This huge figure is low when compared to the last two years. Picture: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
The South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC) spent over R1.4 billion on salaries for its over 2,000 staff members during the 2023/24 financial year.
The latest annual report shows that the public broadcaster spent R1,460,812,244 on 2,234 staff members salaries, paying staffers an average of R653,900 per person in the last financial year.
This is considerably lower than the average R762,000 per head spent in 2022/23 and R669,000 per head in 2021/2022, showing the high cost of wages is coming down at the public broadcaster after they went through a restructure.
In April 2021, the public broadcaster retrenched over 600 people during its Section 189 restructure, which was aimed at ensuring a sustainable and fit-for-purpose structure for the organization.
This is how much the SABC spent on staff during the 2023/24 financial period:
| Divisions | Compensation | Number of employees | Average employee compensation per employee |
| Top Management | R31,624,403 | 11 | R2,874,946 |
| Senior Management | R32,865,430 | 20 | R1,643,271 |
| Middle Management | R261,522,440 | 239 | R1,094,236 |
| Junior Management | R277,008,793 | 323 | R857,612 |
| Supervisory Levels | R691,416,614 | 1,182 | R584,460 |
| Rest of Staff | R166,374,565 | 458 | R363,263 |
However, despite spending over R1.4 billion on salaries and other benefits, including medical aid and pension, this is considerably lower when compared to the last two years whereby the company paid R1,728,912,000 in the 2022/2023 financial year and R1,537,290,000 in the 2021/2022 fiscal year.
In the 2022/2023 period the the SABC paid more than R1.7 billion for 2,270 employees, the overall turnover for that period was R5.7 billion.
In the 2021/2022 period the SABC paid more than R1.5 billion to 2,297 employees, the overall turnover for that period was R5.4 billion.
The latest annual report also showed that the SABC had a good staff retention rate with only 205 people leaving the company over the last year, including 10 deaths.
The public broadcaster dismissed 16 people for various reasons such as poor performance, abusive behaviour and gross dishonesty.
Interestingly, one person was fired for sleeping on the job and another was terminated for assault and reporting for work under the influence of alcohol.
It said that 139 people resigned, while 18 took their retirement packages and 19 people took early retirement.
The SABC spent over R43 million on the salaries of senior management, executive management and its board.
The 11 Non-Executive Board Members, led by board chairperson Khathutshelo Ramukumba were paid a combined R8.49 million for the 2023/2024 financial year, while the four Executives Board Members, were paid a combined R9.875 million and the rest of senior management was paid R25.3 million.
The SABC reported a net operating loss for the 2023/2024 year of R192 million.
Even though this was a loss it was is a significant improvement when compared to the loss of R826 million in the previous year (2022/2023).
This represents a significantly improved performance for the public broadcaster of R634 million (77%).
The SABC recorded total revenue of R5.1 billion, operational expenses of R5.3 billion, tax benefits of R3.2 million.
Total revenue comprises of: commercial revenue (R4.1 billion) which consists of advertising and sponsorship revenue; non-commercial revenue (R1.0 billion) and net interest (R9 million).
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