SABC debt collectors are coming for TV licence defaulters – could you be next?

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has unleashed debt collectors to chase households in arrears over TV licence fees, sending SMS reminders demanding payment.

IOL previously reported that non-compliance continues to grow, with less than 20% of South African households currently paying their annual R265 licence fee, putting increasing pressure on the public broadcaster’s finances.

The TV licence was originally instituted to fund the public broadcaster and support local programming. However, as streaming services and digital content proliferate, many South Africans are questioning whether the fee is still necessary.

SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli told the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) last year that the decline in TV licence payments was placing increasing pressure on the public broadcaster’s finances, with only a small portion of its mandate costs now being funded through licence revenue.

“Fifty-five percent of our mandate costs are funded, and they are funded by declining license fees, so in South Africa, less than 20% of households that should be paying for a TV licence actually pay for a TV licence,” she said.

However, despite the low compliance rate, the public broadcaster has not given up and is still unleashing debt collectors to recover outstanding fees, warning households that non-payment could result in interest penalties.

According to SMSes seen by IOL, households are receiving messages such as:

“MR (Redacted), FINAL NOTICE. Avoid being handed over to Debt Collectors. Pay TV Lic (Redacted) bal R1325.00 @ www.tvlic.co.za or email renewals@sabc.co.za,”.

IOL  also previously reported that the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies chairperson, Khusela Diko, has confirmed that she owes the SABC TV Licence fees.

mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za