SUN INTERNATIONAL TO CUT 3 300 JOBS IN SA AND CHILE

SUN INTERNATIONAL is planning to cut 3 300 jobs in South Africa and Chile as part of a restructuring plan to survive the pandemic, which took the firm into a half-year headline loss of R885 million yesterday. Properties of the casino and hotel company were forced to close for more than three months in South Africa, while in the rest of Africa and Latin America its operations remain closed. Before the pandemic, management was reviewing employee structures at certain operations, as well as the cost base across its South African businesses, it said. “The Covid-19 pandemic required us to undertake a deeper review as we anticipate that it will take some time for our properties, in particular our hotels and resorts, to recover,” chief executive Anthony Leeming said, echoing a sentiment shared by the tourism industry. The review has resulted in proposed cuts of about 2 300 employees in South Africa, a move that could save up to R280m in employment costs. The proposed retrenchment exercise will impact the Sun City resort, the Maslow Sandton Hotel, the Boardwalk Casino and Hotel, The Table Bay Hotel and Wild Coast resort, the firm said. In Chile, Sun International has started a voluntary retrenchment process involving about 1 000 people, with 451 employees to date accepting the offer, the firm said. The company has also identified cost savings of more than R250m in outsourcing and service provider contracts, IT systems and other areas. | Reuters