by Thinus Ferreira
The South African public broadcaster's SABC News division is on the hunt for further ghost workers and is rooting out non-existent workers through a verification process using selfies.
Insiders told me that the SABC has embarked on another ghost worker eradication process that started yesterday and will last a week with all workers in Gauteng who have to present themselves in person and those elsewhere who have to appear on a video call and also hold up a photo of themselves.
Mmoni Seapolelo, SABC manager for media relations, confirmed the broadcaster's latest ghost worker hunt in its news division and told me in response to a media query "The SABC can confirm that an audit of the verification process for independent contractors within the news and current affairs division has commenced".
"This is
a standard procedure conducted by SABC's group internal audit, based on the
results of their risk assessment processes".
According to SABC insiders, the process started on 19 September and will continue for a week until 26 September.
SABC freelancers were told that all independent contractors in Gauteng must "present themselves" physically to the broadcaster's internal audit office on the 11th floor of the Radio Park building in Auckland Park, while those not living and working within Gauteng will be verified through a video call on Microsoft Teams.
In addition, workers must submit proof of identity like a South African ID smart card, a bank account confirmation letter not older than two months, and even hold up a clear photo holding proof of identity when this verification is done through the Microsoft Teams video call.
The salary bill of the bloated SABC is the public broadcaster's single biggest expense with the broadcaster that this week in parliament again asked the government for additional state funding, as well as for an overhaul of its outdated SABC TV Licence system which less than 13% of South African TV households on its database still bother to pay annually.
