The union wants Group Executive for News, Phatiswa Magopeni suspended for asking employees exposed to the virus to come back to work.
The SABC is at loggerheads with the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (BEMAWU), one of the majority unions representing its employees, over the handling of coronavirus cases, which apparently, are growing unattended by management.
The union wrote a letter to the SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe demanding the suspension of SABC Group executive for news Phathiswa Magopeni alleging that she forced news staff members to come back to work despite having been exposed to an infected colleague.
In the letter seen by Sunday World, Bemawu President Hannes Du Buisson states that his union was appalled by the SABC management’s handling of the cases, claiming that the public broadcaster never informed its staff members of the cases and the danger it poses to their health and those of their loved ones.
“Dear Madoda. It is with extreme great concern we have noticed that more SABC staff has(sic) been tested positive for the COVID19 virus and that the number is growing,” reads the letter.
Du Buisson said the union has had sight of communication that was sent as early as 19 March 2020, informing Phathiswa Magopeni and the HR Manager at News, Mr Manny Alho of a person at News Research that was in contact with a person who tested positive for the COVID19 virus.
“This crucial and life threatening information seems to have been at the disposal of management as early as 19 March 2020, but was deliberately withheld from staff. This has endangered the life and health of all SABC employees at News and elsewhere and furthermore the lives of people who came in contact with the exposed employee,” said Du Buisson.
Instead, he said, staff members who were released to work from home, were called back to work, by Ms Magopeni, apparently informing them self isolation is not a disease.
He said the SABC had a legal duty to atleast communicate information about an employee who has had contact with COVID 19 positive person to staff members to forewarn and prepare them to take extra precaution.
“We furthermore believe there was a legal duty to, at that point in time close down the SABC building, test and send home all News and Current affairs staff to prevent a situation where they may infect other people. Our members rights are reserved,” reads the letter.
“Dear Madoda. It is with extreme great concern we have noticed that more SABC staff has(sic) been tested positive for the COVID19 virus and that the number is growing,”
In addition, Bemawu said the SABC’s actions maybe have ran a risk of spreading the virus to newsmakers such as the President, Ministers and the public.
“The SABC cannot continue with business as usual, as it is business as highly unusual. We urge you once again to, without delay release staff not involved in News and Current Affairs to work from home or to stay home if they are unable to work from home.”
Bemawu said the SABC should allow journalists and studio personnel to work from a safe place or from home during the production process.
It said employees who were exposed to those who tested positive should be tested.
The President further advised that the public broadcaster should cease the use of biometrics, stating that there was no proof that the sanitizer kills the virus.
Bemawu said it was accused of co-managing, when it first raised the issues with management, but it said it was merely acting on behalf of its members as it was concerned about their safety and health.
But the SABC board, in its statement confirmed that its CEO Madoda Mxakwe received a letter from the union, but said it was concerned about the allegations stating that the union was spreading fake news.
“Given the severity of matters, the SABC Board has decided to speak out against this continued irresponsible peddling of alarmist and false information about coronavirus-related matters inside and outside the organisation, particularly at a time when accurate information is so important to every single employee of the Corporation,” reads the statement.
The board said that it had instituted crucial measures for the safety of the SABC staff ahead of the lockdown.
“We also decided that most employees should work remotely with only critical and essential staff working from our offices.
The SABC Board can assure all employees and the public that whenever there has been a suspicion of external exposure to the coronavirus affecting a staff member, the necessary precautionary measures were immediately taken by management, with employees being asked to self-isolate and work from home while tests were being conducted,” said the SABC board.
