The SABC is big trouble, according to Khusela Sangoni Diko, the Chairperson for Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies. She briefed the media this week (Monday 8 September 2025) on the financial instability and imminent collapse of the SABC.
Diko highlighted concerns over the broadcaster’s viability, particularly in light of the burden carried by other state-owned entities (SOEs). She explained that the SABC funding model is outdated and there is no infrastructure for future sustainability. Of course, she’s referring to a lack of funds coming in from TV licences and the rise of free digital media like YouTube, etc …
SABC NEXT TO FALL
It’s no secret that the national TV broadcaster’s current licence model has very low compliance and an even lower collection rate. As such, the SABC has R4.09 billion in assets but R4.12 billion in liabilities. This leaves the SOE in the red by nearly R40 million. However, the SABC still has more than 2 000 full-time employees, earning in excess of R55 000 per month.
Meanwhile, senior SABC management continues to earn as much as R1.5 million annually. The question must be asked whether this taxpayer funding can be put to better use elsewhere. Especially when Diko insists the broadcaster is, “burdened with unsustainable debt, outdated infrastructure that hasn’t been upgraded in decades and a broken funding mode rooted in an analogue era.”
R70 MILLION LOST PER MONTH
Meanwhile, Sentech, the main signal distributor for the national broadcaster, reports losing more than R70 million per month subsidising SABC signal costs. Communications Minister, Solly Malatsi, has been asked to take urgent action to address both financial and operational challenges at the SABC.
“It’s been more than six months that we agreed to stand down as a committee. This was to allow the Minister Malatsi to deal with it, and nothing has been done. So, we’re urging the Minister to not hide behind bureaucratic red tape,” concluded Diko.
WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD HAPPEN NEXT TO THE SABC?
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