SABC presenters cry foul
2010-06-06 13:00
Regular SABC football presenters are up in arms that the
broadcaster has hired superstar analysts such as World Cup-winning coach Luiz
Felipe Scolari and former World Player of the Year George Weah at more than 10
times their wages.
The presenters, who this week threatened to boycott the SABC’s
World Cup broadcast, were unhappy with talk that Scolari would earn about
R145 000 a shift and other renowned guests between R35 000 and R40 000.
Regular analysts earn between R3 000 and R5 000.
The presenters and analysts met on Friday to map a way forward but
resolved to delay action until after the World Cup, according to sources.
One of the sources, who asked not to be named for fear of
victimisation, said: “Things are chaotic at SABC. We were only given the
schedule this week.”
The source said that they were given a shuttle service schedule
only on Friday.
This service will be between the Auckland Park SABC offices and
their Sandton Convention Centre broadcast studios.
“When people who live in Sandton and surrounding areas suggested
using their cars rather, they were told to take it or leave it,” said the
source.
Other foreign analysts include former Liverpool and England great
Kevin Keagan, former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, Liverpool great
Paul Ince, French football coach Bernard Lama, former Liverpool coach Gerard
Houllier and African stars Abedi Pele and Austin Jay-Jay Okocha.
Presenter Lindani Mbense has been relegated to a daily review show.
He will alternate with Kwena Moabelo and commentator Duane Dell’Oca.
Mbense will not anchor any live games and there is no sign of the
SABC’s award-winning presenter Carol Manana on the schedule.
Walter Mokoena and Tshepo Mabona will anchor live matches during
the group stages.
The locals will battle it out for slots in the knockout stages,
which will be allocated based on their performance during the group stages.
Of
the 48 round- robin matches, the SABC’s regular analysts David Kekana, Mike
Mangena, Deshi Baktawer, Christophe Bongo, Coudjoe Amankwah and Steve Komphela
are scheduled to do between two and four games each.
Yorke and Ince will analyse 13 and 16 games respectively while
Okocha, Pele and Weah are scheduled to cover between seven and nine games.
Bolstering the local contingent are journalist Jonty Mark, coaches
Clive Barker, Ernst Middendorp, Roger de Sa, Owen da Gama, former Banyana
Banyana captain Desiree Ellis and ex-Banyana Banyana manager Fran
Hilton-Smith.
Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said there was no way any SABC
employee could know what Scolari and other analysts earned because they were
contracted through an international agency, UTC.
Kganyago said the SABC paid a lump-sum figure, which he would not
specify, directly to an agency.
“We’re not sidelining anyone. This is part of a skills transfer
because South Africa has never hosted a World Cup before,” he said, adding that
the locals should not feel worthless.
- City Press