SABC boss confident of turnaround

Despite facing a litany of woes, the SABC’s new boss is confident a new strategy plan for the embattled public broadcaster can turn its fortunes around.

Speaking in Port Elizabeth on Thursday, Madoda Mxakwe said a big focus would be on upping revenue through better programming and diversity on SABC2 and 3 – channels that were not making money.

The group chief executive said a financially crippled corporation not only affected the local production industry, but had the propensity to negatively affect more than 28-million South Africans who relied on it for daily information, education and entertainment.

Following a gruelling day in parliament earlier in the week, Mxakwe was in Port Elizabeth for a meeting with SABC employees to discuss plans.

He said later that although the SABC was in a dire financial situation, it had a strategy that would see more revenue coming in and build up public confidence after years of mismanagement and corruption.

“One of the focus areas is to ensure we build trust and regain the confidence and credibility we have lost,” he said.

Appointed to his position in July, Mxakwe said he was determined to ensure the SABC became financially viable through robust commercial strategies with a strong focus on generating revenue.

“We want to accelerate revenue growth.

“We want to get into a mutually profitable relationship with [our clients],” he said.

Concerns raised in parliament that the SABC had a topheavy management structure and that one in three employees were in management positions were quelled by Mxakwe, who said human resources group executive Jonathan Thekiso’s statement that more than 1,000 employees were managers was inaccurate.

Mxakwe said only 495 employees were in managerial positions, which made up about R430m of the R3.1bn wage bill.

The remainder were in supervisory positions which needed to be reassessed.

Mxakwe said that in the coming months consultations would take place which would include looking at skills audits and ensuring the right people were in the right jobs.

As for an increase in TV licence fees, Mxakwe said this was being considered as the last time they were adjusted had been in 2013.

“We have looked at the fiveyear projection, or rather revenue stats, and it’s really sluggish from a growth point of view. We need to re-look at the current fee.

“The goal really is to make sure we are financially viable.”