BEMAWU SECURES MAXIMUM COMPENSATION FOR SABC EMPLOYEE IN UNFAIR LABOUR PRACTICE DISPUTE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CENTURION, 16 October 2026 — The Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (BEMAWU) has secured a landmark victory at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), successfully holding the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) accountable for an unfair labour practice relating to promotion.
In an arbitration award handed down today, 16 October 2026, CCMA Commissioner Thula Cebekhulu ordered the SABC to pay BEMAWU member Nomhle Zenzile the maximum allowable compensation of 12 months’ remuneration, totalling R766,608.48, following the public broadcaster’s reckless mismanagement of an internal recruitment process.
The dispute arose after Zenzile, an SABC Learning and Development Consultant with 13 years of experience, applied for an Organisational Development (OD) Specialist position in 2024. After successfully completing the interview process, the panel formally recommended her appointment. This recommendation was officially approved and signed by the SABC Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) on 28 November 2024.
Following the interview, the SABC’s HR representative contacted Zenzile, formally congratulated her on being a successful candidate, provided a projected start date, and presented a “dummy payslip” calculating her new salary. Despite these explicit confirmations and the GCEO’s executive approval, the SABC abruptly halted the process, leaving Zenzile without feedback for months before issuing an automated system rejection email in January 2025.
During the arbitration, BEMAWU systematically dismantled the SABC’s retroactive justifications. While the Commissioner found that the SABC was ultimately within its rights not to effect the final promotion due to a shifting requirement for an Industrial Psychology qualification, the CCMA ruled unequivocally that the SABC’s conduct throughout the process was grossly unfair.
The CCMA found that the SABC “created a legitimate expectation that the applicant was recommended and appointed for the position”. Commissioner Cebekhulu heavily criticized the SABC for its failure to handle the recruitment process in a professional manner, noting the severe prejudice, disappointment, and suffering endured by the employee as she waited months for clarity.
“This ruling is a massive vindication for our member and a stern warning to the SABC,” said Hannes du Buisson, BEMAWU Representative. “Employers cannot play fast and loose with the careers, livelihoods, and psychological well-being of their staff. When a recruitment panel recommends a candidate, an HR representative congratulates them with a payslip, and the GCEO signs the approval, an employer cannot simply walk away and hide behind an automated rejection email. BEMAWU will relentlessly pursue justice and maximum penalties when our members are subjected to such reckless administrative incompetence.”
The SABC has been ordered to pay the full compensation amount of R766,608.48 to Ms. Zenzile by no later than 15 November 2026.
BEMAWU remains committed to fighting for fairness, transparency, and accountability in the workplace for all its members.
