South African Broadcasting Corporation [SABC]
reviews and complaints

I have not owned a tv since 2013. It broke, however, I continued getting debit orders coming off my account on a MONTHLY BASIS.

Secondly, I have been working abroad since 2018 and do own a tv.

I am continuously harassed with emails about paying up even though I have made it clear that I am not in South Africa and do not own a tv. I then received another mail last week saying I owe R488. Then today, R503. This is ridiculous!

I want this to stop! I cannot be liable for something I don't own and secondly, as mentioned, I work overseas and return home once a year for a month! No TV. I DON'T OWN A TV!

LICENSE NUMBER [protected]

Dear SABC Support Team,

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request your immediate assistance in resolving a long-standing issue. Since May 25th, 2021, I have been trying to seek assistance regarding my account, which I never signed up for, as I do not own a TV.

I kindly request the following actions:

Close my account: As I do not own a television and have no intention of using SABC services, please close my account immediately.

Confirmation of closure: Once my account has been closed, I would appreciate receiving written confirmation or any relevant documentation stating that my account has been successfully terminated.

I have previously sent multiple emails regarding this matter, but have not received any solution. Your prompt attention to this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your understanding and prompt assistance in closing my account and resolving the TV license matter.

^I’ve been sending emails like the above to SABC for the last year and they haven’t been resolving this issue, yet they send me more bills

To whom it may concern

To my surprise I received this letter today Friday 10 March, which is dated the 6 Feb 2023, Unregistered TV Licence Reference 1742435.

I pay my accounts and I pay the license even though the household does not use SABC, we only use Netflex. I do not appreciate the tone of the letter. Please see payment paid by me on 6 August 2022 for my household. If I understand correctly my next payment is only due in August 2023.

Please rectify your records immediately? I have been living at the same address for 23 years now.

Regards

D. L. Claassen

I have let the SABC Licensing department know that my flat in Cape Town has been sold near end of October 2022, and they had email me a TV Renewal No [protected] - R265. I had emailed to explain and had phoned a few times.

I was asked to get an Affidavit from a Commission of Oaths, which I did from my Auditors, as they were in the Process of doing my Taxes once the flat had been sold. The flat was sold with all the Furniture INCLUDING my TV, and it was explain. It was also emailed to say under the POPIA act, I am not allowed to give any information out with buyers details (as they need to do their own TV License), as it is, I think anyway the TV was broken, and not really working. My Auditors, did email the final Invoice from Transferring Attorneys, which also was proof that the flat no-longer is in my name.

The SABC, can also do a check Via Deeds office, but once again, NO PERSONAL info is allowed to be given out to anyone else with out their permission.

I had emailed it to tvlic.[protected]@sabc.co.za and the last I had phoned SABC on 8/2/23 and spoke to Kagiso Nhlapo (email [protected]@sabc.co.za) to say, it is not possible, and that I should give the Buyers details, and my TV cannot be cancelled, as SABC is excepted from POPIA ACT...

Urgently need help - Charmaine Kriek

I have been emailing SABC since 04-11-2022 being prior to the renewal (tvlic.[protected]@sabc.co.za) and making this the 7th email regarding the cancellation and I have not had one reply.
These dates included 14-11-2022 (tvlic.[protected]@sabc.co.za), 29-11-2022 ([protected]@sabc.co.za), 15-12-2022 (tvlic.[protected]@sabc.co.za) and ([protected]@sabc.co.za), Complaint 11-01-2023 to (tvlic.[protected]@sabc.co.za), 22-01-2023 ([protected]@sabc.co.za) and (tvlic.[protected]@sabc.co.za)

It's is just the most pretentious, fake, show on TV.

Isn't there something a bit more organic close to south African way of life. Because the Parker Anderson show is even not shown in Canada and American where it made. The show from last night 26 January 2023 there is just nothing those kids or adults do that is original not at all. That little brother WOW what a little idiot. No please just remove this shown seriously it got no relevance to South Africa or it citizens.

In July/August this year, as I am now 70 years old, I submitted and paid for a concessionary license. This submission was accepted and acknowledged (see attached email). Since that time I have been subject to continual harassment in the form of phone calls, sms and emails requiring me to pay the balance for a full license. This harassment comes from both SABC Licensing and an attorney.

I find this harassment disturbing, threatening and unprofessional.

I contacted the TV license department and spoke to XOLI MTIMKULU, Audience Services Division, T: [protected], F: [protected]/1 www.tvlic.co.za on the 3rd December 2021 to provide all evidence that I was emigrating. This comprised of the requested affidavit, the proof of the shipping bill of lading for my goods going to the UK (which departed on the 30th November 2021) and my one way ticket to the United Kingdom. I have attached screen shots to show proof of correspondence. I followed up again once I arrived in the UK to confirm my license was cancelled, but never got a response. Since then, I have followed up twice, as I received a bill to pay my license. I do not reside in South Africa, and have not since the 10th December, 2021. Please can you urgently resolve this and ensure my license is cancelled ASAP.

Apparently i have a tv license but i have never in my whole life had a tv nor did i apply for one. Now that my parents has past away i wanted to apply for tv licence to buy a tv. Well i can't because my id has been used. I want the prove of my application and my adres but nobody has come back to me.

Seeing my id has been used it's fraud and i am going to the police with this.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could use the term correctly whilst reporting on the news. You keep referring to blackouts stage 2 etc. Please note that Blackouts is when the entire country loses electricity entirely due to the lack of availability of electricity to the grid. This is not what we are going through. If that was the case it would take days for the country to get it's electricity grid back on line. What we are currently going through is called loadshedding. This is when some areas lose electricity on purpose in order to prevent a blackout. You used to report like this and for some reason you decided to follow the other two local channels we have and refer to them as blackouts. This is just purely not the case.

affidavit

SABC has been harassing us for years.

Account Number [protected]

Account Name MR RC KOPPERT

NOTE that Mr Koppert and I are common law partners and have been living together for many years.

My ID [protected]

TELEVISION LICENCE ACCOUNT No [protected]

Sharon Waddington

I have paid my TV licence for about 36 years.

We live in one house and own only one television set.

We object to this harassment

When Mr Koppert had a tv, he left it with his wife when they divorced, about 30 years ago. His ex wife is DEAD and their children left South Africa years ago.

Kindly send the affidavit or any other documentation to relieve us of this waste of taxpayers money and complete incompetence by the SABC

I cancelled my licence in June 2018. I have since sent emails and made several phone calls. I sent in a police affidavit stating that my TV had been stolen, and since that day have never owned another TV. I tried on numerous occasions to cancel my debit order - I was assured this would be done. But no action was ever taken. I discovered I was paying for a TV licence for that I did not need for a few years! My accountant brought this to my attention and again I contacted SABC to cancel my debit order, I was assured it would be done - and it was NOT done! I then spoke with my bank and I cancelled the debit order on my side. Now I receive endless messages to pay, that I am in arrears, that my matter will be handed over to lawyers. This is very intimidating and frustrating. Last year I spoke with the lawyer and explained my situation. She assured me she would notify SABC [her client] and ensure the matter would be closed. This month I receive ANOTHER threatening sms and lawyers message. I have paid licence fees to SABC for a long period and should legally be able to claim these back, I can not be responsible for the inability of the SABC staff to action their work. I work on the premise that whoever I speak with, whenever I submit documentation that it is actioned. It is not my responsibility to check on the staff of SABC. I want his matter resolved and the case closed. I am happy to escalate this further if necessary. I had been a VERY loyal member of SABC and have since been treated like a criminal! Please can someone assist and sort this out!

I have saved SABC banking details under my husband name as recipient by mistake.

Now I paid a payment intended for my husband's account and it ended up in sabc tv Licence account.

I have informed the bank. All proof was given to me from the bank. I emailed all the above to [protected]@sabc.co.za. I received no response or reference number acknowledging receive of my email.

Phoning a call center is extremely unhelpful.

I would appreciate and value assistance to deal directly with the accounts department please.. asma. [protected]@gmail.com

1. Every time I moved I have notified them of my new address yet they still have an address from 2010
2. I was retrenched in 2016 and I have not found a job since then because of my age and Black Empowerment, I continued to pay for my licence from my paid out pension and retrenchment package, but with all the debt and no income, I had to give up my flat and my furniture and possessions in October 2019. I no longer had use of the TV but continued to pay for it when my children collectively gave me money to survive. My son and my daughter lost their jobs and I stopped paying for the licence; stating on the affidavit that the TV was no longer in my use since Oct'19 and they must cancel it.
I am still getting pestered for payment.

Good day,

I wrote to the SABC to ask a question and simply have not had a response, not unusual, only a thank you for paying your TV Licence.

Below is what I wanted to know from them before paying, needless to say no response, nothing unusual:

I would like to ask how many people have not paid their TV licences and are they been hounded like this, especially all the illegal connections, unlicensed TV's, unknown addresses and the likes?

Furthermore I do not agree and not in favour paying for a service I do not use / watch, we only use service of Netflix and DSTV.

I'm sure the general public feel the same.

Regards
M van Heerden

I have been trying to cancel my TV lic for two years.

- Emailed tvlic.info@sabc.co.za to cancel in July 2019, no reply
- sent another two emails in July, no reply
- researched the subject and obtained an affidavit for which I submitted in 2019 and 2020, no reply
- have followed up tvlic.info@sabc.co.za, no reply

Yet I keep getting billed and handed over to debt collection agencies.

How does one resolve this?

TV Licence number: [protected]

ON 31st August I emailed tvlic.info@sabc.co.za to cancel my tv licences as I was leaving South Africa. I attached the police stamped affidavit. Every day I resend the email. Noone is responding.
I would like a confirmation that it is now cancelled as I do not want a bad credit rating for this.
Can you assist please.

I am a 74 year old pensioner and I paid R820 cash by mistake to SABC at Pick N Pay Aston Manor Kempton Park. My TV Licence is paid up yo date I pay it every Janury and it is only due again in June 2021 I have requested my money back and given all the bank details and not had one response. I wanted to come to your office and collect my money but I cannot drive there can someone hep me please.My TV Licence is920501145728948 and my ID [protected] and I paid it on the 5th February 2021. I have sent all details of my bank account 3 times for a refund please I need my money I am not coping.Please somone phone me. Brenda Moffett [protected] 19 Bezuidenhout Street Glen Marais Kempton Park.

I am beyond annoyed and aggrevated by Sabc tv licence, not only have I been receiving notifications about an outstanding amount, How can I be on arrears where else I bought my TV license in November last year and already in January I'm in arrears? I even went back to hifi corp where I've bought it for them to rectify with sabc and to send proof of payment to them, but up until today it is not fixed. Do your flippin Job let your consultants do what their paid for, update your system so people can pay their TV [protected]@Sabc TV license. If that's how you guys make money out of our hard earned money, I'll never pay it. It will keep increasing I'm tired of sending proof of payment non stop.

Good day,
Today I received a sms stating that I must pay the outstanding fees and that the account has been handed over to attorneys. I DO NOT own a TV, haven't own one since 2013! I have been trying to cancel this, but nobody is filing anything. I have an email from SABC that was sent in 2013, that acknowledges the request for cancellation. I have emailed all the requested paper work, spoken to several people. BUT nothing, just statements. I am really tired of this, I am now also lodging a complaint with ICASA regarding this matter. The SABC is very quick to send their bills and threats, but not with cancelling a licence. TV licence number: [protected]
Please resolve before I get my lawyers involved.
Thank you,
Christelene Stander
[protected]@yahoo.com