I paid my TV licence last month. Not willingly, but rather unconsciously, as I had agreed to an annual debit order a long time ago.
And every year when the amount comes off, it irks me to no end.
It irks me for several reasons, mostly because I don’t own a working TV anymore.
But also because when I did, the terribly inferior content meant we hardly ever watched SABC TV.
I fully appreciate the need for a public broadcaster with a public mandate that will be both representative and educational.
But the SABC is just barely able to cling to any of those principles.
It has fallen into the global trend of cheap, inferior shows that inevitably means “reality TV”, that does nothing other than erode away any remaining values we may hold dear.
The one reason that had me considering the SABC was so my kids could watch 7de Laan to help them with their Afrikaans. Now even that tiny light of optimism has been removed, because the broadcaster can’t afford to pay the production company anymore.
So when I heard that one of the considerations is to give TV licence collection over to SARS, it made me feel some kind of way.
Especially since I still can’t get the bitter taste out my mouth of the golden handshakes of the past, most notably Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
He is now using the millions given to him to pay legal fees to fight the court ruling ordering him to repay it, with interest.
All of these things are what makes people like me very angry at the SABC’s ever-increasingly creative determination to collect licence fees from citizens, while neglecting to clean their house out first.
I’ll admit that using a universal tax collected by SARS is a clever funding model. But considering the ongoing climate of equally creative forms of theft and corruption at government bodies, the only guarantee we have is that the increased revenue will disappear.
It has become more and more true that a lack of accountability paired with the deep pockets that our taxes provide, leads to greed that has now become the norm.
And instead of addressing the rot with clever programmes, government comes up with clever programmes that will sustain the status quo.
Take the idea to collect Joburg’s outstanding municipal debt at road blocks, as another example.
It’s almost certainly illegal, but not bad as an idea that can create enough worry that residents may just be spurred into paying.
But again, why not come up with equally innovative ideas to address the problems inside the council, so that they stop throwing money down the drain?
Also, deal with service delivery, crime and the cost of living, which will eventually encourage citizens to fund the progress by willingly paying their taxes.
I believe everyone has now had enough of a taste of how bad things can get.
We have been through the ringer over the past few years. From water shortages and natural disasters, to pandemic misinformation, unemployment, crippling price hikes, crime and every form of corruption known to man.
These are all very good reference points and examples of what we don’t want anymore.
Fix these things; keep the wheels of progress well-oiled; and put hard-working, intelligent, honest people in charge.
Do this, and knowing where we come from, I’m convinced most citizens will willingly pay their dues, to keep more good things coming.
This alone will give the SABC excellent local content to show us. And cause me to happily pay my TV licence.
breinou@gmail.com