Question NW957 to the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
08 April 2021 - NW957
Phillips, Ms C to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
(1)(a) What is the total monetary value of each concession that welfare, charitable and public benefit organisations used to receive on their annual fees for the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) TV licence(s), (b) in which financial year was each terminated, (c) what was the total cost of the concession for the three financial years prior to termination and (d) what is the reason that the concession was terminated; (2) whether the SABC has any intention of reviewing the concession for welfare, charitable and public benefit organisations; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
I have been advised by SABC as follows:
1. (a) The concessionary license of R74 per annum is discounted as per the Broadcasting Act. According to the TV License Regulations, the qualifying persons for discounted license fees (concession) are: a person who receives a social grant from the state by virtue of age or disability or a war veteran, a person aged 70 years or older. The above mentioned persons are the only concessions provided for in the legislation. The legislation does not make provision for welfare, charitable and public benefit organisations, therefore concessions are not applicable to these entities.
(b) The SABC has not terminated any concessions provided for in the legislation.
(c) This information is not available as indicated under (a) and (b). The licence holder criteria on the database are in accordance with legislative requirements. Welfare, charitable and public benefit organisations are not specifically stipulated in the legislation and therefore not exclusively indicated on the database.
(d) The SABC has not terminated any concessions in the legislation.
2. The SABC has a responsibility to provide various types of specialised content aimed at all our audiences’ needs, including educational content; dramas; news and programming for audiences with disabilities. This mandate comes at a significant cost to the SABC. It is therefore not possible for the SABC not to request the license fee payments from welfare, charitable and public benefit organisations. The SABC relies on these funds to continue providing specialised content delivery to our audiences, in line with our public mandate.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES