Cape Town – Mzansi was taken aback after reports indicated that the SABC is pushing to charge TV license fees for laptops and computers.
MyBroadBand reportedly revealed that the public broadcaster had sent a notice through an annual TV License Renewal Notice letter indicating its decision.
Reports alleged that South Africans will be expected to pay TV license fees for streaming using any device that can be connected to the internet including laptops and computers.
IOL reported that the notices come a few years after the SABC put on the table and then scrapped the idea of charging TV licence fees for any device that could connect to the internet, including smartphones.
However, this year’s notices stated that the definition of a TV set includes a “TV monitor (without receiving capabilities) able to receive a broadcast signal by virtue of being connected to any television receiving equipment”, the report said.
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“It must be noted that such receiving equipment (STB, decoder, tuner, etc.) renders the TV monitor as a TV due to the television broadcast signal transmitted,” SABC’s executive for corporate affairs and marketing, Gugu Ntuli, was quoted as saying.
These include a DStv decoder, DVD player, PC, laptop, smartphones and any device that can connect to the internet, reported Kaya959.
According to OUTA’s Wayne Duvenhage the move by the public broadcaster is nothing short of opportunistic and wrong, the report said.
“They had plans to amend the Act to include screens and computers that didn’t have television receiving capabilities, but I’m not sure this was done. If so, it would have been heavily challenged in court.”
South African took to social media to express their thoughts on the news, some thought the plans seemed desperate while other questioned the finances of the public broadcaster.
Here are some reactions on Twitter
They’re mad!! pic.twitter.com/F1GwJ7AySu
— Phuthi (@Phuthi53050848) February 3, 2023
They are two desperate, eintlik ba ya nyela?
— SBT (@Sebata_Nageng) February 3, 2023
Are they that broke now??
— A typical Zulu Guy ?? (@LowZarCar1) February 2, 2023
Whose hungry now macomrades
— Mr T (@thembakhanye30) February 3, 2023
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Picture: Twitter/ @SABCPortal
Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
