Johannesburg - Technology group Gijima is to retrench an undisclosed
number of workers to improve efficiency and reduce costs, according to a
report on Wednesday.
Gijima would not say how many employees would be
affected "due to the consultative HR (human resources) processes that we
need to follow", Business Day reported.
The company has more than 3000 employees.
Gijima returned to profitability in the six months to
December last year. This was after reporting losses over the same period
in 2010 due to a settlement with the department of home affairs over
the cancellation of the R2.4 billion "Who Am I Online" project.
In statement on Sens on Tuesday, Gijima said it was
launching an "internal people optimisation strategy aimed at improving
efficiency and reducing its cost base". It said the information and
communications technology landscape had "changed dramatically".
"For Gijima to adequately respond to these changes, the
company will also be streamlining its operations focusing on
efficiency, nimbleness, and human resources optimisation."
CEO Jonas Bogoshi said: "Our aim is to enhance our
business competitiveness, and that of our valued clients, and this
optimisation strategy will enable us to do just that, without
compromising our track record of quality service delivery."
Gijima intended reducing staff costs by between eight
and 12 percent. This would be completed by mid-August and the business
restructuring would come into full effect in July.