Strike to silence SABC?
2009-07-03 08:38
Thinus Ferreira
Cape Town - A strike is threatening the public broadcaster, which could mean that, for the first time since the arrival of television in 1976, there will be no SABC broadcasts in South Africa.
On Thursday Die Burger heard that the strike, which could start within days, could be exacerbated by the fact that local television producers - whom the SABC owes millions of rands - will be asked to cease delivery of all TV programmes to the SABC in a gesture of solidarity with the strikers taking part in the mass action.
The relevant unions must give the SABC written notice 48 hours before the mass action is set to begin. They're currently hard at work making detailed plans. This will include protests at SABC offices countrywide.
According to the unions, the broadcaster has already started using intimidation tactics such as discouraging employees from taking part in the planned labour action, and threatening that they won't be paid.
Contingency plan
The SABC said it had a "special contingency plan" in place if it were to be paralysed by a strike, and furthermore, that broadcasting won't be interrupted.
"I'm not going to say what it is, because then they'll plan against us," said Kaizer Kganyago, SABC spokesperson.
Three media unions, CWU, Mwasa and Bemawu, represent about 70% of the SABC's workforce as well as that of Sentech, the SABC's signal transmitter. Those in the know at the SABC have said it is unlikely that the SABC will be able to broadcast during a strike by these three unions.
The TV industry emergency coalition (TVIEC) - which represents the country's television producers, and is responsible for a large number of TV productions which make up the SABC's quota for local television content - are meeting with the minister of communication, Siphiwe Nyanda, on Friday morning.
The TVIEC said nothing has come of the promises made by the SABC after public protests on June 4. The SABC, amongst other things, promised weekly meetings which have yet have to happen.
Real change is needed
"Our industry is still owed millions of rands, and there is absolutely no communication from the SABC's top management," said the TVIEC in a statement. "We need real change, not empty promises."
Amongst other things, the TVIEC will ask the minister for a new executive at the SABC, that an agreement be made to pay the outstanding money owed to the production industry immediately, and that independent TV production experts be included in the new SABC board.
- Die Burger