Extraordinary to think that a corporation which landed itself in upwards of R850m in debt due to alleged corruption and mismanagement, and which appears to be under direct and undue influence of the ruling party, and whose newsroom has been accused of being run under “a reign of terror’, could be voted an Ideal Employer. Yet such was the case on 8 December at the Ideal Employer Awards in Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Centre.
Organised by Magnet Communications, the Ideal Employer Awards are the result of the annual Magnet Student Survey, which was conducted at 23 South African universities targeting second and final year students. The SABC in the category of humanities lea the pack as the employer of choice. The SABC also bagged first place in the Public Service Sector for the Industry Award.
The survey focused on students studying in the fields of Commerce, Engineering, Science and Humanities.
“For the SABC, this is a positive reinforcement that the corporate has strong brand recognition amongst South Africans and in this case amongst students at tertiary level. As the country’s public service broadcaster and leader in the broadcasting terrain, the SABC has been a stepping stone for many professionals in the media industry, who first cut their teeth and gained experience at the corporation before moving on, with many returning to join the SABC. This is testament that the SABC is not only playing a critical role in skilling individuals in the broadcasting arena but that it is indeed the employer of choice. The SABC would like to encourage students to explore careers in the broadcasting industry as there are opportunities available,’ said SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.
