The SABC was fined R15 000 for showing the violent film Dark Blue with Kurt Russell a PG13L age restriction instead of PG 16LV.
"The air was dark blue with the non-stop profanity and obvious blasphemy - the violence intense and maybe should even get an 18 rating. There is also implied sex acts as well as at least one scene in a strip club with naked breasts show," complained a viewer.
"I do not have the joy of DStv and could not find anything else to watch - I'm sure most middle to low income bracket South Africans feel the same," said the viewer who told the BCCSA that "the whole thing sickened me".
The SABC told the BCCSA that the SABC "experienced a problem" with the final control producer who inserted the wrong advisory on screen because the person keyed in the request from the wrong certificate while preparing other material.
The SABC told the BCCSA that it has taken disciplinary action against the SABC worker. The SABC also told the BCCSA that the public broadcaster is "reviewing its processes to avoid such incidences in the future".
The BCCSA ruled that the SABC had contravened the Broadcasting Code of Conduct and said "the error is a serious one".
"Since the protection of children is one of the foremost aims of the Broadcasting Code, this was a serious contravention," said the BCCSA. The SABC has to pay the R15 000 fine before the end of April 2015.
