In South Africa, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi has decided to abolish the contentious SABC bill. The bill aimed to introduce a three-year timeline for creating a new funding framework for South Africa’s public broadcaster.
According to reports, Malatsi informed Parliament Speaker Thoko Didiza last week about his decision to withdraw the “deeply flawed” bill. He exercised his ministerial discretion to cancel the proposed legislation following extensive consultations with stakeholders and carefully examining public feedback submitted to Parliament’s communications portfolio committee.
Malatsi expressed concerns that the bill lacked a viable funding model, echoed by numerous broadcasting experts, former SABC leaders, and organisations like Media Monitoring Africa and the SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition.
“This approach fails to address the urgency needed to stabilise the broadcaster and risks maintaining an outdated licensing structure that won’t equip the SABC with the resources needed to fulfil its obligations,” Malatsi stated.
The South African National Editors’ Forum also raised concerns about the minister’s excessive political control over the SABC. Malatsi agreed, noting that the bill would threaten the SABC’s editorial independence by granting the communications minister more authority to appoint board members.
Originally introduced in October 2023 by former communications minister Mondli Gungubele, the draft bill was designed to update the Broadcasting Act of 1999, which is seen as old-fashioned in light of the recent changes in the broadcasting and streaming landscape.
Critics quickly pointed out that the SABC Bill did not tackle the broadcaster’s most pressing issue: severe financial difficulties. Among its provisions was the requirement for the communications minister to establish a sustainable funding framework for the SABC within three years of the bill’s passage.
Although the portfolio committee had begun considering amendments based on industry feedback, Malatsi argued that the bill could not be salvaged. “I believe trying to amend the bill is inappropriate,” he remarked. “Instead, we will prioritise the urgent creation and implementation of a sustainable financial model.”
In response to the bill, the SABC suggested replacing the TV license fee with a household levy. It proposed that this levy be managed by the country’s leading private broadcaster and streaming service. However, MultiChoice, the major player in the private broadcasting sector, criticised the plan, citing concerns over privacy, fairness, and the costs related to necessary adjustments and customer support.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse has recommended that the SABC receive annual funding directly from the National Treasury to support its public broadcasting duties. On the other hand, the Free Market Foundation advocated for a more radical solution: privatising the broadcaster, allowing it to compete by offering more attractive programming options.
