The SABC TV licence escape clause
There is a way for South African households with TVs to stop paying the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) TV licence fees, and the broadcaster explains the process on its FAQ page.
It involves having a technician remove the TV set’s tuner, rendering the TV incapable of receiving any TV signals.
While the FAQ specifies that the SABC can send inspectors from time to time to verify that the TV set still lacks a tuner, the SABC told MyBroadband that it doesn’t have any active inspectors.
“Removal of a television set’s ‘tuner’ renders it incapable of receiving any TV signal and, consequently, exempt from the need to be licensed,” the SABC said.
TV sets with the tuner removed are referred to as “denatured”, and the SABC requires documentary proof of its removal in the form of a letter, invoice, or receipt from a reputable repairer or installer.
“A R300 payment must accompany such an application to the SABC, after which an authorised agent will be dispatched to inspect the applicant’s TV equipment,” the SABC said.
“On receipt of confirmation from the agent that the applicant has no television receiving equipment in his/her possession, he/she will be exempted from payment of licence fees.”
The exemption remains in effect for the rest of the current licensing period, and a written application must be submitted by way of an affidavit annually, three months before the end of each licence year.
However, it warns that it can send authorised inspectors to check whether the receiving capabilities of TV sets have been restored.
Those found to have restored their TV’s receiving capabilities become liable for payment of all applicable licence fees and penalties, plus a R300 inspection fee.
MyBroadband asked the SABC about the inspections and when it would consider sending inspectors to households.
It didn’t answer the question directly, but said that it currently doesn’t have any inspectors conducting TV set inspections.
“Currently, for both domestic, business and dealers, we do not have any active inspectors,” it said.
SABC admits defeat
Both SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli and board chair Khathutshelo Ramukumba have said the broadcaster’s reliance on TV licence fees for funding is unsustainable.
They both highlighted a universal, tech-neutral, public media levy or household tax as the most prominent alternative to the current TV licence scheme.
Ramukumba explained that the current scheme assumes that most residents consume TV content on a single screen in their living rooms.
“The SABC’s reliance on TV licence fees as the main source of funding is unsustainable,” he said.
“The reality is that many South Africans consume content on their phones, laptops, and gaming consoles, often streaming international series, podcasts, or short-form videos.”
The SABC’s financial challenges are intensifying, with declining advertising revenue due to residents watching more content on other platforms, and an increasing number of households avoiding TV licence payments.
“The SABC does not need endless bailouts,” said Ramukumba.
“What it needs is a deliberate, innovative, structured, and sustainable funding intervention that recognises its public value and secures its independence.”
Roughly a month before Ramukumba’s comments, Chabeli said the TV licence scheme had failed and is no longer relevant.
However, her reasoning was slightly different. She said the scheme failed due to a historic culture of non-payment in South Africa.
“People generally don’t believe they should have to pay for services. It’s not unique to the SABC. We see it with electricity, with water, etc. So we need to understand that there is that culture,” the CEO said.
She said a household levy is one of the key things the broadcaster considered in its submissions on the SABC bill.
“We’ve also looked at the possibility of SARS introducing a collection mechanism on their side,” added Chabeli.
If implemented, the household levy would function similarly to Germany’s Rundfunkbeitrag: a mandatory monthly fee of €18.36 (R364) per household to fund public broadcasting services.
Ramukumba explained that the Rundfunkbeitrag ensures continued access to trusted, independent journalism, education, and entertainment.
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