The process is underway through a new funding model and revised legislation, with the current system remaining legally in force for now.
Current status of TV licences
- The TV licence (currently R265 per year for most households) is still required by law under the Broadcasting Act of 1999 for anyone who owns a television set or device capable of receiving a broadcast signal. Non-payment can still lead to debt collection, penalties (interest), and in theory fines or other enforcement, though compliance is extremely low.
- Evasion rates are very high: around 85–86% in recent years (only about 14–15% of billed licence holders actually pay). This has left the SABC collecting only a fraction of billed amounts (e.g., hundreds of millions against nearly R5 billion billed in some years), contributing to ongoing financial pressure alongside declining advertising.
- SABC leadership (including CEO Nomsa Chabeli) has repeatedly described the system as “archaic,” “outdated,” and failed, citing changing viewing habits (streaming on phones, laptops, etc.), a culture of non-payment, and enforcement difficulties. Even many government entities have not paid.
Plans to replace it
- The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies appointed BMI TechKnowledge (BMIT) in 2025 to develop a sustainable new funding model for the SABC. The study was completed by around May 2026, and the minister (Solly Malatsi) has said steps are being taken to decide on a way forward, involving engagement with the SABC and National Treasury.
- Options examined include various household or individual levies (tech-neutral, not tied to owning a traditional TV), government grants/allocations from the budget, commercial revenue mixes, and other innovative approaches. The SABC has favoured a tech-neutral public media/household levy that could be collected more efficiently by SARS. The minister has publicly criticised a broad household tax/levy as a “terrible idea” in some comments, so the final choice is not settled.
- The new model is expected to feed into a revised draft SABC Bill. Official indications point to the revised bill (incorporating the funding changes) being submitted in the 2027/28 financial year. This would involve gazetting for public comment and the full parliamentary process.
- Recent reporting (including BusinessTech coverage circulating in late July 2026) frames this as the SABC planning to remove TV licences as the system is increasingly ignored, with a new plan targeted around the 2028 financial year timeframe. Exact implementation would depend on legislation being passed and any transitional arrangements.
Timeline summary and practical implications
- Now (mid/late 2026): TV licences remain obligatory if you own qualifying equipment. The SABC continues collection efforts (and has tried tactics like linking to its SABC+ streaming service). You can cancel a licence only under specific conditions (e.g., no longer owning a TV, with a formal affidavit, settling any arrears first, and possible verification).
- 2027/28 financial year: Expected window for the revised SABC Bill and formal replacement framework.
- Beyond that: Actual scrapping and switchover would occur after legislation is finalised, passed, and implemented—likely not overnight. Historic arrears and transition details would also need handling.
- No country has successfully “fixed” declining TV licence compliance purely through better enforcement; most eventually change the funding base (as is happening here). Alternatives carry their own political and practical challenges (fairness of a universal levy, collection efficiency, impact on lower-income households, and ensuring the SABC can still fulfil its public-service mandate across languages and platforms).
In short, the direction is clear—the traditional TV licence is being phased out as unviable—but it has not been scrapped yet. The process is deliberate (study completed, legislative timeline in 2027/28), so continue treating current rules as applicable until official changes are gazetted and enacted. For the absolute latest official position, check statements from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies or the SABC, as details can evolve with parliamentary progress.
