Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      ‘System offline’ scourge to end, says Schreiber – but industry must pay

      23 June 2025

      Why the spectrum gold rush may soon be over

      23 June 2025

      Tech stability key to getting South Africa off damaging financial grey list

      23 June 2025

      Naspers shifts to an AI-first strategy – and it’s paying off

      23 June 2025

      Letter: South Africa risks missing AI wave while world surges ahead

      23 June 2025
    • World

      Watch | Starship rocket explodes in setback to Musk’s Mars mission

      19 June 2025

      Trump Mobile dials into politics, profit and patriarchy

      17 June 2025

      Samsung plots health data hub to link users and doctors in real time

      17 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025

      China is behind in AI chips – but for how much longer?

      13 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E3: Behind Takealot’s revenue surge

      23 June 2025

      TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again

      23 June 2025

      TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis

      18 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025
    • Opinion

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » SABC’s skills crisis laid bare

    SABC’s skills crisis laid bare

    By Andisiwe Makinana5 February 2014
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    The SABC's broadcasting studios in Auckland Park
    The SABC’s broadcasting studios in Auckland Park

    MPs came down hard on the SABC and questioned whether the public broadcaster was capable of a successful transformation to digital broadcasting scheduled to take off in June 2015.

    This followed a presentation by SABC leadership on Tuesday of an independent skills audit report, which was compiled by audit firm PwC in 2013. The report reveals that the SABC lacked critical skills, especially as the corporation plans to move from analogue to digital.

    The audit looked at qualification authentication, executive and senior management competency, and integrity assessment and skills audit.

    The findings revealed that the most scarce and critical skills at the SABC were communication skills, time management, strategic thinking, broadcast engineering, budgeting skills, creative writing and scripting skills, and business management.

    The independent audit report found that:

    • Sixty percent of executive and senior managers at SABC do not meet the minimum strategic thinking skills for executives;
    • Fifty-six percent were unable to demonstrate adequate levels in solving problems and making decisions;
    • A further 15% demonstrated only marginal competence in strategic thinking and problem solving.

    “This suggests that the majority of the group [executive and senior managers] applies a reactive approach to solving problems, are not likely to consider all possible alternatives [or identify potential risks] or adequately consider long-term implications of decisions,” states the audit.

    It also revealed that staff respondents stated they “do not trust the management team or the SABC board and question their credibility”.

    On qualification authentication, the audit found that most of the people have requisite qualifications with a total of 1 868 [25%] qualifications authentic. But, some of the findings were that:

    • About 2 250 (62%) of the employee personnel files had no proof of a senior certificate on file;
    • Twenty-four employees (1%) had a non-related qualification on file — for example a finance administrator had a diploma for beauty and health on file
    • One hundred and twenty-four employee personnel files could not be produced by the central hub and there was no audit trail available to track the movement of the files;
    • Twenty-four employees (1%) had fraudulent or noncompliant senior certificates and grade 10 certificates.

    The response rate was 78,2%.

    Group executive officer for human capital services Jabu Mabaso said the envisaged outcome of the skills audit report was to list critical and scarce skills for the SABC and the workforce segment; to look at personal development plans once the skills have been identified; and then devise organisational training plans to address the skills gaps identified for digitalisation and current needs.

    He insisted: “The SABC has the necessary skills that could assist in migrating, but it needs to top them up.”

    Outgoing group CEO Lulama Mokhobo said PwC completed the first phase of the audit in June 2013 and that phase was mainly for all permanent staff of SABC.

    The next phase, which is to be concluded at the end of this month, is for freelance staff “because we believe we needed to also assess them”.

    There are almost 1 300 freelance staff active at SABC, who include news readers and sports presenters.

    Democratic Alliance MP Marian Shinn described the state of senior management as “in a dire state”, saying it was unlikely that they could turn the corporation around and successfully oversee the transaction to digital.

    “One wonders what planning has actually happened to go digital at SABC? One wonders, why you keep saying you can do this when you clearly can’t.”

    Congress of the People’s Juli Kilian said the findings were really worrying, especially the presentation of “fraudulent” qualifications by SABC staff.  — Sapa



    Juli Kilian Lulama Mokhobo Marian Shinn SABC
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleSanral promises e-toll fix after Zuma lashing
    Next Article Zuma orders probe of Post Office

    Related Posts

    Hiking TV licence fees won’t solve the SABC’s funding crisis

    29 May 2025

    SABC Plus tops a million registered users

    8 May 2025

    Outdated and costly: why South Africa should rethink digital migration

    2 April 2025
    Company News

    IoT connectivity management in South Africa – expert insights

    23 June 2025

    Let’s reimagine Joburg using the power of tech, data and AI

    23 June 2025

    Netstar doubles down on global markets while backing SA growth

    23 June 2025
    Opinion

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    AI and the future of ICT distribution

    16 June 2025

    Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

    13 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.