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ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK: SABC wants its version of daylight robbery for the Netflix-watching citizenry
It was only a matter of time before streaming video attracted its attention. Next, expect games tax and, eventually, outdoor joggers’ tax
It is a good week in which to recall the origin of the phrase, “daylight robbery”. It goes back to 1696, when King William III of England declared a “window tax”, imposing a levy on any house with more than six windows. Naturally, the typical homeowner bricked up their windows, blocking the sunlight. For the next century-and-a-half, the government literally robbed the citizenry of its daylight.
This absurd tax came to mind on Tuesday, when deputy minister of communications Pinky Kekana included this choice line in her presentation to parliament’s portfolio committee on communications: “Regulation is needed on pay service providers like MultiChoice and subscription video-on-demand provider like Netflix to collect TV licence on behalf of SABC similar to municipalities collecting traffic fine….” ..
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