The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) has strongly criticised eMedia Holdings’ proposal to retrench 171 employees at eNCA, accusing the broadcaster of placing profits, shareholder returns and executive remuneration ahead of workers’ livelihoods.
The proposed retrenchments, which could affect more than half of eNCA’s 309 employees, form part of the broadcaster’s planned transition to a digital-first newsroom.
In a statement issued on Friday, GIWUSA rejected the company’s financial justification for the restructuring, pointing to eMedia Holdings’ latest financial results. According to the union, the company generated approximately R3 billion in revenue and R299.5 million in profit during the 2025 financial year.
The union also highlighted Group CEO Khalik Sherrif’s total remuneration of R19 million, including a R10.3 million bonus, arguing that the figures demonstrate the company has the financial capacity to retain its workforce.
“This is not a crisis of affordability. It is a crisis of priorities,” GIWUSA said, claiming the retrenchments are designed to protect shareholder returns and executive compensation at the expense of employees.
GIWUSA further warned that the planned job cuts could undermine journalism in South Africa by reducing eNCA’s reporting capacity, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The union said previous restructuring had already weakened the broadcaster’s news-gathering operations in provinces such as Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape. It argued that replacing field reporting with increased studio-based analysis would limit coverage of service delivery failures, labour disputes and issues affecting working-class communities.
GIWUSA also raised concerns about the broader impact on democracy, saying independent public-interest journalism remains essential at a time when misinformation and disinformation continue to shape public discourse.
The union called on trade unions, civil society organisations and the broader labour movement to support affected employees through campaigns and other solidarity initiatives. It also urged eMedia staff to oppose the proposed retrenchments, describing the planned job losses as part of a wider trend of companies reducing staff while maintaining strong profits and high executive pay.
eMedia has maintained that the restructuring is necessary to support its transition to a digital-first newsroom, with consultation processes expected to continue in accordance with labour legislation.
According to notices signed by eNCA Managing Director Norman Munzhelele, the broadcaster is reshaping its newsroom to respond to changing audience consumption habits and the continued decline in traditional television viewership.
The company said its existing newsroom structure was designed for traditional broadcasting and no longer supports the demands of the evolving media environment.
Documents reportedly seen by the Sunday Times indicate that eNCA plans to establish a single, integrated newsroom built around a digital-first strategy, enabling continuous publishing across television, online and digital platforms.
The broadcaster said the restructuring aims to reduce duplication, streamline workflows and deploy staff and technical resources more efficiently.
“Certain roles, functions and/or structures can no longer be sustained in their current form,” the notice states.
eNCA added that the proposed changes are intended to create a smaller, more focused multi-platform newsroom that is better aligned with modern news consumption trends and the evolving media landscape.
