1993 SABSA (BEMAWU)-SABC Dispute: A Turning Point in Labour Relations

ByHannes du Buisson

In May 1993, tensions escalated between SABSA members and SABC management over salary increases and union representation. The conflict culminated in a series of crew meetings, ultimatums, and staff walkouts, followed by a negotiated agreement that shaped labour relations at the broadcaster for years to come.

🧾 Key Events and Testimonies

The document includes multiple sworn statements from SABC staff, detailing:

  • Ultimatums from Management: Staff were allegedly told to either resign from SABSA or sign declarations renouncing industrial action, under threat of withheld salaries and denied access to studios.
  • Lockouts and Pressure: Several employees describe being locked out of their workspaces unless they resigned from the union.
  • Union Solidarity and Retraction: Despite initial resistance, many staff eventually submitted resignation letters under duress to resume duties.

These affidavits paint a vivid picture of coercive tactics and the emotional toll on workers navigating loyalty, livelihood, and legal uncertainty.

đź“‘ Internal Correspondence

A memo dated 24 May 1993 from SABC’s personnel office instructed regional managers to withhold salary cheques from PVSAU (SABSA) members until further notice. It also noted that if resignations continued, cheques could be released normally—suggesting a strategy to pressure union members into compliance.

🤝 The Agreement

Signed on 4 June 1993, the formal agreement between SABC and SABSA included:

  • Scope: Applied to all permanent SABSA members in job grades 401–411 and specialist grades 200 and 300.
  • Salary Increase: 8.25% backdated to 1 April 1993, plus:• A non-pensionable bonus (3 days’ pay)
  • A performance-based increment (4 days’ pay) for 30% of members
  • Job Security: No forced retrenchments (except in Computer Services) during the agreement period.
  • Performance Incentive Scheme: Commitment to negotiate a broader scheme by August 1993.
  • Relationship by Objectives (RBO): A joint programme under IMSSA to improve labour relations.
  • Peace Obligation: Both parties agreed to cease all industrial action for the duration of the agreement.

A joint press statement was issued affirming the resolution and emphasizing the importance of stability for staff and audiences.

🧭 Historical Significance

This episode marks a critical moment in the evolution of union power and corporate accountability at the SABC. It reveals:

  • The fragility of labour rights in transitional institutions
  • The role of documentation and testimony in protecting workers
  • The importance of negotiated settlements in preserving dignity and continuity

It also foreshadows later transformation efforts, such as the 1994 TNP proposals, which sought to embed editorial independence and inclusive staffing into the broadcaster’s DNA.

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