Telkom have moved to allay fears they are set to cut 13,000 South African jobs, but have not stated how many are in danger.
HumanIPO reported last week the part state-owned telecommunications giant was offering its employees voluntary severance packages as it looks to cut costs, but some media reports have suggested up to 13,000 jobs could be in danger.
Telkom has a workforce of 21,000.
In a statement released this afternoon, Telkom said: “Telkom is aware of speculation regarding retrenchment of some 13,000 employees and wishes to place it on record that no such decision has been taken.
“The Company recently announced voluntary separation and voluntary early retirement process to its employees which emphasised that the decision to apply for a package is at the sole discretion of every employee.
“No employee is obligated to invoke this offer. Importantly, this is not a Section 189 process in disguise and this is not the first time Telkom has made this offer available to all categories of employees.”
The statement said Telkom’s goal was to reach a “desired state of cost efficiency” and added the success of the voluntary scheme would be judged on “overall impact of the company’s cost structure” and not on the number of employees.
