PUBLIC BROADCASTER
SABC may can some events in bid to cut costs
The public broadcaster’s aggressive cost-cutting drive could hit live coverage of political and sports events
The SABC is embarking on an aggressive cost-cutting drive that could see it scrapping live coverage of prominent persons’ funerals, including politicians, to retain advertising revenue. The cost cutting also involves an overall review of how the SABC covers events deemed to be of national importance, while it is also set to renegotiate sports rights — a process that may lead to the cancellation of some of its sports rights. The unprofitable public broadcaster is compelled through legislation to cover events that are deemed to be of national importance, including the funerals of prominent persons, as well as sporting codes of national interest such as football and rugby. The Treasury is considering the broadcaster’s request for a R3bn guarantee. In the 2016-17 report tabled in Parliament, Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu warned about the SABC’s going-concern status, noting that the broadcaster was commercially insolvent at the end of March. The SABC posted an after-tax net loss of R977m ...
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