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Cape Town - The SA National Consumer Union (SANCU) is calling for the scrapping of TV licences, following a proposal that consumers should pay for a TV licence for mobile phones, computers and tablets
SABC CEO James Aguma told Parliament last week that the broadcaster wants the Broadcasting Act changed to make it mandatory for people to pay a TV licence for more devices that can receive a TV signal. This means that more people will need an SABC TV licence for devices like computers, cellphones and tablets.
This change would broaden the collection base for SABC TV licences, which in turn would help raise revenue for the public broadcaster.
"Consumers in South Africa are becoming extremely despondent due to government entities, such as the SABC, expecting consumers to foot the bill due to their loss of R509m during the past year," said SANCU chairperson Ina Wilken.
According to her, the SABC's financial woes are due to mismanagement, loss of income due to fewer advertisements and programmes being repeated on a daily basis.
"This has got nothing to do with the man on the street. To propose that consumers would have to pay for a TV licence when using a PC, cellphone or tablet is totally outrageous."
Wilken cautioned that should the SABC's request be granted, it will further aggravate the dire financial situation already facing cash-strapped consumers.
"This idea is a far cry from our Constitution, which very explicitly outlines consumers’ rights to basic needs," she added.
"SANCU thinks the time is nigh for a total scrapping of TV licences as being unsustainable in the light of technology advances."
The response to the request on Twitter has been overwhelmingly cold.
The Democratic Alliance indicated that it would oppose the imposition of TV licence fees for mobile phones, computers and tablets.
"The DA strongly advises the SABC not to table this amendment in Parliament, and rather devote time to finding innovative ways to fund the public broadcaster," said DA MP and spokesperson on communications
"It is indeed possible for the SABC to stay afloat without seeking to further tax the already over-burdened South African taxpayer."
She said the SABC's financial crisis is not because it does not have enough money, but because of corruption, financial mismanagement and a decline in advertising revenue.
"The public should not have to pay for the SABC’s sins through additional TV licence fees."
The SABC has 164 people working in its TV licence department, yet the corporation has been outsourcing TV licence fee collection to a company that has been underperforming, according to City Press.
