South Africa: AB InBev starts voluntary severance program in South Africa

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, has started a voluntary severance program in South Africa, but the company said a newspaper report that it had made offers to more than 1,000 managers was incorrect.

Citing an internal memo, Business Day newspaper said the brewer had offered more than 1,000 managers in South Africa voluntary severance following its merger with SABMiller.

AB InBev's spokeswoman Robyn Chalmers said the company had started the program but denied that 1,000 managerial jobs would go.

"It is too early in the process to say how many people may opt for the voluntary offer. It is thus completely incorrect to say that about 1 000 managerial roles will be reduced, as has been reported," she said.

"It is important to note that no employee will be forcibly retrenched as a result of the merger," Chalmers said.

AB InBev bought nearest rival SABMiller for 79 billion pounds ($98.38 billion) last year in one of the largest corporate mergers in history and taking the company into Africa for the first time.

24 January, 2017