Television Licenses - The Truth Revealed

[davemc]

I love these two:

Q: What happens if I fail to pay my television licence fees?
A: Overdue accounts are handed over to the SABC's lawyers for debt collection. If payments are late, an account incurs a penalty of 10% per month to a maximum of 100% per annum.

10% interest per month - in direct contradiction of current legislation.

Q: What are the legal consequences of contravening the TV licence legislation?
A: Anyone found guilty in court of failing to comply with the law may be sentenced to a fine of not more than R500.00 or to imprisonment for up to six months, or both.

Lulz, R500 is a lot cheaper than the above penalty.

 

[TYR]

10% interest per month - in direct contradiction of current legislation.

Not "interest" ... penalty/fine.

 

[AstroTurf]

As South Africa′s national broadcaster the SABC is mandated to provide comprehensive broadcasting services (radio and television) for all South Africans, taking into account their ethnic, language, cultural and religious diversity. To this end, the SABC is legally obliged to –
- inform;
- educate;
- entertain;
- support and develop culture and education; and
- as far as is possible, ensure fair and equitable treatment for the various cultural groupings in the nation and the country.

I do my part, when will they start doing there part?

 

[TYR]

I pay mine for one reason only ... You get a small card that you can keep in your wallet ... It has your residential address on it and is a valid proof of residence doc for FICA etc.

 

[McGuywer]

So, I received an SMS to to pay R850 for my TV license or face further legal actions.

What do you suggest I do?
Have anyone else received such an SMS?

 

[waynegohl]

So, I received an SMS to to pay R850 for my TV license or face further legal actions.

What do you suggest I do?
Have anyone else received such an SMS?

sms STOP to opt out?

 

[HapticSimian]

So, I received an SMS to to pay R850 for my TV license or face further legal actions.

What do you suggest I do?
Have anyone else received such an SMS?

If you owe it, pay it?

sms STOP to opt out?

 

[MartyMarts]

I received an email stating I need to pay my annual R250. Don't have a problem with that so will pay it as usual. However, I do have a problem paying Dstv R560 a month to watch a few live football matches but that's another story for another thread.

 

[Fudzy]

I think we should pay Icasa rather than the SABC since they are actually responsible for broadcasting the signal.

 

[HapticSimian]

I think we should pay Icasa rather than the SABC since they are actually responsible for broadcasting the signal.

This is the source of much of the issues with the public perception concerning TV licenses - that the SABC was ever tasked with ensuring payment from Joe Public was, in my view, a big mistake. Get it out of normal residential rates & taxes and be done with it.

 

[Cicero]

I received an email stating I need to pay my annual R250. Don't have a problem with that so will pay it as usual. However, I do have a problem paying Dstv R560 a month to watch a few live football matches but that's another story for another thread.

Solution win: Pay the TV license. Cancel the Dstv, and go have a few beers with the R560 you'll save at a good pub with some mates and watch the game. Win-win!

 

[burisch]

I bought a TV, had to buy a license. I intended to use it as a monitor, but also had DSTV for a few months, and bought a license from these guys. Later, I cancelled DSTV and upgraded my PC with a new video card, and then the tv wouldn't work as a monitor (I think something to do with the HDMI HDCP copy protection stuff, the incompatibility still really pisses me off). I gave the TV away to a relative.

Anyway, so moving on, I started to get nasty emails, letters, and SMSs from the licensing department threatening all kinds of nasty stuff if I didn't pay up. Called the call centre ($$$$) and they advised that I had to send an affidavit. What? Ended up in correspondence with tvlic.info@sabc.co.za, and they advised that this was all in the Broadcasting Act 4 of 1999. I got the act and read it, and lo and behold there's nothing in there to support any of what they were saying.

Here's the only relevant section of the Act:

27. Television licenses.--(1) The Corporation may issue a television licence conferring to the holder the right to use a
television set or any number of television sets specified in the licence.
(2) The licence is renewable annually.
(3) The holder of any television set which was used without authorisation before the date of commencement of this Act, must
within 12 months after the date and subject to the rules of the Corporation relating to the authorisation, apply for such licence.
(4) The Corporation must maintain a register of all the licences.
(5) For the purposes of this Act, "holder" means--
(a) any owner of a television set;
(b) any business or institution with reference to a category to which such business or institution belongs;
(c) any holder of any permit registered for a place, vehicle, vessel or aircraft so specified, where a business or the affairs of
that institution are carried on, or which has already been recorded on the register of the Corporation.
<b>(6) The Authority may after consultation with the Corporation make regulations in regard to any matter pertaining to television
licence fees which may be issued.</b>
(7) The Corporation may delegate the collection of the payment of television licence fees to other persons.
(8) Failure to be in possession of a valid television licence is a civil offence.

Notice section (6). This gives the _Authority_ the right to make regulations; however, demanding an affidavit, 10% interest per month, etc etc etc are certainly not in the Act. When I asked the licensing department to furnish proof that they had the right to demand an affidavit from me, they went very very quiet. Still haven't heard back from them. I have subsequently completed the Affidavit and had it stamped at the cop shop, but I refuse to send it until they can prove that they have a right to do so.

What they are doing is harassment, pure and simple. If I receive another SMS, email, or letter from them, I will open a case of harassment against them with the police.

I'll keep you posted of any developments.

 

[HapticSimian]

/snip

Their demanding an affidavit is informed by regulations published in the Government Gazette, in accordance with 27(6) above, and not explicitly stated in the Act. I *think* I've got the relevant issue of the Gazette on an external HDD - I'll have a look tomorrow.

The telephone jockeys at the call centre are unlikely to know where to look, unfortunately...

 

[waynegohl]

They also sent me lawyers letters for my tv licence last year asking for an affidavit and a quote from the tv repair place. I got an affidafit and told them I do not have a quote for repairs. This year I get another message asking for money so I tell them to sort it out as i sent off the emails/faxes last year. they got back to me saying it's been cancelled.

 

[GPSJane]

Fine, I've never argued this. I have argued that it is an unfair law and since laws are made ON BEHALF OF and FOR THE GOOD OF the PUBLIC this law should be changed, seeing that it is unfair. NO MONEY should be channeled from the revenue from these licenses to anything related to the SABC.

Secondly we should not have to pay licenses anyway since there is no reason to do so. If the license payer can not expect anything in return for the law other than the 'right' to own a TV set this law should be changed and the licenses abandoned. I am sure that if we had a referendum or if every license payer petitioned their MP about this, this law would change overnight and it would be ILLEGAL to charge a license fee.

Thank you.

And everyone else with this same argument.

What have you done to help change this law? Have you written a letter, gotten involved, made any effort at all? I just cannot stand the people who sit back and bitch incessantly about the problems they have with the government/parastatals/country and never do a thing about it.

If every single person with this point of view wrote a letter to the SABC and various representatives perhaps someone would sit up and take notice.

Not paying your TV license is just like refusing to pay a speeding fine just because you don't agree with the speed limit or simply going in to a shop and taking what you want because you don't agree with the prices. It is still illegal to not pay!

PS I completely agree that the SABC are mismanaged, corrupt and broadcast rubbish and/or outdated and cheap content. But that does not allow me to not pay the license!

 

[stormchaser]

I made my payment at one of those moneymarket/kiosk that one find near most shoprite/checkers stores,unfortunately I seem to have lost/misplaced my statement.I am receiving final reminders which i tried explaining to Sabc through emails but with no success.I thought their system should have picked it up.Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks in advance.

 

[burisch]

OK so I have finally found something more relevant: http://vcmstatic.sabc.co.za/VCMStaticProdStage/TV Licence/Documents/TV Licence Regulations.pdf

This still doesn't say that you need to produce an affidavit for cancelling your license, however it does contain a lot of the regulations that appear to be in force. There is a sample affidavit to permit a cohabiting unmarried couple to cancel one of their licenses. There's probably a later gazette with the appropriate regulations, but I'm not able to find it.

 

[techead]

SABC will not see a dime of mine regardless of whether I have 1 tv or 20 (yes I know one license per household, Im simply making a point....)

nothing personal, just my contribution to the thread

 

[Skywalker42]

Licences are BS

Most people are getting angry (and rightfully so) about this subject of paying for a licence to do...well things like:

1. Watch TV.
2. Catch fish.
3. Travel on the roads with your car or bike.
4. Own a rifle/gun.
5. Sell goods
.
.
99. Run a guest house.
100. Run a restaurant. etc

So, the reason people are getting upset is understandble, because
these charges you have to pay just to do normal stuff does not "feel right".

Yet it is called LAW. It is NOT law. It is documents written by the government
which are called Acts, like in stage play. These acts are then "en-acted" and given the
"colour of law". This all happens with your consent because of...your ignorance.

The solution is to "not consent" to these acts. There is a maxim in law that says
"Consent creates law".

You do know that there are books called Legal Dictionaries. Why ?
Because they speak "legalese", a different language, but they never tell you that.

It sounds and looks like English, but it is NOT.

Did you know that in their dictionary:
must: means may
apply: means = beg
licence - is something you apply(beg) for to do do something that is lawfull anyway.

There is a very big difference between "legal" and " lawfull".

The "they" I'm reffering to is the legaL INDUSTRY. Sorry, I hit the caps log key by
accident, and decided not to correct or edit it, but yes, it is an INDUSTRY,
for profit and not for justice.

Have you noticed that all/most Acts are about money. your "legal" duties and penalties.
The penalties are always in terms of money, payable to the "courts".
Courts are "for profit" businesses.

I have found my own small town magistrate court registered as a bussines on the
New York Securities exchange website.

Common Law (Common sense). Real Law. Is only about Justice and not money.
Common law probably don't exist anymore, they changed it all...while we we sleeping.

The so-called Road Traffic Act that says we must pay toll fees to travel
did not explicitly cancel our Common Law right to travel WITHOUT HINDERANCE.

I have much more to say, especially about "personal income tax".
I give you an apple, you give me a banana, it is a private matter.
No government involvelment wanted or needed.

I work for you as a plumber and fix your piping etc, you pay me R 1000.
I did not make any profit, I just exchanged my energy/knowledge for your payment.
I made no profit...why do I have to pay tax ?

Because they say so? F-U.CK them.

...more...later

Sleep well.
At least...try

 

[Fudzy]

Most people are getting angry (and rightfully so) about this subject of paying for a licence to do...well things like:

1. Watch TV.
2. Catch fish.
3. Travel on the roads with your car or bike.
4. Own a rifle/gun.
5. Sell goods
.
.
99. Run a guest house.
100. Run a restaurant. etc

So, the reason people are getting upset is understandble, because
these charges you have to pay just to do normal stuff does not "feel right".

Yet it is called LAW. It is NOT law. It is documents written by the government
which are called Acts, like in stage play. These acts are then "en-acted" and given the
"colour of law". This all happens with your consent because of...your ignorance.

The solution is to "not consent" to these acts. There is a maxim in law that says
"Consent creates law".

You do know that there are books called Legal Dictionaries. Why ?
Because they speak "legalese", a different language, but they never tell you that.

It sounds and looks like English, but it is NOT.

Did you know that in their dictionary:
must: means may
apply: means = beg
licence - is something you apply(beg) for to do do something that is lawfull anyway.

There is a very big difference between "legal" and " lawfull".

The "they" I'm reffering to is the legaL INDUSTRY. Sorry, I hit the caps log key by
accident, and decided not to correct or edit it, but yes, it is an INDUSTRY,
for profit and not for justice.

Have you noticed that all/most Acts are about money. your "legal" duties and penalties.
The penalties are always in terms of money, payable to the "courts".
Courts are "for profit" businesses.

I have found my own small town magistrate court registered as a bussines on the
New York Securities exchange website.

Common Law (Common sense). Real Law. Is only about Justice and not money.
Common law probably don't exist anymore, they changed it all...while we we sleeping.

The so-called Road Traffic Act that says we must pay toll fees to travel
did not explicitly cancel our Common Law right to travel WITHOUT HINDERANCE.

I have much more to say, especially about "personal income tax".
I give you an apple, you give me a banana, it is a private matter.
No government involvelment wanted or needed.

I work for you as a plumber and fix your piping etc, you pay me R 1000.
I did not make any profit, I just exchanged my energy/knowledge for your payment.
I made no profit...why do I have to pay tax ?

Because they say so? F-U.CK them.

...more...later

Sleep well.
At least...try

Good grief you need to stop reading those anarchy manifestos.

Glad you've come out of the woods and are back on 'the man's grid