Statement: R2K stands with SABC workers!
The Right2KNow Campaign notes with concern that the dispute between SABC management and unions has escalated to the point of a looming strike. We are unable to get to the bottom of all the accusations and counter-accusations; however our concern as citizens of South Africa is larger than those at stake in this labour dispute. Rather we wish to see a total overhaul of the role of the public broadcaster in the life of the nation.
The public broadcaster is the main source of information for the vast majority of poor and marginalized in South Africa. It is one institution that cannot afford to fail as it promotes a sacrosanct purpose: freedom of information. We recognise the intention of the board of SABC to implement sec 189, thereby retrenching workers.
The SABC is not a company that has to make a profit; nor is it a government department which exists to implement policies decided by politicians. It is a constitutionally mandated public broadcaster.
We reiterate our call for the SABC to find other sources of funding rather than letting workers bear the brunt of mismanagement of the past administration. For example, management can forfeit its extravagant bonuses and channel those monies to pay staffers. If the government can find R10.5 billion to bail out SAA then surely it can also look at funding the national broadcaster. For a start, the forthcoming spectrum auction will raise hundreds of millions, if not billions of rands.
As R2K we supported the new board hoping it is progressive. We are now beginning to lose hope in it as we see the organisation being steered down the privatisation route. The way to avoid this is proper government funding, a proper progressive board of directors and absence of political interference. Retrenchments should be confined to senior management.
SABC workers are frontline workers who laid their bodies on the ground during difficult times of the pandemic, making sure that South Africans are informed and educated. It is despicable that 400 of them are the target for retrenchment. We call upon management to stand down on such a process.
An important aspect of the SABC’s mandate of disseminating public-interest information is education – and education is one of the crises facing South Africa. Indeed the SABC has responded to the pandemic by increasing its educational programming, but generally this follows school curricula. We would like to see SABC becoming a leader in education, not just a follower. The schooling system is struggling to deal with the demands of the digital age, because most teachers themselves were not schooled for a digital age. But via broadcasting, a few skilled teachers can teach millions of learners. However, such teachers would need to be supported by researchers, translators, and production staff, and this is why wholesale retrenchments at SABC should not be considered in the absence of a national debate about the role of the broadcaster.
We note that public investment in digital TV infrastructure has been large, with little return so far. We urge that this be creatively reviewed – for example, in Mexico remote rural schools receive their textbooks via datacasting into their TV sets. Similarly, software and apps can be datacasted. Digital broadcasting can be a stepping-stone to the internet for all!
For more information contact:
Michael Graaf, Acting National Communication Rights organiser: 064 775 4342
Moeketsi Monaheng, R2K Gauteng organiser: 078 041 7402
Moleme Keolopile, R2K Gauteng activist: 076 145 4963
