The Media Workers Association of South Africa (MWASA) has issued the following statement in the context of the announcement of the suspension of wage negotiations with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for 2013/14. The statement reads: Currently the SABC human capital services operations are paralysed pending the resolution of the disputes MWASA has lodged regarding the implementation of outcomes of the 2012/13 wage negotiations which excluded MWASA.
Even in the face of all this the SABC refuses to engage with MWASA because “MWASA is not recognised’ since SABC booted it out on 4 August 2011. The Broadcasting, Electronic Media & Allied Workers Union (BEMAWU) and the Creative Workers Union (CWU) were allowed to operate on a different threshold set in April 2011 than the membership requirement of 20% and 25% imposed on MWASA.
MWASA believes that courts do not reconcile people but apportion liability and guilt. Litigation is not the required solution. It is a possibility we already have as an option. In the spirit and sign of commitment to bringing about an “SABC that Works’, MWASA wishes to avoid a ‘winner-takes-all’ approach where MWASA establishes a strangle-hold on the SABC and endorse its ascendancy at all costs.
We have written to the parliamentary portfolio committee on communications for intervention after being ignored by the Tshabalala interim board since 6 May 2013.
MWASA believes there is no moral justification for allowing the SABC to face financial ruin while individuals who are paid impact salaries to avert adverse risk standby and mind only their salaries and five-year benefits as executives. It is criminal and these individuals should be sanctioned.
We intend to request for a meeting with the newly appointed Minister of Communications, Yunus Carrim, with hope for a change of approach to the management of challenges facing the SABC. The crises have gone on for far too long and this must be stemmed.
