SABC on the brink of collapse, warns Khusela Sangoni-Diko

CAPE TOWN - Communications and Digital Technologies Committee chairperson, Khusela Sangoni-Diko, has warned that the SABC is on the brink of collapse.

She said the public broadcaster is teetering on collapse because of outdated infrastructure, legislation, as well as an inadequate funding model.

Sangoni-Diko was addressing an economic cluster portfolio media briefing in parliament on Monday.

The economics cluster briefing by the committee chairperson from transport and communications was titled Opening New Economic Opportunities.

But communications committee chairperson Sangoni-Diko said the ITC sector is functioning under outdated legislation and requires a new approach.

She said the SABC is one such entity that faces a complete collapse as a result.

"The SABC is on the brink of collapse. It’s burdened by unsustainable debt, outdated infrastructure and a broken funding model. When we spoke about the SABC and we said, among others, that the withdrawal of the SABC bill is sounding a death knell on the institution, we were told we were being alarmist," said Sangoni Diko.

Sangoni-Diko added that the SABC bill is still stalling in parliament and has called for the urgent processing of the bill to address the SABC’s financial and operational challenges.