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Broke SABC Ship Sinks Further!

Written by Brown Shuga from the blog SHUGAS BLOGIWOOD on 18 May 2009
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THE SABC HAS NO MONEY!

That is the bottom line and to understand the full extent of the problem (well...not really but it gives you an idea), check out the IOL article "SABC debt may sink top programmes" !

The Problem:

- SABC has no money to pay production houses and as a result the producers can't pay their crews, actors, writers, staff and now some of the production houses are laying off staff and some are on the brink of closing down.

- Due to all the problems with non-payment, the producers of SABC shows have come together and formed a Producers' Coalition that would, on behalf of all the member production houses, communicate and negotiate with the public broadcaster about the status of payments etc.

- On 12 April 2009, the SABC promised that they'd be able to pay their debts but now, apparently, they've even stopped communicating with the Producers about the outstanding payments.

- I don't need to tell you about Muvhango's troubles with the SABC because they are well documented by The Sowetan.

- 7de Laan could only manage to pay their cast & crew 80% of their salaries.

- SABC's cashcow Generations (or rather Morula Pictures) doesn't have a production contract nor a contract number with the broadcaster & as a result they can't invoice them, which means for the past 2-4 months, the producers have been financing the production of the soap from their own pockets.

- To force the SABC to pay, Endemol had to resort to withholding tapes of new Isidingo episodes! (I think they must all do this)
Endemol has decided to stop shooting as they had to use their overdraft facility to finance Isidingo's production and now can't afford to get into more debt.

......and the list goes on. The total amount owed by SABC is estimated around R40 million.

The irritating thing is that the SABC is not coming out to say hey guys, we have a problem and this is how we plan to sort it out, instead they're ducking and diving. IOL has this quote from the SABC spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago:

"All these companies formed a coalition and we started talking to them through this coalition. And we were fine with that. But now we have individuals coming to us demanding payments as well, and we can't have that.
Secondly, there are companies whose invoices do not tally with what is in the contracts. These things must be sorted out first before we can make payments," said Kganyago.

I mean, wth? You owe people money and when they ask for it you use words like "we can't have that"?? And now all of a sudden invoices don't tally? Please just own up, be open and negotiate payment terms qha.

What confuses me more is that if both Isidingo and Generations are SABC owned entities, why should the production companies be the ones to "struggle" like this??

What also makes this horrible is that since these belong to SABC, other broadcasters who have money, maybe MNET (since I pay them over R6000 a year) or ETV can't step in and just take over the shows and that sucks! It really should teach us as people, the importance of owning our ideas.

The Writers' Guild has joined forces with the Independent Producers' Organisation because they are also affected by the non-payments so they're meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss plans to go picketing to "hopefully" get the government to intervene with this financial crisis.

DSTV-less readers, if you see a BLACK SCREEN with no pictures/sounds, at least you'll know why.

*sigh*

94 Comments

HARAMBE24
17 May 2009 22:30

"sigh" - thats all one can say

Toodecent
17 May 2009 22:36

Their troubles started a while back then the depature of valuable employees and board members made it worsen..also the election made them loose on advertising and all the money they spent on them.Another thing there seem to be camps in there who are out to settle scores,bring each down even though it gets the whole co-oporation in deep *bleep!*.If you bored by repeats and vintage soccer well braze yourselves for some more because unless drastic changes are made or them guvment inject money in we will start having Generations etc twice a week.

Heartsbreaker
17 May 2009 22:38

Thanks BS for the info....im DSTV-Less and i might also be SABC-Less tjo!!

Brown Shuga
17 May 2009 22:42

<<<<If you bored by repeats and vintage soccer well braze yourselves for some more >>>
OMW TDC!! So that's why we've been having all those "vintage" games?? LOL

<<<<because unless drastic changes are made or them guvment inject money in we will start having Generations etc twice a week.>>>>
but we already see it 6 times a week!! lol

HARAMBE24
17 May 2009 22:48

why do u think sabc 2 has been re-running all those old drama series ka 9:30 pm....no money for new shows.....

Toodecent
17 May 2009 22:51

BS was supposed to do some work for them on elections and a day before elections they said they had overspent on them already... I see u thought vintage soccer was in line with confed lmao but HELL NO. And they broadcasting like those n9ja movies lately,anada incident I wont forget was with the derby where the picture was tshepo mabona but audio as Marawa.

Brown Shuga
17 May 2009 22:53

Oh my word...bo "Ifa La Kwa Mthethwa", Dikolong etc ...

Eish, I also have another complaint about SABC 1,lemme blog coz tonight is my only chance....

Toodecent
17 May 2009 22:54

Harambe what happend to the promise you made regarding Yizo yizo? BTW I hope they re run it just 1 season atleast to confuse the bornfrees into thinking its cool and new lol.

Brown Shuga
17 May 2009 22:57

<<<<<anada incident I wont forget was with the derby where the picture was tshepo mabona but audio as Marawa.>>>>
Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa I HEARD about THAT!!!!!!!!

They're showing NAIJA movies too??

Toodecent
17 May 2009 23:00

nah just saying the quality,like one week Gen had audio cuts...

Brown Shuga
17 May 2009 23:01

Oh lol okay...tjo...ne se ke re ja neh!!!

HARAMBE24
17 May 2009 23:04

ya'all shuld invest in d-stv....

Toodecent
17 May 2009 23:08

And what happened to the sport channel they had been testing ka bo Cynthia Tshaka bathong?The games are here and no word or wasnt it a channel?Heard they will use 1 and 3 to try cover all games..

Brown Shuga
17 May 2009 23:22

@ TDC: According to the CIty Press , 17 May 2009:

THE SABC is likely to add a fourth channel dedicated to the live coverage of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Speaking at the launch of the "Fly the flag for football" campaign, SABC acting group chief executive Gab Mampone said the broadcaster was negotiating with the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to obtain an interim licence for the channel.

Mampone said all the games would be broadcast live across the three SABC channels and the additional one.

"In fact we've got three channels rather than one. We are at liberty to use them all at the same time to cover the Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup," said Mampone.

He also said two outside broadcast vans would be acquired from Germany to boost coverage.

I pity all those people who are relying on SABC for the games. Somebody please tell me we can watch on Supersport??
Imagine watching SA vs Iraq and hearing commentary of a Nedbank Cup game between Tuks and Swallows!!!!!

Toodecent
17 May 2009 23:26

LMAO @ Nedbank cup comentatory.

Lela
17 May 2009 23:57

Yho Yho Yho!!!!!!!!! to think that I despeately need a job in a production company.

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 01:08

Heartsbreaker
18 May 2009 01:29

They sent me lawyers letter telling me to settle R271-00.SABC TV LIC that is.somebody plz tell me,if im paying dstv every month do i also pay tv lic separately? if so what for because theres also sabc and etv on the package.well somebody educate me please...

Onkez
18 May 2009 01:39

All those old TV shows,matches,I thought that was just for invoke nostalgia...eish SABC!Did anyone read the Sunday Times article about this SABC bigwig (something something Baboon) that bought dud shows for her bevvy of lovers?In true SA style,that incompetent fool now holds an even loftier job at another firm.They should stop running SABC like a spaza shop!

Firstdvd
18 May 2009 06:05

Now i know...cos i've been asking myself whats happening koSABC...Dankie guys

sweetie my baby
18 May 2009 06:22

horrors!! doesn't this also go back to the R400M in advertising they lost when they lost the right to broadcast safa (or was it psl) soccer matches?

i know that a LOT of advertisers dropped them like a hot potato when they lost those soccer rights.... and the sum that was being discussed in lost advertising revenue was R400 million....

iyo! etv must be killing themselves laughing, bathong! siphiwe nyanda (new minister of communication) has A LOT of work to do, shem. i guess JZ figured that only someone who came from the army would be able to sort the mess out...

realist
18 May 2009 06:36

i guess JZ figured that only someone who came from the army would be able to sort the mess out...
Like saying ATTENTION…. Left right left right left right… You are probably right; someone from the army will definitely fix the mess at the SABC. That is if the SABC is really sinking.

Toodecent
18 May 2009 06:38

smb yeah that too,I wonder how those who left etv for sabc are feeling now.

Cande
18 May 2009 07:38

hahah LOL!! that explains the 1996 African cup of nations games on wednesdays. the repeats and the underperfoming Isidingo & Generations crew. They are on go-slow mos. DSTV is soo expensive for some of us

Best-Achiever
18 May 2009 07:47

LOL... no wonder they are running the TV-Lic competition, so it means no one will ever win those cellphones ...lol

Green.arrow
18 May 2009 08:24

"...We are at liberty to use them all.."...C thats were the problem starts....liberty liberty my rear....
They use this word very wrecklessly this "public servants"....most of the time not for the "public"...
..im laughing at u guys's questions and answers bcos sum of those questions have been eating me up...and and so it makes sense...im like ooooo(with a pedi accent)...

i guess its a sign...this tv is bad for the soul annyway..(im gon spend the whole day convincing maslef of that).....

So how will they fund the new channel....?..i remember reading that there will be sabc 4,5 and 6 for diff languages when/after they start implementing the digi tv???....

Toodecent
18 May 2009 08:25

Whats TV License, do we all have to pay? LOL... I have never had one.

Katlegom
18 May 2009 08:30

SABC didnt get their annual increases in April, now that's scary.
All this is because Matilda Gaboo, the SABC former head of international programming buying, spent R49 million on programms that were never aired

and the head hanchos at SABC are getting fat increases

Former news and current affairs boss Snuki Zikalala: R2.25-million, an increase of 46.05% a year;

Acting chief executive Gab Mampone: R1.95-million, an increase of 230%;

Chief people officer Phumelele Ntombela-Nzimande: R1.7-million, an increase of 59.72%;

Acting chief operating officer Mvuzo Mbebe: R1.9-million, an increase of 30%; and

Chief financial officer Robin Nicholson: R3.3-million, an increase of 18.4%

what the fu*k is a chief people's officer, eish!!

please check this Mail & Guardian link below guys
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-05-15-how-snuki-sank-the-sabc

Katlegom
18 May 2009 08:36

Sbu Ndebele gets a Mercedes Benz S500 gift worth R1.1 million from a contractor, i so wanna work for the government!

odie
18 May 2009 08:37

but guys have you realised that GENERATIONS runs for less that 15mins if not 10mins. its just the ADS ADS ADS. is it a strategy to extend the air play while they sort their mess?

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 08:45

<<<Sbu Ndebele gets a Mercedes Benz S500 gift worth R1.1 million from a contractor>>> He must just give it back, otherwise we won't hear the end of it from you know who.....

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 08:49

Eish...Katlego...I'm reading the Mail & Guardian link you've posted and I'm disturbed by this :

"This year there is no cash cushion or working capital, so independent producers have not been paid, workers will not receive annual increases and various other "debtors" complain about not being paid."

Disturbed that the Mail & Guardian doesn't know the difference between creditors and debtors....lemme read on.

Toodecent
18 May 2009 08:52

but guys have you realised that GENERATIONS runs for less that 15mins if not 10mins. its just the ADS ADS ADS. is it a strategy to extend the air play while they sort their mess>>>> I thought am the only one who pays attention to such and should stop moaning... I think its actually 10 minutes for Gen..

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 08:52

<<<<SABC News International, the sprawling empire of former editor-in-chief Snuki Zikalala, has been the largest cash-drain. Three of its 12 bureaux have already been closed and more are likely to go as the board implements an austerity package.

The channel's start-up costs were estimated by Empire magazine at R240-million for 12 bureaux and a R45-million studio, and budgeted annual running costs run at R60-million.

Now just a year old, the channel has not made one cent in revenue because it broadcasts on obscure satellite platforms. Multichoice has declined to broadcast the channel>>>>

OMW!!!!

Best-Achiever
18 May 2009 08:53

Acting chief executive Gab Mampone: R1.95-million, an increase of 230%

bathong, what is 230% increase?.... hehehehehe ...

sweetie my baby
18 May 2009 09:03

you can ask that question again, BA..... it's AMAAAAAAZING!!

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 09:05

Green.arrow
18 May 2009 09:06

...like seriously u guys are answering my Q's...like why "GENERATIONS runs for less that 15mins if not 10mins"

all this money is blinding me....the increases...

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 09:10

<<<Gab Mampone: R1.95-million, an increase of 230%
bathong, what is 230% increase?>>>> kwa kwa kwa

Eish, it's been a while since I did Maths bathong...what is the formula here?

R1.95 Mil = x X 230%
Please find x ??

Katlegom
18 May 2009 09:12

<<<Sbu Ndebele gets a Mercedes Benz S500 gift worth R1.1 million from a contractor>>> He must just give it back, otherwise we won't hear the end of it from you know who.....

yes, i know from who, the woman of many men LOL!!!

Disturbed that the Mail & Guardian doesn't know the difference between creditors and debtors....lemme read on.
BS, I read that paragraph twice on friday when i was reading the paper

bathong, what is 230% increase?.... hehehehehe ...
Angazi! maybe they meant 23%

I expect grammer mistakes and any other typing errors from Sowetan, daily sun and sunday world.
That's when you question duties of sub editors.
who knows maybe they wanted to meet a deadline for last week's edition so that no other publication (sunday Time) can get the story on sunday.
"Exclusive"

Best-Achiever
18 May 2009 09:18

R1.95 Mil = x X 230%
Please find x ??

x = 4.485 Mill...... It cant be.

Let's just say that 0 in 230 was a mistake.....

Green.arrow
18 May 2009 09:21

R1.95 Mil = x X 230%
Please find x ??

hamba brotha man...ka mo duma man...
that will be 1.95+4.485((the 230%)

maybe they meant 23%
ive seen even more ridiculous increases....or maybe ke bonus?/

all this monnney guys....id have a heart attact if it was meant for me...i think they must boycott it(millitant action)...its too muh

Katlegom
18 May 2009 09:27

Eish I'm confused now...

Katlego I listened to the first part of Snuki's interview with Redi last week and Snuki was going on about all the wonderful things he did for the SABC and he sounded really proud. I'm not sure if she asked him about all these financial things and my bandwith doesn't allow me to download the rest of the interview on this link

http://www.pod702.co.za/podcast/bestofredi/20090513BESTREDIA.mp3

I wonder.

Brown Shuga, do you really wanna know the wonderful things Snuki is proud about that he did for the SABC? you wont believe this!
He was telling John Perlman sometime last week

He is talking about introducing Morning Live and Weekend Live, duh!!
He was going on and on about how Morning Live and Weekend Live is his brainchild, i mean really!
now my question is if he takes away his Morning Live will that fix the SABC's R800 million deficit?

kiki X
18 May 2009 09:28

And the other day they were playing uVELAPHI................ I almost fell off my back when i saw that.

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 09:28

LOL Hayi...sjoe, later guys, gotta study now. Bye!

myname
18 May 2009 09:33

LOL, Solve for x

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 09:35

<<<<He is talking about introducing Morning Live and Weekend Live, duh!! He was going on and on about how Morning Live and Weekend Live is his brainchild, i mean really! now my question is if he takes away his Morning Live will that fix the SABC's R800 million deficit?>>>> Hahahahahahahah I ...and he mentioned SABC International bureaux...... No, later dude!

Kiki you were supposed to laugh not fall of your chair tl tl tl tl

odie
18 May 2009 09:44

batho ba tlile go gweba mo gauteng ga ba a tla go tshameka.
its a pity its the tax payers money. the channel should be independent from the government. Government having no influence or what so ever on the day to day running of it and then things will be better.

tizoz
18 May 2009 09:58

SABC TV Lic is sending me text messages AND letters to pay , R289, how would they feel if I told them : 'I can't have that!'? Eish guys, maybe if we all paid our licenses on time this wouldn't be happening.

LOL... tell them the invoices dont tally.... and you cant have that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But on a serious note I love the "You can buy a copy of the presidential inauguration from blah blah blah...." are we that desperate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maddie
18 May 2009 09:59

Sbu Ndebele gets a Mercedes Benz S500 gift worth R1.1 million from a contractor>>> He must just give it back, otherwise we won't hear the end of it from you know who.....

why did he take the car in the first place

Katlegom
18 May 2009 10:05

Sbu Ndebele gets a Mercedes Benz S500 gift worth R1.1 million from a contractor>>> He must just give it back, otherwise we won't hear the end of it from you know who.....

why did he take the car in the first place
yes why did he take it in the first place????

but on the flipside you'll ask yourself if its about the value of the gift or the gift itself?

Green.arrow
18 May 2009 10:16

But on a serious note I love the "You can buy a copy of the presidential inauguration from blah blah blah...." are we that desperate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nnnoooo Tizoz....the pieces are cuming together 4 real....
u know i aksd maslef...why would i buy this inaug dvd if i dont even have the worth hustling 4 1994 one....but then i thot im probably one of the "few" who arnt interested...

hee sabc...bloggers are on to u....lol ...very loud

maddie
18 May 2009 10:18

but on the flipside you'll ask yourself if its about the value of the gift or the gift itself? @katlegom

according to the Supply Chain Management Policy taking gifts no matter how small or big is considered bribery, Sbu should know that.

tha - bang
18 May 2009 10:20

ja nee the cooky is crumbling.what is sphiwe nyanda doing about the whole mess,its been close to a week now and still no word from government about what their going to do about their ailing parastatal (some would say mouth piece).I just hope this thing gets sorted out, the editors guild has now joined the coalition and theres a strike being organised for the 21st.this is very embarrassing for the sabc and the industry.

Vesa
18 May 2009 10:25

Bathong, we are only 2 months into the Government's financial year mos......why is SABC already in the red? Didn't they get their annual funding from Dept of Communications/ National Treasury?

Katlegom
18 May 2009 10:26

At my workplace contractors can give us gifts, any gits above the value of R500 should be recorded in what they call 'declaration book' in the manger's offcie. if you dont do that they will be condired a bride then you are shown the door, whats your take on that maddie?

dont you think that so stupid becasuse a contractor can buy me a car worth R150 000 and i will tell my manager so that it can be recorded in that book, then Im sorted for life

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 10:28

Hayi Maddie, there's an Ethics what what that says they have to DECLARE GIFTS over a certain amount. Why would there be such a thing if it's illegal 2 receive gifts of any kind?

Vesa
18 May 2009 10:32

Hayi Maddie, there's an Ethics what what that says they have to DECLARE GIFTS over a certain amount. Why would there be such a thing if it's illegal 2 receive gifts of any kind

It is not illegal to receive gifts.......they just need to be declared.

realist
18 May 2009 10:33

ailing parastatal (some would say mouth piece).
That is why is falling apart because it is exactly that.

myname
18 May 2009 10:33

I didnt know there is a certain amount. I thought a gift is a gift since SOMETIMES its coming from the heart.

tizoz
18 May 2009 10:34

I think Suga is one of the DVD buyers since she was there

Katlegom
18 May 2009 10:39

guys lets hope that after the Confed Cup and the World Cup the SABC will manage to generate enough money to sort themselves out.

B.S you finished studying LOL!

maybe Patrice Motsepe, Tokyo Sexwale, Saki Macozoma and Vivian Reddy should make some donations.

whats sad about this is that it is affecting young up-and-coming black independent producers

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 10:43

LOL Tizoz, am too broke to buy anything. My company is in the same boat as the SABC. We didnt get our incentives in Jan, no annual increases in April & now they are retrenching and implementing salary & wage cuts between 5-12.5%. Ho thaaata banna!

Boodah
18 May 2009 10:45

Let me try to help you with the formula. If R114.00 includes 14% VAT, then the amount WITHOUT vat is R100.

So if R1.95m includes a 230% increase... what is the amount excl 230%?

I'm sure some of you can't even figure out how to get the R100 before inclusion of VAT. SHAME!!!

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 10:46

Okay i'm gone!

tizoz
18 May 2009 10:47

What, I would kill for my salary... no one must touch it. if they cant increase then they must leave it alone

Toodecent
18 May 2009 10:47

Shuga go back to study or o te-tshepetse gore o founela Blade?

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 10:52

Boodah I still don't get it. Please help? TDC, I'l go afta the 230% riddle is solved. Lol @ Blade.

Best-Achiever
18 May 2009 10:52

We didnt get our incentives in Jan, no annual increases in April & now they are retrenching and implementing salary & wage cuts between 5-12.5%. Ho thaaata banna!

and you are still working there... tjo..nna i cant beloyal to the comany that isnt loyal to me... or maybe you got other great perks...lol, you better start looking for another job and when you return from your study leave, hand in the resignation letter ...lol

Boodah
18 May 2009 10:53

It's a global phenomenon, US car manufactures, Bankers, Insurance houses all needed almost a trillion dollars in bail-outs fees but still got bonuses and increases. The SABC is no different from them - they lose over R750m but earn 200%+ in bonus pay and increases.

I will rather sit in jail for six months then to pay the SABC a TV Lic fee for crap I never watch.

1 - The credibility of the news is questionable (I watch eNews only).
2- Generations is a filler for Ads with mostly bad writing and acting (no comparison to Rythm City).
3 - Movies are a seriously unfunny joke. Old crap or simply release to DVD type of sh*t.
4- The good series on SABC 3 is actually broadcast after MNet has turned it over to DSTV Compact viewers on Mnet Series. Infact, SABC 3 will broadcast it a year after the re-run on Mnet Series (e.g. 30 Rock, Prison Break, etc).
5- I do not have time to write all the third rate service and garbage bin entertainment that the SABC throws at us that makes me feel that I'd rather spend R500 MONTHLY on a DSTV subscription that ~R230 annually to SABC.

Toodecent
18 May 2009 10:55

Lets take it to court and you will pass ion court too via an urgent interdict LMAO...

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 10:59

@ BA: I'm in HR so this horrible experience is a HUGE plus for my CV.

maddie
18 May 2009 11:00

I attended a Supply Chain Management Course some time ago and the Instructor was adamant that it's illegal to accept gifts, we argued this in the class and she still maintained that it was illegal, and never mentioned the declaring part.

I didn't know this seriously, thanks people, but then again what difference does it make if you declare, is there a possibility that whoever you're declaring to might say no don't take it or what's the story after declaring

Cande
18 May 2009 11:04

OK i thing its illegal if you dont declare the gifts and if they are above a certain amount set by the company

Best-Achiever
18 May 2009 11:05

@ BA: I'm in HR so this horrible experience is a HUGE plus for my CV

LOL .... hhayi ke uyayazi ukuba uhlalele ntoni ....

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 11:08

Maddid, ur Instructor forgot to mention that each company sets its own policy regarding the subject. Boodah, nthuse hle!

Brown Shuga
18 May 2009 11:10

@ B.A. Yeah, a friend in need is a friend indeed! I'm hoping it wil pay off hahahaha

Best-Achiever
18 May 2009 11:15

lol BS... pray that bankrupcy and liquidation doesnt come into the picture while you are being "a friend in need" because repossession will not be a "friend indeed"...lol

maddie
18 May 2009 11:20

Maddid, ur Instructor forgot to mention that each company sets its own policy regarding the subject. Boodah, nthuse hle!

there should be a generic policy for all public departments, because this whole thing is subject to manipulation

Boodah
18 May 2009 11:35

@BS - it means he earned around R590 900 the previous year. Add 230% to that (R1.35 odd), he got R1.95m for the next or last financial year.

Lex
18 May 2009 11:58

@ maddie - ur instructor must have smoked something before coming to class.IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO ACCEPT GIFTS - ONE JUST HAS TO DECLARE THEM IN PARLIAMENT.

realist
18 May 2009 15:11

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO ACCEPT GIFTS - ONE JUST HAS TO DECLARE THEM IN PARLIAMENT.

This one president Zuma has to give it the go ahead before he could accept it. I am not sure if he has authorized to be given to him. Reason being the magnitude of the gift.

HARAMBE24
18 May 2009 15:15

GUYS, things at the SABC are far worse than what the media is saying.....thats all i am saying...WORSE

Vesa
18 May 2009 15:37

Financial woes don't just happen overnight....so this was loooong coming and someone was doing a cover-up? I would really like to see their past yr's financial records....coz the way they are at the moment they should have been /be declared technically insolvent!

carino
18 May 2009 18:29

eish...and meanwhile Desmond Dube wa batho has to be singing "of course.. it's from Clientele" a million times a day on all 3 channels.

Mambox
19 May 2009 10:55

Yoh!!! don't get me started with the SABC...my brother works there. He wasnt paid in December and January! he was so broke that he didn't even have money to pay for parking (they have to pay for parking at work) he ended up parking his car outside which was stolen on the very same day!...and they didn't even feel any remorse for that...oh wait he wasn't paid end of April either!

myname
19 May 2009 11:07

Shame Mambox & he still working there? eish guys maybe im not patient enough

Katlegom
19 May 2009 13:05

fellow comrades, i just thought it was appropriate fo me to bring this matter to the fore,

The SABC has spent R48 million on consultants/advisors over the past year. advising what becasue the SABC is broke now???

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A1002371

Mambox
19 May 2009 13:57

@my name yes he still works there unfortunately!

HARAMBE24
19 May 2009 16:09

The SABC has pledged to pay producers and filmmakers money owed for shows that have been bought and screened by the public broadcaster.

But it has denied weekend reports that producers are owed more than R40-million and has urged members of the Independent Producers' Organisation to work together with it to resolve issues rather than taking problems to the media.

According to weekend media reports, the producers of several popular shows, including SABC2's 7de Laan, SABC1's Generations and SABC3's Isidingo, are owed money by the corporation.

SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago declined to confirm or deny yesterday whether the producers' organisation was owed as much as R40-million, but did acknowledge that money was owed.
"We're not in a position to talk about figures," Kganyago said.

The SABC had asked producers to tell it how much money was owed, and to whom, and would then verify these figures before starting to pay people, he said.

He said the SABC and the producers should work together to resolve issues around payment.

Kganyago referred The Mercury to a joint statement issued by the SABC and the Television Industry Coalition at the beginning of last month, which related to cash-flow and payment problems.

In the statement, the SABC said it had met the coalition on April 8 and had assured it that the SABC "would meet its contractual obligations for the year".

The SABC reiterated that it was not bankrupt but merely facing "a short-term cash-flow problem".

Molilo
19 May 2009 16:18

LOL @ "a short-term cash-flow problem".

HARAMBE24
22 May 2009 09:22

No more soapies on SABC? Apparently, the SABC's debt is more than R40million. Article: Thinus Ferreira from Die Burger

SABC Some of South Africa's most popular programmes – including Generations, 7de Laan, Isidingo and series like Emzini Wezinsizwa and Home Affairs – could disappear from TV screens within weeks. They may be replaced with repeat broadcasts, if the SABC can't find the money to pay its outstanding bills for programmes which have already been delivered to the broadcaster.
TV producers will hold an urgent meeting to decide what to do regarding the SABC's outstanding payments worth millions of rands, which is threatening to derail the production of several TV programmes. They refuse to provide the SABC with any new video material until the broadcaster pays the outstanding debts.

South Africa's most popular daily soap opera, Generations has debt of R9million. The last new episodes of Generations will be shown at the start of June, with no new episodes to follow.

Brink of collapse
"I'm very concerned about the SABC," Generations producer Frederick Stark told Die Burger. "It is on the brink of collapse and I don't know how the SABC was permitted to reach this desperate point."

The SABC would not confirm whether the rumours that it would ask the Treasury for a bailout of R1.5billion are true.

"I'm not saying we're asking for money, but we are having talks. The SABC has a problem," said SABC spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago.

He would not confirm how much the SABC owes to TV producers, but he says that the SABC's income has dropped, which makes payments even more difficult.

"When the economy weakens, the first place companies cut is their marketing budget," said Kganyago. "This has an impact on broadcasters throughout the world."

Several American, European and other broadcasters are also experiencing serious cash-flow problems because of the credit crunch. But the SABC is in an even more precarious financial position, because of various managerial factors.

pkpage
23 May 2009 12:33

this means that i might be in the line of losing my job too, since i work for one of those sabc shows? kule recession inje? OMG! i think i should call my previous boss or anyone out there help me you know the problem.

HARAMBE24
23 May 2009 12:58

PKPAGE: U and I are in the same boat dear...

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