The Founding Vision of BEMAWU In the early 1990s, as South Africa’s political and institutional structures were undergoing seismic shifts, a new voice emerged in the broadcasting sector—one that sought not just to represent workers, but to redefine how representation itself should function. The Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (BEMAWU) was born out…
SABSA’s 1993 Struggle for Dignity and Due Process In the winter of 1993, the South African Broadcasting Staff Association (SABSA) found itself navigating a storm of coercion, confusion, and constitutional contradiction. The SABC had imposed a lockout, withholding salaries from union members unless they resigned or renounced industrial action. But the fallout was far more…
The Forgotten Clause That Sparked a Union Battle In May 1992, SABSA and the SABC signed a salary agreement that seemed clear enough: “The employer will pay to employees… a salary increase of 7% plus an average 4% awarded on merit with effect from 1 March 1992.” But what followed was anything but straightforward. 🧩…
🗞️ Press Release (21 May 1993) 📑 Correspondence and Escalation 📜 Lockout Notice (SABC Internal Memo) 📊 Financial and Strategic Context 🧭 Historical Significance This document captures the moment SABSA pivoted from negotiation to confrontation, asserting legal and moral opposition to coercive tactics. It reveals: It also foreshadows the eventual settlement reached in June 1993,…
1992 SABC Salary Adjustment Framework: Internal Memo Summary 🏛️ Context and Strategic Rationale Managers were cautioned not to disclose these percentages publicly, and to treat them as budgeting tools rather than guaranteed entitlements. 🧮 Methodology and Implementation 📊 Budgeting Constraints 📝 Additional Guidelines 📅 Deadline and Support 🧭 Historical Significance This memo reflects a pivotal…
SABC Labour History Salary Disputes and Staff Grievances (1992–1993) 🗞️ Salary Negotiations and Announcements 📄 Internal Memos and Pressure Tactics 🧍♀️ Staff Grievances and Affidavits These testimonies offer a raw, personal lens into the lived experience of union members navigating institutional pressure. 🧭 Historical Significance This document captures a critical moment in the evolution of…
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…
📺 A Turning Point in Public Broadcasting: The 1994 TNP Transformation Proposals In the wake of South Africa’s democratic transition, the SABC stood at a crossroads. No longer a mouthpiece of the apartheid state, it was tasked with becoming a truly representative public broadcaster—one that reflected the diversity, dignity, and aspirations of all South Africans….
