CWU notifies SABC of strike in wage dispute, demands investigation into secret Discover Digital profit-sharing deal for SABC+.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Communications Workers' Union (CWU) has warned the beleaguered South African public broadcaster that its members will strike and demanding a swift investigation into the broadcaster's secret profit-sharing deal with Discover Digital running its SABC+ video streaming service.

The CWU's ongoing wage dispute and planned strike could have serious consequences for the broadcaster in a national election year with any strike action or labour issues that could impact the SABC's election news coverage.

While the Bemawu trade union has accepted a 6% wage increase offer, the CWU is holding out for its initial 9% wage increase, backdated to 1 April 2023. The SABC which made yet another R1.13 billion loss last year, has said it cannot do salary increases.

The CWU plans to go to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to get clarity on the picketing regulations for its planned SABC strike.

Nathan Bowers, CWU bargaining coordinator, in a statement, says the CWU is also demanding an investigation following the suspension of SABC COO Ian Plaatjes and head of video entertainment Merlin Naicker and the resignation of sales boss Reginald Nxumalo after revelations of a secretive 7.5% profit-sharing deal with Discover Digital that runs the broadcaster's SABC+ video streaming service.

The CWU says it demands "for the investigation to be expedited and serious consequences to follow".

"The revelation comes as workers who are members of CWU are in deadlock over the salary increase. The SABC continues to plead poverty while allegations of concealing profit are out there in the media."

"Workers have not had a salary increase for over three years and every time there are financial losses or financial crisis, workers have to become the scapegoat and bear the brunt through no salary increases," Bowers says.

"The plundering of the financial resources of the SABC through shady contracts and unaccounted fruitless and wasteful expenditure every financial year cannot continue and used as an excuse not to give workers a salary increase and their backdated pay. As CWU we will still continue to defend our public broadcaster by keeping an eye on all these questionable deals from all angles."

"While CWU welcomes the suspension of the two executives, we are further calling on the SABC to also place the chief financial officer Yolande Van Biljon on precautionary suspension."

Nathan Bowers says Van Biljon "also has to answer during the investigation as the person who holds the purse of the SABC. As CWU we want to know how the 7.5% slipped through her fingers in this digital deal".

ALSO READ: SABC COO Ian Plaatjes and TV boss Merlin Naicker suspended, ad boss Reginald Nxumalo resigns over undisclosed 7.5% profit-share deal with Discover Digital running SABC+.

'We will shut down the SABC,' warn staffers as protesting SABC workers threaten new strike action at the public broadcaster over brutal retrenchment plan.

In a possible repeat of last November 2017 when strike action damaged the South African public broadcaster in a wage strike, staffers at the struggling SABC are again threatening the broadcaster with a shutdown strike.

It comes as SABC top brass are planning to implement a massive and brutal retrenchment plan that could see up to one in three workers getting fired by February 2019 (981 of 3 376), along with half of all freelancers (1 200 of 2 400).

Angry, fearful and resentful SABC staffers inside the corridors of the commercially insolvent public broadcaster are openly saying "the SABC is a fiasco right now".

The bloated SABC currently has 443 middle managers who on average earn R1.17 million each and collectively make up R518 million of the wage bill.

In some instances the SABC has one manager for one person in a 1:1 ratio and in others one manager for 3 people. Meanwhile the SABC is bogged down by six different management layers.

SABC staffers picketed during their lunch hour on Friday at the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters in Johannesburg, as well as at the SABC's regional offices in Pretoria and in Bloemfontein.

It happened despite the SABC's boss of human resources, Jonathan Thekiso, who threatened them on Wednesday in an internal memo that the SABC will be taking "disciplinary action" against workers who take part in it.

It's not yet clear against how many workers Jonathan Thekiso's HR division will be taking disciplinary action following the public protest.

Later on Friday, Jonathan Thekiso, in an interview on SABC News (DStv 404) said it "would have been disastrous for all employees to have joined the picket between 12:00 and 13:00" and were away from their desks at the same time.

Jonathan Thekiso said the SABC is in a "dire financial situation" and that SABC staffers are "very, very distressed, people are extremely demotivated".

SABC workers handed over a memorandum on Friday afternoon to SABC management.

Trade unions at the SABC are unanimously demanding that the SABC management reverse its retrenchment notification.

Unions are also demanding a response and giving the SABC a 7-day deadline to respond by Friday, 16 November after which they say they will give the broadcaster a 48-hour strike notice and shut down the SABC.

"We will give the SABC a 48-hour strike notice and shut down the broadcaster," said Aubrey Tshabalala, secretary-general of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) on Friday as a memorandum with demands were handed to management.

Other demands include switching all freelancers - 2 400 currently - to permanent SABC workers, a switch from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting (DTT), an improved funding model for the SABC, and the elimination of consultation firms.

Hannes du Buisson, president of the The Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers' Union (Bemawu) said "we ask that this process be stopped, that there be a task team appointed to investigate the SABC's revenue streams".

"We also ask that the government who is responsible for the mess that the SABC finds itself in, that they take responsibility and accountability and start funding the SABC in full as a public broadcaster".

Bemawu also demanded that the SABC withdraw its threat of taking disciplinary action against workers who decide to picket during their lunch hour.

The SABC in a terse statement late on Friday said "The SABC has noted the peaceful picketing and protests which took place at the various SABC offices around the country by Bemawu and the CWU".

"Memoranda were delivered by the respective unions and the SABC will review the memoranda and respond to organised labour."

SABC staffers to wear black on Wednesday in 'mourning' over massive retrenchment plan as public protest action starts; daily picketing planned to kick off from Friday with possible strike action looming.

Many angry, shocked and scared SABC staffers are planning on wearing black today, as part of the start of visible protest action on Wednesday against massive planned retrenchments at the South African public broadcaster, with picketing planned to kick off on Friday that could lead to a new strike and stay-aways as up to a third of SABC workers face the axe.

While wasteful and irregular spending of millions at the technically insolvent SABC continues, the SABC's small top executive brass and SABC board raking in millions per year in salaries plan to cull up to 981 of the 3 376 full-time workers - a third of the SABC workforce - with half or 1 200 of the 2 400 freelancers employed by the SABC who will get fired and be gone by February 2019.

It's part of the latest turn-around strategy of the SABC's top management, led by CEO Madoda Mxakwe, to ruthlessly cut costs at the beleaguered and bloated public broadcaster once again hovering on the brink of financial collapse after years of mismanagement and looting, corruption and wasteful spending - including a litany of irregular appointments, irregular salary increases for some execs and staffers, and massive bonus pay-outs.

The Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (Bemawu) and the Communication Workers' Union (CWU), the two biggest trade unions inside the SABC, plan to kick off protest action on Wednesday with SABC staffers who have been asked to wear black clothes today.

SABC workers wearing black will this time be symbolic of staffers "mourning" the direction the South African public broadcaster is taking and the looming mass retrenchments.

The last time SABC staffers including SABC News on-air talent wore black in silent protest was on Friday 22 July 2016, then in open revolt against the now-fired former chief operating officer (COO) Hlaudi Motsoeneng, his draconian news censorship plan and newsroom intimidation, as well as the firing of the so-called "SABC 8" journalists that the Labour Court later ordered to be rehired.

On Friday during lunch time SABC staffers will publicly protest and picket outside the SABC's Auckland Park headquarters in Johannesburg as well as at the SABC's regional offices countrywide, and plan to hand over a memorandum to SABC management, as well as to Nomvula Mokonyane, South Africa's current minister of communications.

The public picketing is expected to continue next week, daily until there's a change in plans, and could be followed by a new strike aimed at further destabilising the SABC as a defense against the retrenchment plan.

SABC strike action by the unions last hit the public broadcaster exactly a year ago in November 2017 when workers as part of a massive stay-away demanded salary increases and with more on-air mistakes than usual that quickly evident on the SABC's TV channels and radio stations and its SABC News (DStv 404) channel.


Here is how the SABC day-in-black has appeared to viewers so far on SABC News (DStv 404) on Wednesday morning:
(this will continuously be updated as Wednesday unfolds)

Of course there are always exceptions.

Someone forgot to tell Dicksy doing the Xhosa weather on SABC1 on Wednesday evening that red ain't the colour code for the day at the SABC.

Similarly, Sherwin Bryce-Pease, the SABC's correspondent in New York at the United Nations who reported on Wednesday about the American midterm elections, didn't seem to have gotten the memo either.

Dumped Afro Worldview channel's staffers won't all get employed by Newzroom Afrika when the new TV news channel launches in early 2019 on MultiChoice's DStv.

The staffers from Mzwanele Manyi's controversial and now shuttered Afro Worldview TV channel on DStv won't all be employed by Newzroom Afrika when the new TV news channel makes its debut in early 2019 on MultiChoice DStv satellite pay-TV service.

Newzroom Afrika will give "special consideration" to former Afro Worldview staffers, but this doesn't mean that they will be hired. Also not all Afro Worldview staff will apply. 

MultiChoice dumped Afro Worldview last week as it said it would at the beginning of 2018, leaving 300 people jobless who were employed at the former Gupta-owned ANN7 that shut down after 5 years mired in allegations of corruption and of being a propaganda channel.

The owners of Newzroom Afrika, Thokozani Nkosi and Thabile Ngwato on Tuesday said they would give "special consideration" to people who have worked at Afro Worldview and who apply for positions - not advertised yet - at Newzroom Afrika.

That however doesn't they will get jobs.

In an email to Afro Worldview staffers, Mzwanele Manyi told them that details about their salaries will be communicated soon. Mzwanele Manyi said there's no further future for Afro Worldview and that operations have to shut down.

Mzwanele Manyi told staffers not to hope that they'll get employed by Newzroom Afrika and to search for other employment opportunities without waiting. Contracts of Afro Worldview staffers are not being formally terminated.

Meanwhile the Communication Workers Union (CWU) wants to meet with Mzwanele Manyi to negotiate severance packages for staffers.

The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) said it welcomes the commitment by Newzroom Afrika to give "special consideration" to Afr Worldview staffers for possible jobs.

"Sanef notes the fact that the channel is 100% black owned and 50% women owned. We also note MultiChoice and Newzroom Afrika's stated commitment to journalism ethics and independence and the decision to establish an oversight body," said Sanef in a statement.

"We will be carefully watching this space to see if the new channel's commitments are upheld. We also keenly await their announcements in early 2019 about their programming offerings and line-up."

BREAKING. Trade union Bemawu agrees to 4.8% salary increase for its SABC staffers after nationwide two day strike.

The Bemawu trade union has agreed to a 4.8% salary increase by the SABC for SABC staffers affiliated to the trade union following a nationwide 2 day strike.

SABC staffers and the trade unions, Bemawu and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) went on strike, demanded 10% from the SABC board and the public broadcaster's top management.

Bemawu agreed to the SABC's latest wage offer of a 4.8% increase, following the previous 0% increase that was raised to 4.5% but was still rejected by the unions who mobilised their members for a 2 days trike on Thursday and Friday.

The 4.8% salary increase is only for Bemawu members and only for Bemawu members in specific salary categories.

The 4.8% salary increase is backdated to July 2017 according to the agreement between the SABC and Bemawu, and will be paid from January 2018.

The SABC is also not allowed to deduct money from Bemawu SABC staffers who went on strike on Thursday and Friday.

The CWU has not yet accepted and signed the wage offer, waiting on members' approval on the new settlement.

On Saturday there was still no public statement from the SABC.

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.

The country’s auditor-general called the SABC “commercially insolvent”, with Africa’s largest pubcaster that end-September posted yet another annual loss of R977 million ($69 million). Meanwhile the SABC is awaiting yet another government bailout since its last one in 2009.

The public broadcaster, again hovering on the brink of financial collapse, asked the country’s parliament for a new R3 billion ($212 million) in order to remain afloat, although South Africa’s treasury has not given any indication yet whether it will approve another bailout.

On Thursday SABC staffers affiliated to the trade unions Bemawu and the CWU, as well as others, took part in public protests at the SABC's headquarters in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, as well as provincial offices throughout the country. They did the same on Friday.


UPDATE Saturday 16 December 2017 14:20 - The SABC has now issued a short statement.

"Bemawu has now officially called off their strike action," says SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.

"The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is currently seeking concurrence on the offer with their members and they will revert to us when that process is completed."

Nomsa Philiso, acting SABC CEO describes the labour salary hike negotiations as "quite tough as all parties had to find each other in reaching a solution".

"With the organisation dealing with a financial situation which is not ideal, we have had to strike a balance between taking care of employees, which is a priority and ensuring we do not put further stress on the finances of the SABC."

"The SABC expressed its gratitude to all managers and staff members who kept the ship afloat during the protest action."

"Their efforts were well appreciated as they helped the SABC deliver on its mandate to the millions of South Africans who rely on SABC radio and television services to be well informed on various societal matters".

SABC staffers strike enters Day 2 as workers demand a 10% increase, SABC programming is disrupted and broadcaster puts 'heightened security plans' in place.

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".

Failed SABC strike called off after a day and a half; trade union Bemawu says it will continue pay hike fight without CWU.

The failed SABC strike by Bemawu has been called off after a day and a half on Friday afternoon with the trade union that said it will continue to fight for a 10% pay hike for staffers despite the "commercially insolvent" public broadcaster only offering a 0% increase.

On Friday afternoon Bemawu was forced to capitulate and call of the strike.

Bemawu told its striking members to return to work after what it believed was a so-called "protected strike" was sabotaged by the abrupt withdrawal of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) after Bemawu and CWU were originally granted a joint strike notification from the CCMA.

The CWU's withdrawal from the dispute and strike meant the strike action was technically no longer protected.

The strike action inflicted some damage on the battered SABC besides denting its image further, with more on-air SABC TV news mistakes than usual, and with especially the SAfm radio station, Morning Live breakfast show on SABC2, and the main TV news on SABC3 and the SABC News (DStv 404) channel impacted by a shortage of staff.

Despondent SABC workers are angry and confused, even more so after the failed strike attempt but not just because the strike was called off.

Workers are upset that they're not getting any pay hike while the gutted public broadcaster has been looted by now mostly-gone top executives who got paid millions in salaries and pocketed vast sums of money in special bonuses that was paid improperly.

On Thursday SABC staffers at the SABC's headquarters in Auckland Park, Cape Town and Durban downed tools and took to the streets with public protests and banners, demanding a 10% salary increase.

Angry SABC staffers countrywide - in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban held up banners reading: "0% increase? Where are the money?", "SABC bosses = millions; staff = 0" and "Pay your TV Licence staff, it's the right thing to do".

Other banners read: "SABC = Animal Farm", "0% means I can't afford a real sign" and "No to 0%".

The pay hike is one of 13 demand Bemawu made to the SABC in mid-October.

The SABC interim board budgeted for no salary increase for staff before the new permanent SABC board took over two weeks ago, after the SABC made yet another, growing annual loss of R977 million that was posted end-September.

The SABC is once again hovering on the brink of financial collapse, waiting for the government to give it another cash-injection in the form of a R3 billion government-backed bank loan guarantee without which the SABC can't get money.

The SABC has been plagued by bad management, bad managerial decisions and upheaval at top executive and board level, with the government's Special Investigative Unit (SIU) currently conducting a wide-ranging probe into corruption, mismanagement and several dodgy contracts at the public broadcaster stretching back several years. 

On Friday SABC bosses again warned staffers in an internal email to return to work, similar to an email on Thursday. The SABC on Friday told striking staffers to be back at work by 1:30, or face disciplinary hearings.

Bemawu said it will continue with its dispute, this time without the CWU.

The SABC in a statement on Friday at 16:00 said it acknowledges that Bemawu has suspended its strike action.

"The SABC has always maintained that this protest action was unprotected, as communicated to all staff members."

The SABC said it "once again calls on all staff members to report for duty with immediate effect".

Strike action hits SABC with large worker stay-away; public protests at SABC Auckland Park and Cape Town; new negotiating meeting Thursday.

As SABC workers went on strike on Thursday morning, another meeting was arranged for later on Thursday between trade unions and SABC management to try and broker a deal - this time with independent mediator Ibrahim Patel.

On Thursday morning Morning Live on SABC2 and SABC News (DStv 404) became the first casualty with missing on-air talent and some unknown replacements as SABC journalists and news readers joined the strike.

More on-air mistakes than usual were quickly evident on the SABC's channels and SABC News.

The rolling strike action saw a large number of SABC workers join the call for a stay-away, as well as public protests by workers outside the SABC's Auckland Parkhead quarters in Johannesburg blocking Artillery Road, in Durban, and also outside the SABC's Greenpoint building in Cape Town.

The strike action is inflicting more damage on the severely battered SABC, already struggling to get South Africans to support it and to pay their SABC TV licences.

On Thursday the public protest by striking SABC workers disrupted traffic outside the SABC in Auckland Park.

Angry SABC staffers countrywide - in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban held up banners reading: "0% increase? Where are the money?", "SABC bosses = millions; staff = 0" and "Pay your TV Licence staff, it's the right thing to do".

Other banners read: "SABC = Animal Farm", "0% means I can't afford a real sign" and "No to 0%".

The SABC on Thursday threatened to get an interdict to block the strike from continuing.

In an internal memo to workers on Thursday that the SABC marked as an "urgent notice" the SABC claimed that the strike was illegal because trade unions failed to "follow proper procedures".

"The SABC management is concerned that you have all chosen to participate in an unprotected strike action led by Bemawu."

"Bemawu was not party to conciliation proceedings which were scheduled for 18 October 2017 and neither did Bemawu lodge an application to be joined as a party in those proceeding."

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told SABC News on Thursday that striking workers will face disciplinary hearings and that the strike is unprotected - despite the CCMA telling Bemawu and the CWU in a written notice that the strike is protected.

"We said to Bemawu we believe the procedure they used to go on strike was not properly done. Therefore the strike is unprotected," said Kaizer Kganyago.

He said that the public protests of SABC staffers at Auckland Park headquarters and elsewhere is also unprotected since SABC staffers didn't follow the right procedure.

The SABC that is once again hovering on the brink of financial collapse without a cash-injection of R3 billion from the government, is "offering" staffers a 0% pay increase.

SABC staffers demand a 10% pay hike - far higher than South Africa's 6% inflation. SABC staffers also demand a guarantee of a bonus 13th salary check in December despite the non-performing SABC posting a loss of R977 million.

The SABC has been plagued by bad management, bad managerial decisions and upheaval at top executive and board level, with the government's Special Investigative Unit (SIU) currently conducting a wide-ranging probe into corruption, mismanagement and several dodgy contracts at the public broadcaster stretching back several years. 

Earlier this week Hannes du Buisson, Bemawu president told Radio 702 that when the strike happens "the SABC would most probably be able to most probably broadcast all of the repeats from a hundreds years ago that the public has seen a thousands times. Whether the SABC would be able to deliver news and current affairs is a different thing".

The SABC in a statement early Wednesday evening said the public broadcaster found it "regrettable to note that Bemawu members have decided to proceed with their strike action" and that it is "important to note that the principle of no work, no pay will apply".

"The SABC board and management reiterates its commitment that programmes on radio and TV will be transmitted as planned".

Strike action possibly soon at struggling SABC as staffers at the 'commercially insolvent' public broadcaster demands a 10% pay hike.

Strike action could come soon to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, as staffers become no-shows after the new permanent SABC board refused a 10% salary hike for SABC workers at the cash-strapped South African public broadcaster awaiting another R3 billion government bailout.

The Auditor-General called the SABC “commercially insolvent”, with Africa's largest public broadcaster posted yet another annual loss of R977 million at the end of September. 

Meanwhile the SABC is awaiting yet another government bailout since its last one in 2009 of R1.4 billion.

The SABC that is once again hovering on the brink of financial collapse without a cash-injection, asked the treasury for R3 billion that will likely again be in the form of a government-guaranteed bank loan, in order to remain afloat, although Treasury has not given any indication yet whether it will approve another bailout.

The Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (Bemawu) and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) who demand a 10% salary increase and a guarantee of the payment of a 13th bonus cheque payment in December, say SABC staffers will be ready to down tools as part of a protected strike that could happen from as early as Sunday.

The SABC has been plagued by bad management, bad managerial decisions and upheaval at top executive and board level, with the government's Special Investigative Unit (SIU) currently conducting a wide-ranging probe into corruption, mismanagement and several dodgy contracts at the public broadcaster stretching back several years.

Unions say staffers "have been subjected to threats and fear, unilateral restructurings, change of work practices and shift roster, appointments without advertising positions and a zero-percentage increase".

By Friday morning the SABC has not yet been served with a notice from staff about a strike.

The Mwasa union is against a strike and says "it is amply obvious that the SABC is in a bad state financially, operationally, in terms of consumer and business confidence", saying that "the call for a strike is curious under these circumstances noting in particular the growing incapacity of the national purse to fund expenditure".

"There is no automatic right to a salary increment," says Mwasa. "A demand for a salary increment must not be entertained simply because it is habit to demand and receive."

"A demand must be justified, justifiable, affordable on a proven sustainability basis going forward. SABC employees have repeatedly received above inflation increases primarily because the reckless leadership of recent had used 'organised labour' on a rent-a-crowd-basis and dispensed with crumbs of patronage which were received without question."

Calls for urgent parliamentary meeting next week after SABC staffers threaten strike; DA political party says staffers 'within their rights to take action to prevent SABC sliding backwards'.

There's calls for an urgent parliamentary meeting to be held in the coming week after angry and fed-up SABC staffers are saying they're planning to strike.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) political party has called for an urgent meeting to be held in parliament in the coming week following threatened strike action by SABC trade unions who say they've had enough of "threats and fear" at the beleaguered and cash-strapped South Africa public broadcaster plagued by mismanagement.

SABC staffers on the verge of revolt, want acting SABC news boss Kenneth Makatees a so-called "enforcer of the SABC's Protest Policy" gone.

SABC staffers are also demanding the immediate suspension and removal of several alleged executives who are so-called "Hlaudi enforcers" like Nothando Maseko and are demanding an investigation into the appointment of Bessie Tugwana as acting COO.

The DA political party's member of parliament, Phumzile van Damme, says the DA "fully supports the right of SABC staff to engage in legal strike action" - something that trade unions Bemawu and the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) has told SABC top management could lead to a SABC blackout.

The DA says several of the demands in the joint letter of demand on Friday that Bemawu and the CWU sent to the SABC's top executives are reasonable, particularly "the immediate appointment of the SABC board as recommended by parliament, disciplinary action against the former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and so-called enforcers", and a "full investigation" of the SABC's since overturned SABC TV News censorship policy.

"The brilliant work initiated by the SABC interim board to steer the SABC to calm waters has been stalled, and the public broadcaster has begun sliding backwards," says Phumzile van Damme.

"The SABC has many talented, qualified staff who care deeply about ensuring that the public broadcaster delivers on its mandate to South Africa."

"They are therefore well within their rights to take action to prevent the SABC sliding backwards and once again becoming a cesspool of corruption, mismanagement and poor programming."

The Democratic Alliance political party wants parliament's portfolio comittee on communications to hold a meeting in the coming week to allow the trade unions Bemawu and CWU, as well as the so-called 'SABC8" journalists who protested the SABC's news censorship policy, to "tell their side of the story".

"Many of the concerns raised by the SABC staff could have been prevented did the SABC have a board in place".

Angry SABC staffers demand immediate suspension, removal of alleged 'Hlaudi enforcers' Kenneth Makatees, Nothando Maseko; investigation into COO Bessie Tugwana's appointment.

Angry SABC staffers at the struggling South African public broadcaster in a strongly-worded letter are demanding the immediate suspension and removal of several alleged executives who are so-called "Hlaudi enforcers" like acting news boss Kenneth Makatees, Nothando Maseko and for an investigation into the appointment of Bessie Tugwana as acting COO.

SABC staffers on the verge of revolt, want Kenneth Makatees a so-called "enforcer of the SABC's Protest Policy" gone.

Kenneth Makatees recently had a meeting with the president Jacob Zuma, with the presidency that has refused to answer calls for a release of the meeting's transcripts.

SABC staffers are furious and are warning the public broadcaster that protected strike action is planned at the public broadcaster.

The SABC, deep in the red and having posted a R977 million loss, is mired in mismanagement, sits with no board and only acting executives in all of its top positions.

The trade unions Bemawu and the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) in a joint letter of demand on Friday to the SABC's top bosses, warned the SABC management that most of the enforcers who supported the controversial and famously matricless executive Hlaudi Motsoeneng who instituted illegal SABC news censorship and the subsequent dismissal of the SABC journalists opposed to it - are still employed at the broadcaster.

SABC staffers say for these alleged enablers who are still employed "at lucrative salaries at the SABC" it is "business as usual, and they have escaped justice".

SABC staffers say they've been subjected to "threats and fear, unilateral restructurings, change of work practices and shift roster, appointments without advertising positions and a zero-percentage increase".

"In the meantime, the SABC is slipping deeper into insolvency, to the extent that it endangers the employment, well-being, and health of our members.

SABC staffers are warning that "it is our view the SABC is still captured by politicians – more than ever – and we cannot sit back to allow this to happen".

The trade unions in their letter say they demand "the immediate appointment of the SABC board already selected and recommended by parliament, and the immediate suspension of all the enforcers of the Protest Policy which resulted in the dismissal of the SABC8, to wit, Kenneth Makatees, Nothando Maseko, Nyana Molete and Sebolelo Ditlhakanyane."

The trade unions in the joint letter says it the immediate suspension of "all the unprocedurally appointed managers and/or people who supported the system to either enforce the Protest Policy, contributed to the poor financial position of the SABC," and those who "neglect to act when policies and procedures were not followed, and did not report irregularities when they became aware of same".

According to Bemawu and the CWU in their letter this includes Tshifhiwa Mulaudzi, the SABC's executive for sales & marketing; Abdul Matthee who Bemawu and the CWU claim is responsible for millions of rand in losses due to the failures of the Landmark system, as well as Keobokile Mosweu, Sizwe Vilikazi, Bessie Tugwana, Tseliso Ralitabo, Ayanda Mkhize and Theresa Geldenhuys.

Staffers demand the immediate suspension of "the status quo in respect of structural changes, work patterns and hours of employees, in particular in News, until a new board is in office, and employees be properly consulted."

They also want "the full and unconditional restoration of the merger between Henley Studios and News, with no change in reporting lines and work practices, without full and proper consultation with employees, and only after a new Board has been appointed."

Other demands include "a salary increase of 10% across the board, backdated to April 2017" and "the appointment of all workers previously on fixed term contracts at News, whose contracts has not been renewed as fixed term, but as freelance contracts, or not at all.

SABC staffers are also calling for "the removal of Kenneth Makatees as acting head of news, to be replaced by a non-enforcer nominated from the competent news staff in Johannesburg," and the "redeployment of Themba Mathonsi to a different department".

Bemawu and the CWU say SABC staffers are "tired of his Gestapo style of management".

SABC staffers are further demanding a "full investigation regarding the protest policy and the report should be made public; an investigation at SABC Sport in respect of the non-renewal of contracts; the redeployment of admin people in operational roles under the disguise to develop them; and the appointment of freelancers to act in permanent positions".

SABC staff also want an investigation into the appointment of Bessie Tugwana as the acting SABC COO "in particular as she has reached retirement age, and allegations of her employing friends".

Staffers also want "the renewal of the contract of Keobokile Mosweu, an alleged enforcer of Motsoeneng to be investigated and reversed".

Bemawu and the CWU told the SABC's acting CEO Nomsa Philiso that it's giving SABC management 7 days to meet these demands.

"Should these demands not be met in 7 days, excluding the unilateral change to the shift roster of News Staff, from date of this letter, labour will file a dispute and ballot its members to seek a mandate for a protected strike".

Communication Workers Union (CWU) claims ANN7 news channel on DStv targeting unionised staff in yet another ugly disciplinary proceeding drama.

The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) says the Gupta-owned ANN7 (DStv 405) TV news channel is targeting unionised staff members in the ugly disciplinary process that has so far seen a massive 31 staffers hauled before disciplinary hearings last week.

ANN7 journalists and cameramen have been served with disciplinary hearing notices after they boo'ed the ANC Youth League president Collen Maine who dropped by the Infinity Media TV news channel and The New Age headquarters in Midrand in April.

Collen Maine wanted to show "support" to workers, who, according to an "open letter" pleaded with South Africa's banks to reinstate Oakbay Investments bank accounts (Infinity Media is a subsidiary of Oakbay), but was chased away.

50 workers, all belonging to the CWU, were charged with "conduct unbecoming an employee of the company" as well as "desertion of posts or unauthorised leaving of the workplace".

eNCA fires technical director Modise Morobane after 'false and defamatory' open letter; CWU outraged at alleged 'ongoing blatant racist practices at eNCA'.

eNCA (DStv 403) has fired the technical director Modise Morobane over what the Sabido-run 24-hour TV news channel calls "misconduct, defamation and publishing untruth" after he wrote an open letter to executives citing several alleged labour grievances.

eMedia Investments' eNCA news channel, supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, has been in the news more and more the past year over various labour issues - although it hasn't reached the level of internal labour strife at rival Infinity Media's ANN7 (DStv 405) news channel where news about staff turnover, firings and even physical fights between news personnel have been making headlines.

eNCA fired Modise Morobane last week after he wrote an open letter accusing eNCA of racism, questioning why top executive positions at eNCA are given to whites, and alleging that eNCA are preventing workers from organising and joining unions.

eNCA said the claims are defamatory and false and that Modise Morobane wasn't fired because he tried to organise workers into a trade union but for defamation and misconduct. "Staff may join a trade union if they wish. The issue here was an open letter making false and defamatory claims".

The Communications Workers' Union (CWU) now says it will take eNCA to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for firing Modise Morobane.

In a press statement last week the Communications Workers' Union (CWU) said its "disgusted and outraged at the ongoing violation of workers' rights and blatant racist practices at eNCA and e.tv".

"Since October 2015 the TV channel has been ducking and diving when it had to hold a meeting with CWU to discuss organisational rights in the company in terms of the Labour Relations Act whereas over 50% of the TV channel staff has voluntarily joined the CWU," says the union.

"This was followed by a process of looking for wizards and witches everywhere, where intimidating calls to workers were made by management, asking them whether they have joined the union, whether they were still interested in the union, why they are joining a union and so on."

"This attitude of the TV channel towards the union is triggered by the fact that the executive and the board know that they violate not only worker rights but human rights too on a daily basis. We find it totally unethical that this company could conduct itself in this manner regard being had to the political and legal dispensation in the country."

In its statement the CWU says "the continuation of white supremacy and anti-transformational agenda in the TV channel has once again found its expression in the recent appointments announced by the board."

"The board has chosen a white male, Anton Harber, to take up the most senior, strategic position as editor-in-chief of news. There is no doubt that while Harber has journalism experience, he is not an experienced broadcaster."

"They have a number of senior black managers with years of broadcasting experience who were overlooked. To add salt to the wound the executive and the board chose not to advertise this position internally, so that they are able to ignore those blacks who are already in the system and who had obtained necessary qualifications."

The CWU in its statement alleges that "furthermore black reporters are not llowed to wear 'doeks' or African head scarves on air. Workers were told that Muslim women would be banned from wearing the hijab on air. Clearly this is a violation of their rights".

"We take the strongest exception to people spreading falsehoods and defamation, such as those disseminated in the 'open letter' and the CWU statement," says Vasili Vass, eNCA head of corporate affairs.

"eMedia Investments would not publish defamatory and false allegations if they were brought to us without detailed, proper evidence. The contents of the documents are highly defamatory and false."

"eMedia Investments has always operated in accordance with the law, the Labour Relations Act and the Constitution and will continue to do so."

Gupta owners of the ANN7 TV news channel and The New Age newspaper files urgent court interdict against the EFF party against possible violence, media interference.

The Gupta-owned ANN7 (DStv 405) TV news channel and The New Age newspaper have filed an urgent court interdict against the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political party.

Oakbay Investments - a shareholder in the Gupta-owned media and other companies - as well as Oakbay Investments CEO Nazeem Howa along with other plaintiffs are asking the North Gauteng High Court to order the EFF not to commit violence against ANN7 or the newspaper, its assets like property, and staff.

The Guptas in the interdict application also want the court to order the EFF not to interfere with the activities of ANN7 and The New Age reporters and journalists. The EFF is opposing the application.

The urgent court interdict application comes after the EFF leader Julius Malema last week went on a scathing tirade against ANN7 and The New Age, banning reporters and journalists from ANN7 and The New Age from attending any EFF events or press conferences and using threatening language saying their safety can't be guaranteed.

It saw the abrupt cut of a televised broadcast from the EFF press conference as a ANN7 crew killed the feed, packed up and left.

Julius Malema said the EFF wants the influential Guptas with strong ties to president Jacob Zuma, to leave the Gauteng province and South Africa.

"We don't want to see The New Age and ANN7. It's propaganda machinery," said Julius Malema.

In the affidavit filed in the urgent court interdict application, Nazeem Howa says "Julius Malema lashed out at the Gupta brothers and their commercial interests with a clear and unambiguous threat of violence and xenophobia".

The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) that has members working at ANN7 and The New Age newspaper says "state security agencies", the Guptas and Oakbay Investments must protect the workers and reporters.

"As a union we are up in arms against ANN7 and The New Age with regard to poor working conditions in these companies and we know how exploited these workers are and how they struggle daily to make ends meet," says CWU secretary Aubrey Tshabalala.

"These are our members and we will encourage the EFF to fight its political battles with the Guptas and not focus on easy targets, that is the defenseless workers".

"We call upon state security agencies including the employer to provide sufficient protection for our members at ANN7 and New Age while they are on duty trying to make a living. We further call for an indaba of all stakeholders in the media industry to discuss issues of security and allowances for field journalists".

The CCMA orders ANN7 to pay its fired news presenter Asanda Magaqa R500 000 over unfair dismissal and to reinstate her immediately.

The CCMA has ordered the Infinity Media run TV news channel ANN7 (DStv 405) to pay its fired news presenter Asanda Magaqa R500 000 due to unfair dismissal and to immediately reinstate her.

Asanda Magaqa presented shows like Between the Lines and the companion show I am South African in the run-up to the first South African of the Year Awards but then infamously didn't host it.

Tensions started between Asanda Magaqa and ANN7 management when she was supposed to host The South African of the Year Awards but was dumped shortly before it. She was fired in November 2014 and Between the Lines was abruptly stopped. ANN7 said Between the Lines would return later as a retooled show. It never did.

ANN7 didn't respond to a media enquiry made last week regarding the order from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Asanda Magaqa's case and the finding over ANN7's unfair dismissal.

"The dismissal of the applicant was both procedurally and substantially unfair," says the CCMA which ordered Infinity Media to pay Asanda Magaqa R500 000, or 10 months' salary and to immediately reinstate her.

"ANN7 is ordered to retrospectively reinstate the applicant with no loss of benefits with effect from the date of her dismissal - 24 November 2014. The respondent is further ordered to pay the applicant an amount of R500 000 which is equivalent to ten months' salary as back pay. This order must be complied with no later that 19 October 2015," ordered the CCMA.

It's not clear whether Asanda Magaqa, who is a member of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), would actually return to ANN7.

In a scathing farewell letter last year Asanda Magaqa wrote about ANN7's "blatant persecution of employees" and alleged "desperation" to "each new week, find a new charge to bring against me yet they could not feign a semblance of focus and order and conclude the disciplinary inquiry".

"I knew the inquiry was a farce, nothing more than a kangaroo court comprising a lynch mob as some of you will soon learn when you face your own inquiries."

After last week's CCMA order Asanda Magaqa tweeted a "thank you my friends. Your messages gave me strength" and that "your prayers kept me going".

"Media workers are workers too," says Cosatu in a statement, welcoming the CCMA ruling for Asanda Magaqa to be reinstated at ANN7.

Since before ANN7 launched and after it's embarrassing start in August 2013 on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, the Gupta owned TV news channel has constantly remained more in the news for the eye-popping and tumultuous personnel and human resources drama happening behind the scenes at its Midrand based headquarters than for anything else.

In August an ANN7 journalist physically attacked and assaulted the channel's own news editor Abhinav Sahay in the ANN7 Midrand newsroom.

Now Gladys Sithole has become the latest ANN7 defection with the news anchor who left the channel where she was the fill-in anchor of ANN7 Prime and anchored Africa Tonight. Gladys Sithole was with ANN7 since launch and left last week to become the head of news at Hot 91.9fm. There was no announcement from ANN7 nor a media advisory about her replacement.

Gladys Sithole's exit is the latest in the exodus of on-air talent from ANN7 over the past two years including Hajra Omarjee who represented Asanda Magaqa in her disciplinary hearing, chief anchor Chantal Rutter Dros, Tyron Cosway and the hyped hire of Gerry Rantseli-Elsdon who lasted only a few months.

Executive Dave McGregor quit last year, as did assignments editor Clinton Nagoor. The former ANN7 editor Rajesh Sundaram who fled the news station promised to write a tell-all book Indentured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV, but the book plan was killed.

In October 2013 the department of home affairs ordered four foreigners helping ANN7 to leave who had overstayed their visitor visa permit conditions.

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 24 March 2015

You don't want DStv and StarSat to sell their TV channels individually.
If MultiChoice and On Digital Media and StarTimes Media SA s"unbundle" their pay-TV channels, guess what ... you are going to be paying a lot more for DStv and StarSat.
Meanwhile Canada will offer pay-TV subscribers a la carte pay-TV channels from next year - but it will mean higher "per-subscriber carriage fees".


MultiChoice to add a new TV channel for Southern Africa soon.
The new TV channel from M-Net on DStv will be for movie producers to broadcast their local content across the Southern Africa region. The new DStv channel will be in standard definition (SD) and M-Net is looking for movies from localfilmmakers.

"The SABC is now a propaganda machine."
The COPE political party says the SABC is no longer an authentic public broadcaster but increasingly a propaganda machine for the ruling party.


Meanwhile the SABC is getting ready to fire 2 more SABC board members.
SABC board members Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi received letters in March accusing them of fraudulent conduct and they've been threatened with suspension. The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) says it is extremely concerned with what is going on at the SABC and the minister of communications, Faith Muthambi's, interference.
Meanwhile former SABC board member Lumko Mtimde who resigned in 2013 could be making a comeback as SABC board member - he is one of 97 candidates nominated for the new position after Ellen Zandile Tshabalala's disgraceful exit.


Anger keeps building over massive 20% and DStv price increase in Zambia.
Meanwhile a consumer watchdog body in Zambia says DStv's massive price hike from 1 April is too steep and untimely.

Meanwhile Sky is hiking its subscription fees from June.
Sky usually increases its subscriptions in September every year but is now starting to do it twice a year.


Jeremy Clarkson says he's been fired by the BBC.
The star of Top Gear on BBC Entertainment (DStv 120) tells an audience at a charity auction he was sacked by the BBC. In an obscenity-laced tirade Jeremy Clarkson said the BBC "f*cked up" Top Gear.
Meanwhile BBC Worldwide has been forced to cancel the first of the Top Gear Live shows, with the Norway one which is getting postponed after Jeremy Clarkson's "fracas".
Meanwhile The Hollywood Reporter asks whether the BBC will really fire Jeremy Clarkson.


Sky News (DStv 402) reporter "devastated".
Martin Brunt tells inquest he is "devastated" after death of woman he interviewed who was an online troll.

More people fired at E! Entertainment (DStv 124).
Betsy Rott, Tim Rosta and Leigh Anne Gardner are out together with "virtually everyone in the TV specials department".

Downton Abbey's upcoming 6th season will be its last.
TVLine reports that the new 6th season of the ITV drama shown on BBC Entertainment (DStv 120) will end after the 6th series.

Masechaba Lekalake done with Ekse on e.tv.
Her final episode of the local talk show on e.tv which saw production upheaval behind the scenes, will be on Thursday, 26 March.

Zuku wants DStv to pay penalties in content sharing fight.
Zuku TV from Wananchi has asked Kenya's Competition Authority to force MultiChoice Kenya to resell some of the rights to its exclusive content and to pay penalties