SABC offers three-year deals
IT’S no longer going to be business as usual at SABC Radio for independent contractors or freelancers.
Impeccable sources have revealed that contractual clauses have been altered by the new management under group CEO Lulama Mokhobo and acting COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
The contracts are usually negotiated on a yearly basis by SABC Radio in around February and March, but from the next financial year, starting on April 1, the contracts for independent contractors or freelancers are going to run for three years.
This follows a meeting last Monday at the SABC headquarters in Auckland Park, Joburg, addressed chiefly by Motsoeneng in the presence of Mokhobo.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says: “The meeting addressed issues that were of concern to independent contractors. Among them was the issue of longer term contracts.
“At the moment individual people are engaging with their line managers and those engagements are confidential,” says Kganyago.
Our sources at the SABC say the changes come after Radio 2000 anchor host Ernest Pillay, who has the highest ratings on the station, was allegedly told by station manager James Shikwambana that he was to be moved from 12pm to 3pm.
Pillay then challenged the basis upon which Shikwambana had taken the decision to move him. Not satisfied with Shikwambana’s decision, Pillay escalated the matter to Motsoeneng, who convened a meeting.
Both Pillay and Shikwambana referred Sunday World to the SABC for comment.
Kganyago also says it’s not true that Shikwambana resigned from Radio 2000 has moved to rejoin Munghana Lonene FM in Limpopo.
Sources say the decision to offer longer contracts was taken because the SABC wants to give freelancers the security of earning a guaranteed salary over three or more years.
“Those who’ve served the SABC for more than five years need to be accommodated because it means the SABC needs them,” says a highly placed source.
SABC human resources, which reports to Motsoeneng, was then informed to reformulate contracts and make them for three-years with flexibility around yearly pay increments.
Communications Workers Union spokesperson Matankana Mothapo confirms that the meeting took place and says the issue of contracts was resolved to their satisfaction.
“We believe the SABC is moving in the right direction under the management of the current group CEO and acting COO,” said Mothapo.
Meanwhile, a highly placed source reveals that the public broadcaster is no longer going to negotiate salary increments from 4% as in the past, but will now offer 7%, which it can afford, and “move from there”.
On Thursday Motsoeneng also prevented a strike by outsourced security personnel over three shop-stewards who had been suspended by the security company for attending classes to upgrade their education.
Motsoeneng asked the security company to rehire the three and the strike was called off.
dlaminimd@sundayworld.co.za