Image: SABC
A nationwide strike by SABC staffers is continuing on Friday for a second day after SABC programming on the South African public broadcaster was disrupted on Thursday when disgruntled SABC staffers demanding a 10% salary increase, started to take part in the protected strike of trade unions Bemawu and the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Striking SABC staffers want a 10% salary hike while the beleaguered and cash-strapped SABC that is struggling to pay its ballooning debt, previously offered a 0% but is now offering a 4.5% increase backdated to October 2017.
On Thursday SABC staffers took part in public protests at the SABC headquarters in Auckland Park, as well as SABC provincial offices in Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Durban, Port Elizabeth and elsewhere, and did the same on Friday.
On Friday workers at the South African parastatal signal distributor, Sentech, indicated that they are preparing to strike as well in solidarity with the SABC staffers.
Cosatu in a statement says the striking SABC workers have their support.
"The minister of communications and the SABC board need to intervene and make sure that the reasonable demands of the workers are met by the management."
"For years these workers have been the only shining light at SABC; they are the ones, who have kept the lights on when the politicians and their deployees were looting and collapsing the institution."
The strike comes just before the SABC is supposed to cover the ANC political party's 54th elective conference where it will be choosing its next president and the de facto president of South Africa.
CWU spokesperson Tshepo Matlou said SABC staffers are threatening to cut off the coverage of the ANC's elective conference.
"To not broadcast the ANC conference is not our decision. We don't want that to happen. But it just so happens that the workers are outside protesting and that's the SABC’s fault. The nation therefore will not be able to watch the conference".
Hannes Du Buisson, Bemawu president said the SABC "said they are in financial trouble which is not true because the SABC interim board is getting R3.9 million".
He said the R3.9 million payout to the SABC interim board was the biggest payout to a SABC board in the history of the broadcaster for the time served.
On Thursday SABC current affairs shows and news bulletins didn't take place as SABC workers started their stayaway. Several news bulletins on Thursday and Friday cut the number of stories dramatically and repeated old news stories.
"Programming on television has gone ahead as planned with no interruptions," said SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago in a statement.
"Out of the 19 SABC radio stations, only three were affected, namely Thobela FM, Munghana Lonene FM and Ikwekwezi FM."
"Their respective current affairs shows that did not go on air, as a result of presenters pulling out of the shows at the last minute".
The SABC said that the broadcaster "had received reports of intimidation of employees entering the work premises and blockage of entrance points by those who are participating in the strike".
"Management views this matter in a serious light and will be engaging with the SABC's Protection Services, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the joint planning committee to attend to this matter urgently, to ensure the safety of all employees who are not participating in the strike".
The SABC said it has "heightened security plans in place" within and around the premises of the SABC".
