WEDNESDAY, 3.30PM
TWO Afrikaans television viewers in Pretoria are refusing to pay their licence fees on the grounds that the SABC is failing in its constitutional duty to protect and promote indigenous languages.
SABC lawyers spent five hours in negotiations on Tuesday at Pretoria’s magistrates court with Theresa Benade and JC van der Merwe, who are backed by the Junior Raportryers Beweging. It was eventually agreed that because the matter involves constitutional issues, it would be referred to the Pretoria High Court.
Benade owes just under R1 000 in fees and penalties over three years, and Van Der Mewe owes about R300 over one year. The two argue that Afrikaans is the third most widely used language in South Africa, spoken by 15% of the population, but gets only 3% of SABC air time. English, spoken by 9%, gets the bulk of air time.
The SABC’s response has been that the two have no bona fide reason not to pay their fees, and that the language issue is simply a delaying tactic.