The SABC’s latest tactic to get you to pay your TV licence

 ·25 Oct 2018

The SABC recently announced that it would step up its measures to collect outstanding TV licences.

One of the ways that the SABC and its team of debt collectors have appeared to up the ante is by contacting late-payers through their place of work.

Speaking to BusinessTech, a representative of one of these debt companies indicated that while it was relatively easy for TV licence holders to ignore personal calls and SMSes – it was less easy to screen work calls.

While the representative was unable to verify how the debt collection service was able to obtain the BusinessTech journalist’s work number, he indicated that it could have been retrieved from the original TV licence application or as part of the debt collection process which would reveal an individual’s place of work.

He added that despite calling on behalf of a debt collection company it was still possible to pay the outstanding TV licence fee directly – either in-store or online.

According to statistics revealed by the SABC in October,  the group billed R3.378 billion in TV Licences over the past financial year but only pulled in revenues to the tune of R941 million – a 27.8% compliance level.

“We need South Africans to be also responsible,” said communications minister Nomvula Mokonyane.

“People must pay for their licences and people must also make sure that they themselves make a contribution because the culture of non-payment also does contribute to the challenges. Just pay as you pay for DStv, just pay as you pay for your airtime then you will find the SABC of being of value to you.”


Read: SABC looking at new ways to get South Africans to pay their TV licence

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