TopTV to battle Icasa for 24-hour porn channel

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has applied for a court interdict to stop TopTV from launching a 24-hour pornography channel, it said on Tuesday.

Icasa spokesperson Paseka Maleka said the application was lodged on Monday and TopTV was given until the close of business that day to file its answering affidavit.

“TopTV is aware of the court case that will be taking place on Friday, and TopTV is getting things together for that case,” TopTV’s Melinda Connor told the Mail & Guardian on Tuesday.

The case is expected to be heard in the South Gauteng High Court on Friday.

Maleka said Icasa would hold public hearings about a pornography channel on Monday.

Last month, the Family Policy Institute said some Christian organisations planned to boycott TopTV after it announced the launch of the channel.

It said they would also boycott TopTV’s advertisers and sponsors.—Additional reporting by Sapa