TV licence definition upsets consumers
A seemingly minor change in the wording of the SABC’s TV licence reminder e-mails has consumers up in arms.
Beeld reports that the annual reminder e-mail warns members of the public that broadcasting legislation requires a valid TV licence for the use or possession of a television set.
However, this uncontroversial sentence was followed for the first time with a sentence that this includes a monitor without receiving capabilities which could be connected to a receiving device, such as a ‘digital box/decoder, DVD or PC etc.’
The SABC’s website still reflects the narrower definition of a television set contained in the Broadcasting Act.
Although it is not explicitly mentioned, consumers quickly pointed out that the SABC’s interpretation could mean that people require a television licence to stream content on their computers.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
