by Thinus Ferreira
Already low morale continues to crater inside eMedia's eNCA (DStv 403) amidst an ongoing massive retrenchment process to get rid of hundreds of workers at the TV news channel before South Africa's upcoming local elections on 4 November.
In August, news leaked that eNCA plans to get rid of 171 out of its 309 staffers - something that left workers seething with anger.
eMedia's massive retrenchment drive comes just after eMedia CEO Khalik Sherrif jetted off to the United States along with board members, as a group of more than 20 people, to be entertained and enjoy the 2026 FIFA Soccer World Cup with expensive tickets, flights, and accommodation to treat potential clients and ad buyers who went along on the all-expenses-paid trip.
Workers are furious and upset about what they see as a waste of money by the big bosses with big salaries, while they "at the bottom of the food pyramid" have to pay the price.
eMedia staffers are also angry and talking openly among themselves about eMedia's so-called "white elephant": the multi-million rand VRtuosus virtual studio that eMedia built and opened in Johannesburg in March.
Apparently, VRtuosus has not performed as expected and is being underutilised, according to staffers, with little to no appetite from the wider industry.
When eMedia was asked about all of this, spokesperson Lynne Adams said via, email: "As a matter of principle, eMedia does not comment publicly, through the media, on its internal business operations, confidential employee matters, or internal processes."
While eMedia isn't talking, eMedia staffers are.
eNCA and eMdia staffers talking about the retrenchment process give anecdotal evidence of how the eMedia parking lot that "used to be worse than a mall parking lot on payday where overspill had to park across the road with the OB vans" is now down to as few as two cars on some days.
"e.tv's retrenchments have gone far beyond what they initially reported," says a source, noting that "Johannesburg bosses are flying in to Cape Town with AI business partners making insensitive comments in front of staff, saying 'AI can replace everyone on the floor'."
Insiders also tell me that staffers are talking among each other that eMedia CEO, Khalik Sherrif, is apparently "not allowed to speak to staff or acknowledge them while the retrenchment process is happening".
A source says radio station "YFM is becoming collateral damage to the mess at the top too, where most of their sales complement have resigned and they can't fill positions."
Recently, a source quipped: They're retrenching people from the creative department in Cape Town today" - something which is being referred to as "silent retrenchments".
"They've done libraries. Transfers. Now creative."
