Fixed-term contract and freelance producers and staffers who started 5 years ago working for SABC News (DStv 404) are out of jobs from tomorrow after SABC management decided not to sign new contracts.
This comes despite MultiChoice signing a new channel carriage agreement for SABC News with the SABC earlier this month.
The SABC News staffers joined when the South African public broadcaster's launched its second try at a TV news channel on DStv in a controversial deal with Naspers' MultiChoice 5 years ago to replace the shuttered SABC News International.
The fixed-term contracts and contracts with freelance producers and staffers are expiring today at the end of August, with multiple SABC insiders they won't be showing up for work from tomorrow, and wondering how SABC News will function.
"From Saturday we're not coming to work because our contracts were not renewed. SABC corridors gossip is that from Saturday only permanent SABC News channel people will be working," said an insider.
An insider also said "all the producers who started with the 404 channel don't know where they stand. We are told there is no money but MultiChoice gave us money. Out future at the SABC at this very moment is on the edge".
A source says: "We have been with SABC News for 5 years, working understaffed and being exploited and now they just want to get rid of us."
The SABC was asked for comment on Thursday morning about the freelancers and fixed-term SABC News contract workers and why contracts haven't been renewed, and what staff will be used to run the SABC News channel and whether they will be enough.
Neo Momodu, SABC spokesperson didn't respond with answers. If there's any official comment from the SABC it will be added here.
Ironically, Madoda Mxakwe, SABC CEO, said the signing of a new channel carriage agreement with MultiChoice would save jobs at the SABC and bring stability and certainty to the SABC and SABC News.
In a statement Madoda Mxakwe, SABC CEO, said "the SABC welcomes the new agreement with MultiChoice which will bring certainty to our viewers and our staff".
While the influx of new millions of rand from MultiChoice to the SABC might indeed save jobs at the SABC, it's apparently not helping to save jobs at SABC News specifically.
On Friday morning staffers were told to clear out their desks.
