Debate Rages On Over Future of SABC as Afriforum Calls for Scrapping of TV Licences

In a nation gripped by the future of its public broadcasting service, a potent debate has emerged concerning the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and how it should be sustained. Afriforum, a South African civil rights organisation, recently submitted a bold statement to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies championing for the scrapping of TV licences and the privatisation of the SABC.

This proposition challenges the SABC SOC LTD Bill published by Parliament last year, which suggested that the communications minister formulates a new funding model framework heavily reliant on state contributions. The bill was met with criticism for delaying concrete action on developing alternative funding models that could potentially offer viable solutions to the SABC's financial troubles. Adding to the frustration was the directive to maintain the current TV licence system until further arrangements are made.

The conversation around the necessity to overhaul the TV licence system commenced back in October 2020, with stakeholders reaching consensus on its ineffectiveness. Proposals have hinted at the potential success of a household levy—similar to models found in other countries, such as Germany's Rundfunkbeitrag.

Moreover, the governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), resolved to scrap TV licences during its national elective conference in December 2022. This move reflects a global trend where the meteoric rise of online streaming platforms necessitates consideration of new financing models that cater to the evolution of content consumption.

Amid this discourse, the alarming reality of licence evasion stares the SABC in the face. The 2023 financial year revealed a staggering 85.8% evasion rate, up from the prior year's 82%. Evidently only a fraction of South African households, a mere 14.2%, adhere to purchasing a licence.

Furthermore, government entities themselves owed the SABC R56 million in unpaid licence fees by the end of the 2023 financial year, highlighting the systemic issue of non-compliance.

Against this backdrop, Afriforum contends that the current state of affairs is untenable. They propose that privatisation will not only resolve funding difficulties but will introduce an era of heightened operational efficiency, program quality, and financial stewardship. Citing corruption and mismanagement as additional malaises afflicting the broadcaster, the organisation maintains that privatisation could also be an effective antidote.

Afriforum underscored their position by citing the weighty licence evasion rate and the undue financial burden these licences impose on impoverished families. They also laid out alternatives to TV licence revenue, pointing towards possible private partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborative efforts.

Ernst van Zyl, the head of public relations at Afriforum, articulated frustration at the government's protracted inaction and envisions a "non-state-centric approach" to transform the SABC's difficult state into a prosperous future. Should the SABC venture into privatisation, TV licences would naturally become obsolete, eliminating an antiquated and currently ineffective funding mechanism.

As South Africa grapples with the complexities of funding its public broadcaster, the views of Afriforum add a compelling dimension to the conversation about the SABC's destiny. Will the country steer towards privatisation, or is there another model capable of fostering a revival for the beleaguered broadcaster? Only time will tell as policymakers weigh the available options.