Minister confirms SABC signal will stay on air

After widespread reports claimed the SABC signal would be switched off at the end of the year, government addressed the public broadcaster’s finances.

In a report shared on the broadcaster’s own social media channel, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi commented on the possible termination of the SABC signal.

“A new funding model for the SABC cannot be devised an enacted in the next three years. And that is merely kicking the can down the line. We need to find a funding model immediately to keep the SABC signal running. It needs to generate revenue in a sustainable manner,” said the minister on X.

SABC SIGNAL SHUTDOWN

Nevertheless, talk of an SABC signal shutdown jumped into high gear last week when SABC CEO, Nomsa Chabeli, addressed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies. Sentech, the SABC’s signal transmitter, is reportedly owed R1 billion in unpaid signal costs, with the debt increasing by R70 million every month the broadcaster stays on air.

However, Minister Malatsi says investigators are currently working to find a new funding model for the public broadcaster. He noted that the process will conclude within three months, even though a draft SABC Bill addressing this has existed since 2018 and the department has failed to produce a sustainable solution in seven years.

CONTENTIOUS ISSUES OVER CEO ROLE

Malatsi went on to explain that there are several contentious issues about the original SABC Bill. “One of the fundamental flaws about the SABC Bill is that CEO must be the editor in chief, too. This is a contradiction of the most basic form of media independence. The newsroom must be run by journalists and not by management,” Malatsi said. Nevertheless, it still looks doubtful that the SABC signal will run into 2026.

Earlier this year, the SABC disclosed a deficit of about R40 million and confirmed it employs around 2,000 full-time staff. The average staff take-home pay reportedly exceeds R50,000 per month, while senior management earn up to R1.5 million annually.

“We’ve insisted that the broadcaster sorts out its finances and pays its Sentech bill. It will have devastating consequences to the public if the SABC signal is cutoff. So, everyone must do their part,” concluded the minister.