GCEO calls for government to invest in SABC

Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Nomsa Chabeli, says it is near impossible for a public broadcaster to survive with no government investment.

Chabeli, alongside the chairperson of the SABC Board, Khathutshelo Ramukumba, briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies on the broadcaster’s five-year turnaround plan.

They again called on MPs to change the funding model of the SABC, to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Less than 20% of citizens pay their TV licenses.

83% of the broadcaster’s income comes from commercial stations. Chabeli says this is not sustainable.

“What I am saying, is that no broadcaster survives if it has to self-fund a comprehensive public interest mandate. We are asking communications (Department of Communications) to champion government investment in our public broadcast mandate.”

Chabeli added that it has been difficult to invest in new technology because the broadcaster can simply not afford to.

“Public broadcasters are globally funded. SABC is not. We are not on that list. Reality is that this has constrained our ability to think and act strategically and invest for the future. You can’t invest in tech, can’t talk 4IR, when you can barely pay salaries, it’s not possible.”