YCLSA on SABC decision over 2018-2019 PSL matches

3 August 2018

As the YCLSA (uFasimba) we condemn the South African Broadcasting Corporation's (SABC) insensitive decision not to broadcast Premier Soccer League (PSL) matches on radio in this 2018-2019 season.

Many people, especially in townships and rural areas, do not have access to television, but rather rely on radio. In fact, the South African Advertising Research Foundation (2015) indicates that there are more than 38.7% million people who rely on radio for information, including sporting news. And SABC inarguarbly takes a huge chunk of this percentage.

Our understanding is that SABC is a public broadcaster, as such it must carry the interests and aspirations of the public, especially the poor, into consideration in whatever decisions it takes beyond profit-making.

Therefore, the fact that the 'decision follows careful consideration of the SABC's business operations' holds no water, unless SABC uses the neo-liberal 'user-pay' model to offer services to the public. And if that is the case, it would go against the SABC mandate of being a public broadcaster.

We also find it quite unprofessional for the PSL to have failed to have had discussions with the SABC way before the start of the 2018-2019 season over the rights to broadcast PSL games both over the radio and TV.

The YCLSA urges SABC and PSL to sit down and find an amicable solution and thus overturn a decision that is likely to affect a lot of poor people if not resolved.

We also call for the political principals of the Ministries of Sports and Communication, who are public representatives, to help resolve the matter as soon as yesterday.

Issued by the YCLSA

Molaodi Wa Sekake
National Spokesperson
078 164 3668