SABC staff told to use less milk

Reducing use of milk is one of many cost-cutting measures at SABC

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has asked its 5,000 staff to use less milk in their tea and coffee as part of a cost-cutting drive.

Employees have also been advised they will be charged for phone and internet usage if they exceed a monthly limit.

Die Burger newspaper reported that SABC staff were grumbling that "management has Nescafe Gold and biscuits".

But SABC media spokesman Kaizer Kganyago told the BBC the cost-cutting would apply to everyone, even the CEO.

"We must concentrate on our core activity, which is broadcasting," he told the BBC News website. "Tea and coffee is an example of non-core.

"We also need to reduce telephone and internet expenditure. All of these measures are done so we can save enough money to pay for productions."

Spiralling debts

He said the measures were communicated to staff via e-mail and through managers.

Spiralling debts have brought the public broadcaster close to collapse, threatening a network once heralded as the voice of the country's democracy.

In February, SABC announced it was 740m rand ($92m; £56m) in debt.

It was also reported to be seeking a 2bn rand bailout from the government.