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Cape Town – SABC3 acting channel head Ed Worster has resigned and his last day at the SABC’s only commercial TV channel will be next Friday, 16 February.
Worster told shocked SABC3 on Tuesday in a special meeting that he's leaving. Some of the SABC3 complement – a staff of about 20 – left and some started to cry. According to them Worster told them that he is taking early retirement.
SABC3 has not released any statement, nor made any announcement regarding this matter. SABC corporate also has not issued any statement or press release about Worster's sudden departure.
Worster took over in March 2011 from Mate Mosito-Okaba as the new acting head of the struggling TV channel and he was also the head of programming at SABC2.
Channel24 has learnt that Worster called a general SABC3 staff meeting on Tuesday and dumped the news that he is leaving on an unsuspecting SABC3 staff complement. Staff reportedly left in tears.
SABC3 staff members kept the news to themselves, but the news leaked through another SABC division. "I have lots to say but I don't have anything to say," said a SABC3 staff member.
Lefa Afrika, the current head of programming at SABC3 will be taking over as acting SABC3 channel head in the place of Worster.
Beloved
"Ed was beloved. He knew his stuff. He came from SABC2 and he started to rectify the sorry state of affairs SABC3 was in," an SABC3 staff member told Channel24.
"I don't have words. I can't fathom why he would want leave us. We loved him," said another. "Ed has become SABC3; he lives this brand. He steered it back to some respectability and tried to make it better again," said a third.
"Without Ed Worster I don't know what future SABC3 will have as a so-called quality brand," a fourth SABC3 employee said. "Ed gave SABC3 dignity again," said a fifth insider. "I'm numb, and in shock. I don't have words. He just said he's taking early retirement and that's all."
Worster worked hard to turn around the floundering SABC3 which was beset with bad ratings, bad programming and a severly damaged brand.
The SABC's latest financial report does indicate that SABC3 did not meet all of the objectives which were set out for the channel as part of the SABC's overall turnaround strategy.
According to various sources, Worster didn't announce why he's leaving and didn't give any indication of what he will be doing next.
Worster told shocked SABC3 on Tuesday in a special meeting that he's leaving. Some of the SABC3 complement – a staff of about 20 – left and some started to cry. According to them Worster told them that he is taking early retirement.
SABC3 has not released any statement, nor made any announcement regarding this matter. SABC corporate also has not issued any statement or press release about Worster's sudden departure.
Worster took over in March 2011 from Mate Mosito-Okaba as the new acting head of the struggling TV channel and he was also the head of programming at SABC2.
Channel24 has learnt that Worster called a general SABC3 staff meeting on Tuesday and dumped the news that he is leaving on an unsuspecting SABC3 staff complement. Staff reportedly left in tears.
SABC3 staff members kept the news to themselves, but the news leaked through another SABC division. "I have lots to say but I don't have anything to say," said a SABC3 staff member.
Lefa Afrika, the current head of programming at SABC3 will be taking over as acting SABC3 channel head in the place of Worster.
Beloved
"Ed was beloved. He knew his stuff. He came from SABC2 and he started to rectify the sorry state of affairs SABC3 was in," an SABC3 staff member told Channel24.
"I don't have words. I can't fathom why he would want leave us. We loved him," said another. "Ed has become SABC3; he lives this brand. He steered it back to some respectability and tried to make it better again," said a third.
"Without Ed Worster I don't know what future SABC3 will have as a so-called quality brand," a fourth SABC3 employee said. "Ed gave SABC3 dignity again," said a fifth insider. "I'm numb, and in shock. I don't have words. He just said he's taking early retirement and that's all."
Worster worked hard to turn around the floundering SABC3 which was beset with bad ratings, bad programming and a severly damaged brand.
The SABC's latest financial report does indicate that SABC3 did not meet all of the objectives which were set out for the channel as part of the SABC's overall turnaround strategy.
According to various sources, Worster didn't announce why he's leaving and didn't give any indication of what he will be doing next.
