Cape Town – South Africans who fail to pay their television licence fees could face fines of up to R500 or imprisonment for up to six months, although the threat of prosecution has rarely translated into court action, according to MyBroadband and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA).
The penalty is provided for under Section 27 of the Broadcasting Act 4 of 1999, which requires people who own or use television sets to hold valid licences unless exempted.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) states on its official TV licence FAQ page that overdue accounts may be referred to its lawyers for debt collection. The broadcaster also imposes penalties of 10% per month on overdue accounts, capped at 100%.
However, prosecution remains uncommon. OUTA told MyBroadband it was unaware of any case in which a television licence defaulter had been prosecuted for non-payment.
In 2023, OUTA chief executive Wayne Duvenage argued that pursuing such cases could be uneconomical, saying: “It is just too small an amount to enter into legal challenges that may even backfire on them.”
Revised funding model
The scale of non-payment has compounded the broadcaster’s financial difficulties. According to MyBroadband, citing figures for the 2024/25 financial year, only 15% of television licence holders paid their fees, leaving 85% in default. The SABC has increasingly relied on debt collection to recover outstanding payments.
Reporting by Eyewitness News has also highlighted public frustration with the system, particularly among people who question why they should pay when they primarily use streaming services. However, under current legislation, owning or using a television set remains subject to the licensing requirement.
OUTA has called for the licence system to be scrapped and replaced with a more sustainable funding model, potentially through a government grant. The organisation has warned that any replacement must include strong financial oversight and accountability while avoiding additional unaffordable costs for households.
The government is already working towards reform. In a separate MyBroadband report, Communications Minister Solly Malatsi said a revised funding model was targeted for submission by 31 March 2027, with the final version of the SABC Bill expected to be submitted to Parliament during the 2027/28 financial year.
Until the law changes, however, television licence fees remain legally payable.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
