Parliament, Thursday, 23 July 2020 – The Portfolio Committee on Communications was briefed by the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU); the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers’ Union (Bemawu); and the Editorial Forum of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on the SABC’s intention to implement section 189 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA). The committee reaffirmed its position of 25 June 2020 that retrenchments at this stage are premature.

1. Parliament
MEDIA STATEMENT
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE BRIEFED BY LABOUR UNIONS ON SABC’S SECTION
189
Parliament, Thursday, 23 July 2020 – The Portfolio Committee on Communications was briefed
by the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU); the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied
Workers’ Union (Bemawu); and the Editorial Forum of the South African Broadcasting
Corporation (SABC) on the SABC’s intention to implement section 189 of the Labour Relations
Act (LRA). The committee reaffirmed its position of 25 June 2020 that retrenchments at this
stage are premature.
It became clear to the committee during the presentations that the SABC management issued
notices of retrenchment before conducting an open and transparent skills audit or consulting
with relevant stakeholders. The committee then reiterated that the SABC should start the
process again, from the beginning.
The committee was first briefed on the SABC’s turnaround strategy by the Minister and Deputy
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, as well as the SABC Board and
management on 25 May 2020. In this meeting, the committee expressed the need for more time
to engage with the department and the SABC. It invited both parties to a meeting on 21 July to
be briefed on the section 189 question.
This meeting took place and, having listened to the introductory remarks by the Deputy Minister,
the committee discovered that the SABC did not consult with stakeholders and therefore, was
not in possession of all the answers on the subject. The committee resolved that SABC
management should hold proper consultations before presenting on the section 189 process.
After listening to the labour unions yesterday, the committee became more resolute than ever
that retrenchments should be put on hold to allow engagements with all stakeholders in a
transparent manner.
Committee Chairperson Mr Boyce Maneli said that the committee supports the government’s
position that every effort should be made to save jobs in all sectors of the economy and that
retrenchments should be a last resort. The committee will invite the SABC to a meeting to
discuss the consultation process.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE
CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS, MR BOYCE
MANELI

2. For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committees’ Media
Officer:
Name: Mr Justice Molafo
Tel: 021 403 8444
Cell: 081 424 7481
Email:​ ​jmolafo@parliament.gov.za