The Democratic Alliance (DA) political party on Wednesday in a statement said that it is against the plans of the South African public broadcaster that wants to increase SABC TV licence fees.
On Wednesday SABC board members and top executives appeared before parliament's select committee on public enterprise and communications where Yolande van Biljon, the SABC's chief financial officer (COO), revealed that the SABC had drafted a proposal for an increase in SABC TV licence fees which was send to Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, the minister of communications.
Yolande van Biljon told the parliamentary committee that the struggling SABC has less fresh content because the technically insolvent and cash-strapped broadcaster is using money that is supposed to go to content investment to pay staff salaries.
"The DA is opposed to any additional - what would be in essence - taxation of already over-burdened South African taxpayers, as well as those who are impoverished and struggling to put food on the table," said Phumzile Van Dam, the DA's member of parliament for communications, in a statement.
"We call on the public broadcaster to find new revenue streams to stay afloat instead of imposing increases to TV licenses fees. The SABC needs to find innovative measures to strengthen their collection of revenue as poor South Africans will, without doubt, be unlikely to afford increased licence fees."
"The SABC must position itself as a trustworthy and properly managed entity to encourage current TV licence holders to make payments."
"Furthermore, the broadcaster should explore purchasing content that will attract viewers – by doing so doing, they will see an increase in advertising revenue. Advertising makes out the bulk of the SABC's revenue, and an increase in advertising will surely be a boost for the SABC."
"We look forward to feedback regarding funding of the SABC – especially given the fact that the public broadcaster is still reeling from the financial consequences of well-chronicled years of mismanagement, looting and governance failures," said Phumzile van Dam.
"The public should not have to pay for the SABC’s sins through additional TV license fees. We trust that the current SABC management will prove its mettle, by steering the SABC to a profitable position."
