SABC SOC Ltd Bill: Draft Revised Version Slated for 2026/27 Gazetting

Posted 09 October 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Parliament

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The Department of Communications & Digital Technologies has scheduled the gazetting of a draft revised South African Broadcasting Company SOC Ltd Bill for public comment during the fourth quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.

In terms of the Department’s 2026/27 Annual Performance Plan, presented to the National Assembly Portfolio Committee on Communications & Digital Technologies in April 2026, the forthcoming draft Bill will formally integrate a restructured funding model to support the public broadcaster’s financial sustainability. Performance monitoring documentation tabled before the committee on 6 October 2026 confirms that a preliminary draft business case for the funding model has been concluded, following a February 2026 briefing outlining funding options.

The revised measure will supersede the previous iteration of the SABC SOC Ltd Bill introduced to Parliament in October 2023. Although Minister of Communications & Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi announced the withdrawal of the 2023 draft via media statement in November 2024, the Bill remains formally before Parliament due to unresolved procedural processes governing parliamentary withdrawals.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual compliance obligations take effect; statutory television licence regimes remain fully in force under current law pending parliamentary passage of new legislation.
  • For your business: Commercial broadcasting, production, and digital media enterprises are subject to no immediate levy or carriage changes, but should prepare to review proposed funding mechanisms when the draft text is released for comment in Q4 2026/27.
  • For your clients: Telecommunications, technology, and broadcasting sector clients risk prospective regulatory or levy restructuring under the incoming funding model and should schedule formal review once gazetted.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/sabc-soc-ltd-bill-slow-progress-with-draft-revised-version

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