“We actually need more TV channels, instead of scaling down,” Makubyane stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Now that we have the digital space, one asks: Why don\u2019t we have a Nguni channel? Why don\u2019t we have an Afrikaans channel? Or a children\u2019s channel or a documentary channel?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to such plans, the SABC is in the final testing phase of a dedicated RSG app. The app is designed to reach Afrikaans radio listeners globally and follows a recent redesign of the station’s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These developments come as the SABC attempts to repair its relationship with the Afrikaans community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The broadcaster previously admitted that cutting long-running shows like 7de Laan<\/em> and Fokus<\/em> was part of an “expensive trial-and-error” process that lacked proper market research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to cutting the two\u2013decade\u2013old shows, it moved all its remaining Afrikaans programming to S3 (formerly SABC 3), which has substantially lower viewership and advertiser appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That included shifting the Afrikaans news bulletin from 18:30 on SABC 2 to 20:30 on S3. That move was widely criticised by Afrikaans viewers, many of whom said they were already in bed by that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The broadcaster\u2019s complete omission of the bulletin over the weekend of 5 and 6 April 2025 caused an uproar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The SABC\u2019s Afrikaans strategy confused many industry insiders, who warned that the Afrikaans audience was still attractive to advertisers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The public broadcasters\u2019 own research showed that DStv\u2019s kykNET was the most valuable channel for advertisers in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While many viewers and industry commentators concluded that the SABC\u2019s decision was ideologically motivated, the real reason it wanted to move Afrikaans programming to S3 may be more nuanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a presentation to a parliamentary subcommittee about potential financial models to replace SABC TV Licences, BMIT revealed that SABC 2 was classified as \u201cnon-commercial\u201d, whereas S3 was a commercial channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The SABC\u2019s grand ambitions are being overshadowed by a deepening financial crisis that threatens its very ability to remain on air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The broadcaster informed the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications in February that it urgently requires R120 million in additional funding to cover the upcoming local government elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n National Treasury rejected it, and SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli warned that without this funding, the broadcaster will be unable to deploy the necessary infrastructure and personnel for nationwide election coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Without funding, the SABC will not be able to deploy infrastructure, personnel and resources on an appropriate scale nationwide for sufficient election coverage,” Chabeli told the subcommittee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The financial pressure is compounded by a massive R1.5 billion debt owed to the state-owned signal distributor, Sentech. The SABC is currently unable to pay this debt, which has left Sentech itself at risk of collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The broadcaster is currently pinning its hopes on a R700 million bailout from the National Treasury, which was recently earmarked to help settle the historic Sentech debt and ensure operational continuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother R700 million bailout<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Solly-Malatsi-TikTok.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n