The SABC may have to stop covering some events in order to cut costs, Business Day reported on Friday. The public broadcaster is obliged by legislation to cover events of national importance, including the funerals of prominent persons and sports events of national importance.
The SABC is on a cust-cutting drive, having recently made a loss of R977-million in the last financial year. It is reportedly reviewing how it covers events of national importance and considering renegotiating sports rights.
National Treasury is reportedly considering a request by the SABC for a R3-billion guarantee.
"The group has commenced implementation of cost-containing measures with adequately designed expenditure prioritisation processes already in place. Management is exploring means of securing funding by leveraging on the company's assets," the SABC reportedly said in its recent annual report.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the SABC's interim board, Khanyisile Kweyama, said the financial mismanagement of the public broadcaster was of "terrifying magnitudes", News24 reported.
She reportedly described the 2016/17 financial year as a "watershed" year for the SABC.
"We also saw mismanagement of the corporation's finances at terrifying magnitudes, resulting in its inability to settle debts as they fall due.
"At the same time, those tasked with the leadership of the corporation were reluctant to admit to the glaring crisis, preferring to draw up a corporate plan that did not address the operational, reputational and financial realities of the SABC," Kweyama reportedly said.
But on Thursday, the SABC's acting group CEO Nomsa Philiso reportedly said there was a concern around salaries at the public broadcaster, the SABC reported.
"We are walking a tightrope between revenue and expenditure, we still have not completely closed the hole in terms of the difference but it is a whole lot better than it was last year so we're starting to see a lot of improvement. There's been a lot of concern around salaries, because the staff is worried that they will not be getting salaries at the end of the month. So as we have been assuring them throughout to say that they will get their salaries every month and I know that the tabling of the financials may have triggered the panic once again," she said.