The cash-strapped and commercially insolvent South African public broadcaster has decided to dump its massive retrenchment plan in a national election year, that the broadcaster in late-2018 said was its last option to cut costs from its ballooning operations bill.
The SABC will now do a "skills audit".
The SABC on Thursday in a statement said that it would no longer proceed with its retrenchment process - something that saw Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, South Africa's current minister of communications break off interaction with the SABC board that led to multiple resignations and rendering the unstable SABC board once again inquorate.
Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams was vocal and vociferous in demanding that the SABC not fire any workers - in line with South African ruling party policy - although the over-staffed and cash-strapped SABC, buckling under cash flow problems, unable to pay for content and basics like electricity, is top-heavy with managers and sits with an extremely bloated staff count.
"In the interest of the SABC, its employees, key stakeholders and the South African public at large, the SABC has decided not to renew the notice to invoke section 189 of the LRA," the SABC said.
"This follows constructive and extensive engagements with various stakeholders, including the parliamentary portfolio committee on communications, organised labour and our own employees."
The SABC wanted to fire up to 981 staffers - a third of its full-time workforce - and up to 1 200 freelance workers.
The SABC said that it will now "conduct a thorough skills audit". The SABC board warned parliament in late-2018 that it's fast running out of money and will be unable to pay all staff salaries by the end of March 2019.
The SABC said in its statement that the outcome of its new skills audit "will provide the SABC with a fit-for-purpose structure, with clearly defined span of control, appropriate layers of management and appropriate skills and competencies for roles".
