Nations (America).
These journalists are NO LONGER ALLOWED to just cover the cities they are based in and are now RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHOLE REGION.
Why close? The SABC's budget for news bureaus this year is R37 million.
It's on track to surpass R60 million.
Irene Charnley, the interim chairperson of the SABC board is swinging the axe to bring the SABC's tremendous overspending back in line.
The closing of these bureaus will save the broadcaster R7 million this year and R32 million in the next financial year.
CHECK BACK LATER - I will have even more NEWS as well ANALYSIS of what this all means, how it works, why it's necessary, the future of the SABC's SABC News International channel and MORE.
