Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)

QUICK READ

- Bureau

THE SABC has ruled out asking for another bailout despite a decline in revenue collection, its chief financial officer, Yolande van Biljon, told the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) this week.

Van Biljon said the SABC’s revenue was about R1.4 billion less than what they had budgeted for this year and that the expenditur­e was about R1.8bn less. She said the decline in revenue in sponsorshi­p and TV licences in 2020-21 was mainly in the first and second quarters when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.

Van Biljon said the SABC had invested in marketing, among other things, this year. She also told Scopa the SABC had not used its available R15 million overdraft and R280m debt financing facility.

The broadcaste­r also did not have loans, except the financial management leases for its fleet of vehicles.

“We are, in this financial year, likely to end (with) around R200m to R300m loss against the budget of R600m loss.

“We have just on the 28th (February) finalised our corporate plan for the next three years. We (shall) endeavour to make break-even or a profit in the next three financial years,” Van Biljon said.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from South Africa