The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Limpopo will picket outside SABC Polokwane offices today, 1 October, in solidarity with its dedicated Affiliate, Communication Workers Union (CWU).

The picket is set to highlight ongoing challenges faced by workers at the broadcaster and to demand a response to a memorandum COSATU and CWU handed over to management during an earlier picket in April.

At the time, workers were aggrieved following the dismissal of CWU shop stewards who were vocal about issues impacting workers including outstanding salary increases. Employees also raised the alarm on health and safety issues, lamenting ailing infrastructure such as non-functional lifts and a consistent sewage smell in the building.   

In addition to not responding to the memorandum, the SABC has subsequently derecognised CWU as one of the unions representing workers at the SOE, without following due process, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation. CWU is not taking this lying down and has filed an application at the CCMA to contest the derecognition.

Adding insult to injury, the SABC has now issued a Section 189 notice, announcing its intention to retrench more workers. The notice was purposefully withheld from CWU even though SABC is fully aware that the union still has members in the broadcaster’s employ.

COSATU and CWU will not be ignored. Failure by the SABC to respond to the issues raised will unleash mass rolling action.

Issued by COSATU

Zanele Sabela (COSATU National Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 or 077 600 6639
Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za