Sentech’s distribution costs negatively affecting SABC’s financial viability

The high distribution costs charged by signal distributor Sentech has shown a negative impact on the financial viability of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in the 2019/2020 financial year.

Parliament’s Communications and Digital Technologies Committee Chairperson Boyce Maneli revealed this to the National Assembly.

He was presenting the committee’s report on the 2019/2020  annual reports and financial statements of the SABC, South African Post Office (Sapo), Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) and the Universal Access Fund.

The National Assembly had to consider the committee’s report into the four entities.

The entities only submitted their 2019/2020 financial statements after the committee had already tabled its Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report on the department and its other entities to the National Assembly.

Maneli says, “Honourable House Chairperson without presenting much detail, the committee in making its observations amongst others, noted under SABC with concern that only 59% of its annual targets were achieved with a net loss of R511 million. Noted the high  distribution costs  charged  by Sentech are negatively affecting the  financial viability of the SABC.”

Portfolio Committee on Communications Subcommittee on the filling of a Vacancy on the SABC Board, 31st August 2021, https://t.co/sB1mHohgPW

— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) August 31, 2021