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TELEVISION viewers often ask why they should pay their TV licences. In response, the SABC has compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help viewers understand the hows and whys of TV licences. This is the first of a three-part series of questions and their answers.
Why must I pay a television licence?
A TV licence is a statutory (legal) requirement in terms of the Broadcasting Act, No 4 of 1999, as amended and the TV Licences Regulations under the Act.
Who needs a television licence?
Any entity or person who has in his possession and/or uses a TV set must have a valid (fully paid-up) television licence at all times.
What is the definition of a television set?
Any device designed or adapted to be capable of receiving a broadcast television signal. In other words, a licence is required not only for a TV set, but also for a computer (PC) fitted with a TV tuner or video card, or for a videocassette recorder (VCR), DVD recorder or DStv decoder linked to a TV monitor or to a plasma or LCD screen.
Do I still need a licence if I’m a subscriber of pay-TV operators such as M-Net or DStv?
Yes. A television licence remains payable even if one never watches SABC 1, 2 or 3 but only the M-Net pay channel, the private broadcaster e.tv or the digital DStv satellite service. Television licences are a legal obligation in terms of an Act – it is the television set that has to be licensed, not its use.
What is television licence revenue used for?
The collection of TV licence fees is governed by Section 27 of the Broadcasting Act, no 4 of 1999, as amended. The Act stipulates that television licence revenue may be used only to fund the SABC’s public service mandate. As South Africa’s national broadcaster the SABC is mandated to provide comprehensive broadcasting services (radio and television) for all South Africans, taking into account their ethnic, language, cultural and religious diversity. To this end, the SABC is legally obliged to: inform; educate; entertain; support and develop culture and education; and as far as is possible, ensure fair and equitable treatment for the various cultural groupings in the nation and the country.
Television licence fees, therefore, fund the above in terms of local content and programming, says the SABC. Licence fees are not used for commercially driven activities, purchasing of overseas films or series or payment of staff salaries.
What are the various types of television licence?
There are six types:
l A domestic licence for households and/or individuals, authorising the use of the licensed set(s) at the user’s registered residential premises only.
l A concessionary domestic licence, at a lower tariff.
l A business licence, for entities (including government departments) using TV sets in their business/commercial activities or on premises occupied for business purposes.
l A dealer licence, for businesses selling TV sets.
l A lessor licence, for businesses renting out TV sets.
l A mobile licence, for a TV set built into any vehicle, caravan, mobile home, vessel or aircraft used for private purposes.
Who qualifies for a concessionary domestic TV licence?
One must apply to the SABC for such licence. Those who qualify are:
l A receiver of a social grant from the state, on the basis of being an aged or disabled person as defined in the Social Assistance Act of 1992.
l A person of 70 years or older, as from the beginning of the first licence year after turning 70, provided that such person does not share residential premises with anyone (other than a spouse or life partner) who is younger than 70 and who is not a family member of the holder of a domestic licence. Such concessionary licence is valid only for the residential premises of the licence holder.
What are the annual fees?
R250 per annum for a domestic, business, dealer, lessor or mobile TV licence, and R70 per annum for a concessionary TV licence.
What is the most convenient way of paying one’s TV licence?
Paying via an annual or monthly debit order is easy and hassle-free. With four monthly deduction dates to choose from, your licence will always be up to date and you no longer have to worry about penalties for late payment. Debit orders may be applied for telephonically by contacting the TV Licences Contact Centre at 011 330 9555.
Online credit card payments can be done via the TV Licences website at www.tvlic.co.za, or internet payments may also be done from your own internet banking facilities.
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kiki, wrote
Screw that - We dont watch tv - we just download the series we are interested and watch it on our pc's. The only thing that is interesting on tv is the news.
Watch this Space, wrote
And they still need the government to bail them out with our taxes when they are cash strapped
Ringmaster, wrote
First point - about the Act. Let's then change the act. The Firearms Control Act was changed (to the financial detriment of many citizens who lost jobs and property) so any act can be changed. If the act was changed, ALL the reasons for paying would fall away.
SAFA in SK, wrote
A TV licence is a statutory (legal) requirement in terms of the Broadcasting Act, No 4 of 1999, as amended and the TV Licences Regulations under the Act. that is their reason for being able to put nothing but k@k on tv and still forcing you to pay for it.
Anonymous, wrote
That you have to pay a license fee just to own a tv is ridiculous. I lived in the UK for a year - when I moved into my flat, I was sent a nice letter asking to pay my TV license.. I wrote back and said I don't have an aerial cable, and was told no problem, just let us know when you get one - which I did, and paid my fees. Then, as I left before the year's subion was up, I wrote back and told them this - and they REFUNDED me for the rest of the year!! Ah, to deal with first world, well-run companies, how I miss that...
Anonymous, wrote
JoeSoapie, wrote
Only suckers would pay for a TV license. I've got a massive computer flat screen with a TV card in the PC, inspector came around and I showed him I don't have a TV - I work in the lounge :-) He wanted to look at the computer - I told him my time costs R450 an hour, if he's going to take up my time he has to pay first. Needless to say, he aint come knock'n since.
Maureen, wrote
The TV Licence and Broadcasting Act is just another way of enriching the fat cats and corrupt attorneys, whilst financially raping our people!
Anonymous, wrote
and the act constitute that we will run the same programme over and over and over and over and over and over again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous, wrote
What constitutes a household? i was living in my own house and had a tv licence and have since moved to live with another family member. i called to inform the SABC of this so they add it all to one household subion and was told that we would still need to have separate TV licences as a household constitutes a husband and wife and children under 21. it makes no sense to me. so does that mean if i am over 21 living with my elderly parents and my brother and his wife in the same house we need three separate tv licences? where is the logic
Zia, wrote
I am not happy paying for a Tv licence purely because there is nothing on Tv to watch? And why should I pay for a licence when foreigners are watching Tv for free and what is government or the SABC doing about it? The fact that I purchase my Tv from Game or Makro and a foreigner buys from an unlicensed Chinise or Pakistani shop has made me a slave and a target of the SABC calling me at 7am whenever I don't renew my licence is unfair. Until government deals with this issues our country will sink deeper and deeper into lawlessness and ultimately I will also turn out to look like our foreign brothers and sisters who deliberately breaks the law of this country by not paying for TV licence. So until the SABC stops repeating movies ten times a year I will always remain reluctant to pay my Tv licence. Why should foreigners be told to fix their travel papers but cannot be subjected to purchasing a Tv licence?
Anonymous, wrote
Do i have to pay tv licence to whatch soapies from 16h00 to 20h00 everyday. does this sabc consider us the viewers or they just do things on thier own.Why cant they be like etv.I enjoy watching etv or dstv that this sabc.i will never pay tv as long they play soapies and its omnibuses.They dont give us sports but they call themselves sport cahnnel. they should in fact call themselves your channel of soapies
Marly Marls, wrote
I will NEVER pay for a TV License out of principal.I am a DSTV subscriber and I never ever watch the garbage they show on SABC. I will not use my hard earned cash to fatten SABC directors pockets.
Anonymous, wrote
>>>>> [...]The Act stipulates that television licence revenue may be used only to fund the SABC’s public service mandate. [...] Haaaahhahahahahahahahahahaha, that's a good joke.
Mrs Kiwi, wrote
We dont have TV licences overseas and out telly is better than in SA.That is crookery.Advertisers pay a fortune to air their ads and that should be enough
Woompie, wrote
Why must i pay TV Licence? I'm having satellite dish(DSTV).and if i didn't pay my DSTV i wont able to watch SABC channels.i think Multichoise(DSTV) must do something with SABC e.g to give them something(money)on behalf of our premiums we are paying monthly.I'm paying R798.78 monthly for my self and at home,so when i include SABC it will be to much for me.Multchoise must take this into consideration. kind regards Woompie
eh?, wrote
my language, culture, ethnicity, religion, is not catered for. neither does sabc "inform; educate; entertain; support and develop culture and education; and as far as is possible, ensure fair and equitable treatment for the various cultural groupings in the nation and the country" in terms of my disposition...SO WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR A TV LICENCE??
Anonymous, wrote
pathetic ! when you drive past the sabc towers in aucland park what do you see s500s 7 series jags etc etc have never paid one will never pay one thesres nothing to watch anyway
Voice of reason, wrote
Clearly the commentators here can't read: the fee is to pay for local, diverse and educational content i.e. the public service mandate. This is key requirement for a vibrant democracy - whether or not you watch it is benefiting your country in which you live. Just like your taxes pay for other peoples school fees, your tv licence pays the SABC to meet it’s critical public service mandate. I think the fee structure needs to be simplified and more transparency be put in place to ensure that this money is actually used correctly.
Rambe, wrote
What a joke. I bought my father a TV set in the year 2000. My father is now 89. There has never been a television signal for SABC 1,2, 0r 3. I was compelled to subscribe to a pay channel to get a signal. Why on earth should I pay the SABC. The problem of the signal has been there since 1998. All families who cannot afford a satellite dish do not watch television. Their TV sets are there for decorating their lounges. No dish means no SABC. It is a bloody rip off. Fix the signal, I will consider paying. Nzhelele ( Limpopo)
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