CNBC Africa restructuring, retrenching staff

According to Leibner, the company proposes to restructure its staffing levels and to streamline its business "in order to meet its actual and forecasted business levels in 2011 and thereafter".

"As in any star-up, our business has grown significantly over the last four years," says Liebner. "Operational inefficiencies resulting from an excess in staffing have arisen in a number of areas. The exercise to optimise the company's operation is primarily structural rather than economic.

"Facilitated by the CCMA"

"The restructuring process is being facilitated by the CCMA and the restructuring which takes place, if any, will impact on only a few people in our Johannesburg office."

Asked to clarify the number of people possibly affected, placed as high as 35% by one source, Leibner said the final number will only be determined once the legal process is completed though the CCMA's facilitation.

"It is, however, not expected to be anywhere near the number that has been suggested to you," says Liebner, who also indicated that the duration of the process and the departments affected will also be determined by the legal process.

According to Liebner, operations and programming in Johannesburg will remain unaffected "and we will continue to broadcast eight hours of live content from our Johannesburg studio." He says plans to expand outside South Africa continues and that the group is looking to open offices in Mozambique, Zambia and possibly Zimbabwe this year. "The planned growth in Africa continues," says Leibman.

A troubled year in 2010

The broadcaster spent a troubled year in 2010 after it lost funding to the tune of US$3 million a year from the Gauteng Film Commission, which resulted in speculation over its financial sustainability.