In light of recent media coverage and comments in Parliament regarding the SABC, we wish to provide clarity and reassurance. The matters raised, particularly the funding of the SABC’s public service mandate, are not new. They form part of ongoing work by Parliament and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) to address the structural funding model of the SABC, a process which has been under discussion for several years and to which all parties remain committed.

The process of trying to amend the SABC Bill is also not new; it has been in the pipeline for several years. In 2021, the Bill was introduced in Parliament and again in 2023. There were also attempts before then to review the broadcasting policy with the aim of amending legislation to ensure the SABC’s long-term sustainability.

Throughout this period, the SABC’s leadership has implemented stringent financial controls and exercised strong governance to ensure operational stability. These measures have enabled us to continue delivering to audiences and stakeholders without disruption, despite the structural funding challenges that persist. Importantly, in the most recent financial year (2023–2024), the Auditor General of South Africa issued the SABC with an unqualified audit opinion, affirming the strength of our governance, internal controls, and risk management environment. Following that audit opinion, the Executive and Management have continued to actively strengthen and sustain improvements highlighted in last year’s audit.

The SABC has consistently highlighted that fulfilling an extensive public service mandate without adequate public funding is unsustainable. This structural issue affects our ability to compete, invest in fresh and compelling content, and fully deliver on our democratic mandate to inform, educate, and entertain all South Africans. The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee has rightly emphasised the urgency with which government should prioritise and conclude this matter.

We wish to reassure you that the SABC remains on air, fully operational, and committed to its statutory obligations under the Broadcasting Act, 4 of 1999. While financial pressures are real and ongoing, they are being actively managed through prudent measures, commercial growth initiatives, and close engagement with government and stakeholders. Our focus is firmly on maintaining stability, strengthening partnerships, and securing a sustainable funding framework for the future of public broadcasting in South Africa.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership as we work towards a strong, independent, and sustainable SABC.

Yours sincerely,

Nomsa Chabeli

Group Chief Executive Officer

South African Broadcasting Corporation

Johannesburg, Thursday 04 September 2025 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Arise / 365 Digital, Media North and Mediamark as specialist digital sales partners, following a rigorous and competitive procurement process.

These appointments are a key milestone in delivering on SABC’s five-year corporate plan, which sets out to augment commercial capacity and unlock new revenue streams through innovative market approaches. The partnerships are designed to strengthen SABC’s go-to-market capability, not replace it, ensuring the organization continues to evolve with the fast-changing digital media landscape.

Why these partnerships matter:
Broader market coverage – Enhanced representation across SABC’s digital platforms, including SABC+, News, Sport, and Radio.
Specialist expertise – Access to experienced digital sales professionals who can respond quickly to evolving client needs.
Collaboration, not substitution – These partners will work alongside SABC’s internal sales teams, complementing rather than replacing them, to maximise client service and revenue potential.
Delivery on strategy – A tangible step in fulfilling SABC’s commitment, outlined in its corporate plan, to modernize commercial operations while sustaining the core public service mandate.

“These partnerships reflect our determination to position SABC as a competitive, client-focused broadcaster,” said Nomsa Chabeli, Group Chief Executive Officer. “By augmenting our internal sales capability with trusted, specialist partners, we are creating a more agile and comprehensive offering for advertisers and accelerating our journey toward sustainable growth.”

SABC remains committed to transparency and collaboration, ensuring that all agencies and clients are supported through this transition and have access to the best possible service and opportunities.

About SABC
The South African Broadcasting Corporation is the country’s leading public broadcaster, serving millions of South Africans across radio, television, and digital platforms. Guided by its five-year strategy, SABC is focused on modernizing operations, strengthening commercial revenue, and delivering innovative solutions for advertisers and audiences alike.

ENDS.

The creator economy in Africa is no longer an emerging trend – it has become a powerful driver of economic empowerment, cultural influence, and global recognition. What began as a conversation about access – access to tools, spaces, and opportunities has rapidly evolved into a robust ecosystem where creators are building businesses, shaping narratives, and expanding Africa’s footprint on the world stage.

At the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), we recognise this transformative shift. As Africa’s most trusted broadcaster and cultural custodian, we have always been at the centre of storytelling and innovation. Today, as the creator economy redefines what it means to connect, build, and influence, the SABC is stepping forward to ensure that we remain at the heart of culture, technology, and meaningful collaboration. That is why we are proud to have partnered with Africa Creator Fest 2025 – a platform that, in its third year, has become the premier launchpad for Africa’s creator economy.

A Shared Vision for a Thriving Creator Economy

The 2025 festival theme which was, “How to Grow the Creator Economy Through More Streams of Revenue, Outside of Brand Deals” is both timely and necessary. Creators are no longer just influencers, they are entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and business owners who need infrastructure, visibility, and opportunities to grow.

For too long, creators have relied primarily on brand sponsorships, a model vulnerable to shifting budgets and changing algorithms. Today, the most successful creators are those who have diversified their income streams: launching digital products, building merchandise lines, monetising expertise through consulting and masterclasses, and securing grants and funding that allow them to scale. This evolution is central to why the SABC has partnered with Africa Creator Fest. Like the festival, we believe the creator economy must be sustainable, resilient, and capable of delivering generational impact.

Why Collaboration Matters

Collaboration is the heartbeat of the creator economy. Africa Creator Fest has consistently demonstrated how partnerships between creators, brands, and institutions are able to unlock opportunities, spark innovation, and build trust.

For the SABC, this collaboration is deeply strategic. It allows us to:

• Support Growth: Provide creators with access to platforms, audiences, and tools that amplify their impact.
• Foster Innovation: Encourage experimentation with new digital models that extend beyond traditional broadcasting.
• Champion Culture: Elevate authentic African voices that resonate both locally and globally.

Through this partnership, the SABC is investing not just in creators, but in the future of the digital economy itself.

For decades, South Africa has been a leader in creative industries, from music and film to advertising and design. The creator economy represents the next frontier, and the SABC is proud to play a central role in shaping it. We are ensuring that Africa’s creator economy is built not on fleeting trends but on sustainable growth and generational wealth. By aligning with Africa Creator Fest, we are reinforcing our mandate as both a connector and an enabler. We are ensuring that youth, who are the heartbeat of digital innovation – see the SABC not just as a broadcaster, but as a collaborator in their creative and entrepreneurial journeys.

The Africa Creator Fest is proof that African creators are not just participants in the global economy, they are leaders shaping its future. The future of African creativity is digital, collaborative, and unstoppable. As they build, innovate, and influence, the SABC will continue to stand with them at the centre fold of culture and collaboration. Through meaningful partnerships like these, the SABC is ensuring that the continent’s creative voices are not only amplified but sustained for generations to come.

ENDS

Media Enquiries: Mmoni Ngubane (Head: Communications)

Ngubanemv@sabc.co.za | T. 011 714 3057 | C. 073 688 1590

Bloemfontein – Friday, 12 September 2025 – In honour of Heritage Month, Lesedi FM has teamed up with renowned fashion brand Katiba Africa to launch the Lesedi FM x Katiba Africa Hat Collection, a bold and culturally inspired hat collection that celebrates African identity, creativity, and pride.

This exciting collaboration merges Lesedi FM’s deep-rooted connection to Sesotho culture with Katiba Africa’s innovative design ethos. The result is a vibrant range of hats that pay tribute to tradition while embracing modern African fashion.

Each hat features design elements inspired by Sesotho heritage, African symbolism, and the dynamic spirit of Lesedi FM’s audience. The collection is a celebration of unity, style, and storytelling, values that both brands hold dear.

Jabulile Khumalo-Mpherwane, Marketing Manager at Lesedi FM says, “Launching this collection during Heritage Month was intentional. It’s a time when South Africans reflect on who we are, and this collection allows our listeners to wear that pride on their heads literally.”

Matseliso Morobela, Founder of Katiba Africa states, “We wanted to create something that speaks to the soul of Africa. Partnering with Lesedi FM during Heritage Month made this launch even more meaningful.”

In addition to the hats, Lesedi FM and Katiba Africa are thrilled to announce that a T-shirt range is also in development and will be launching soon. The upcoming line is designed to offer something for everyone, from bold fashion statements to everyday wear ensuring that fans and listeners can express their identity in style.

The Lesedi FM x Katiba Africa Hat Collection is now available online and at these select retail outlets:

• The Colony, Shop 06 Waterfront Mall – Bloemfontein, South Africa.

• DesignedbyBarbz, Shop C9 Sundowner Plaza – Randburg, South Africa.

• The Colony, Pioneer Mall – Maseru, Lesotho.

Hats vary from R550 to R1064 and T-shirts will retail at R250. 

Fans can follow Lesedi FM’s social media platforms for exclusive content, giveaways, and styling inspiration.

Visit Katibaafrica.com for more information on the hat collection.

ENDS

Issued By:                        Group Communications

Media Enquiries:            Mmoni Ngubane (Head of Communications)

NgubaneMV@sabc.co.za T. 011 714 3057| C. 073 688 1590

Johannesburg – Tuesday, 9 September 2025 – This summer, the continent unites for Africa’s biggest football showdown -The TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 (AFCON). Coming LIVE to SABC 2, SABC Sport, SABC Plus and your favourite SABC radio stations, the AFCON 2025 broadcast partnership is proudly supported by Hollywoodbets and SABC.

From 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, millions of South Africans will have free and easy access
to all 52 thrilling matches, rallying behind Bafana Bafana as they compete for continental glory. Fans
can expect to experience every goal and victory. This collaboration ensures that millions of South
Africans have free and easy access to all the excitement across multiple SABC platforms, reinforcing
the unifying power of sport in the nation.

In addition to AFCON 2025, SABC Sport and Hollywoodbets have joined forces to bring live coverage
of the FIFA World Cup 26, Horse Racing and English Premier League (EPL). Over the next three
seasons, SABC Sport will broadcast 38 live Premier League matches per season, covering the
2025/2026 to 2027/2028 football seasons furthering its commitment to making world-class sports
accessible to all South Africans.

Keletso Totlhanyo, Head of SABC Sport said, “At the SABC, we believe sport is a powerful unifier. Our
partnership with Hollywoodbets ensures that every South African can enjoy the passion and pride of
our national teams and global sporting events for free, inaccessible ways. We look forward to bringing
the energy of AFCON 2025 to homes nationwide and standing together behind Bafana Bafana. SABC
Sport is also proud to continue its collaboration with Hollywoodbets beyond the AFCON, for future
sporting events.”

Morgan Shandu, Head of Operations at Hollywoodbets said, “At Hollywoodbets, we’re proud to support
our local communities and the sport that unites us all. Partnering with SABC again to bring AFCON to
every South African home is an important step in making top-quality African football accessible to fans
nationwide. We’re thrilled to share the excitement of this tournament and celebrate the passion of
football lovers across the country.”

Unite Around the Beautiful Game

Whether gathered in family living rooms, local taverns, or community sports halls, South Africans can
come together to experience live football on SABC Sport. Tune in, turn up the excitement, and join the
nationwide celebration because here, it’s Game On Everywhere.

About SABC Sport

As the Home for Universal Access to Sport and Football, SABC Sport champions South Africa’s passion
for athletic excellence. Through free-to-air broadcasting on television, radio, and digital platforms, we
deliver live coverage of premier football alongside rugby, cricket, athletics, and more ensuring every
South African enjoys the sporting moments that unite us all.

Issued By:
SABC and Hollywoodbets
Media Enquiries:
Mmoni Ngubane (SABC: Head of Communications)
ngubanemv@sabc.co.za T. 011 714 3057| C. 073 688 1590

Editorial and general enquiries Hollywoodbets: For further information, please contact: Kuhle
Mkize, Hollywoodbets PR and Communications Manager at KuhleM@hollywoodbets.net Tel: 078
1189 609

s

Johannesburg – Wednesday, 03 September 2025 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) proudly congratulates two of its distinguished board members on their academic milestones. The Corporation is delighted to celebrate Dr Khathutshelo Mike Ramukumba and Dr Phathiswa Magopeni, who were both conferred with their doctoral degrees on 02 September 2025.

Dr Ramukumba, currently serving as the Chairperson of the SABC Board, earned his PhD from the University of Pretoria. His research, titled “Collective Leadership Practices in Plural Organizations: A Social Constructionist Autoethnographic Investigation of South African State-Owned Entities”, reflects his commitment to advancing leadership within public institutions. Beyond SABC, he has served on various boards including the Ekurhuleni Development Agency and Youth Development Institute of South Africa (YDISA).

Dr Magopeni, a powerhouse in media leadership, was awarded with a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).  Her dissertation titled ‘The multidimensionality and adaptability of organisational legitimacy and revenue model innovation in commercially funded news media in South Africa” explored the interface between organisational legitimacy and revenue model innovation and proposed a framework for revenue model innovation in environments with competing legitimacy requirements.

Dr Magopeni currently serves on the SABC Board and chairs the Public Broadcasting Service Committee as well as the Audit and Risk Committee. She is the Executive Director of the Press Council of South Africa, Vice-Chair of African Women in Media, Board Member of the Network of Independent Media Councils in Africa. Her influence extents across national and continental platforms, championing media integrity and representation.

The Group CEO of the SABC, Ms Nomsa Chabeli stated that “These achievements are not only personal triumphs but also a source of inspiration for the entire SABC family. We take immense pride in the excellence and dedication of our leadership. Their accomplishments remind us that with vision and perseverance, we can all reach greater heights.”

The SABC leadership and staff at large salute Dr Ramukumba and Dr Magopeni and wish them continued success as they soar even higher in their professional journeys.

ENDS

Issued By:                        Group Communications

Media Enquiries:            Mmoni Ngubane (Head of Communications)

NgubaneMV@sabc.co.za T. 011 714 3057| C. 073 688 1590

Johannesburg – Thursday, 14 August 2025 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has noted several media reports regarding the development of its new Sales operating model and would like to provide clarity. The Corporation is not engaged in a process aimed at reducing headcount in the sales division. Instead, the Corporation has initiated an organisational design review to ensure that the sales function is fit for purpose, both for the current market realities and for the future.

The intent of this process is not to cut costs, but to realign roles, reorganise functions, and create efficiencies that better serve our mandate and commercial objectives. The final structure may result in the same number of roles or even an increase, depending on the outcome of the consultation process. All affected employees will have the opportunity to be considered for roles in the new structure.

It is therefore misleading and irresponsible to report that the SABC’s objective is to “get rid” of staff. Our focus remains on strengthening our sales function to better compete in the market and to safeguard the SABC’s sustainability.

We acknowledge and sincerely thank our sales teams for their continued commitment, resilience, and dedication in driving the SABC’s commercial efforts. We appreciate their understanding and patience as we work through this process together.

ENDS

Issued By:                        Group Communications

Media Enquiries:            Mmoni Ngubane (Head of Communications)

NgubaneMV@sabc.co.za T. 011 714 3057| C. 073 688 1590

Johannesburg – Friday, 8 August 2025 – The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) wishes to correct recent media reports and public commentary that have misrepresented the nature of government funding allocated to the public broadcaster, during the recent budget vote by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT).

Contrary to the current narrative suggesting that the SABC has received a new government grant or bailout totalling R704 million for the 2025/26 fiscal year, the Corporation would like to clarify the matter and state the following:

1. This is not new or additional funding.

The R704 million mentioned by the Honourable Minister, Solly Malatsi during the department’s recent budget vote refers to a Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) allocation spread over three years, and not a once-off disbursement. This equates to approximately R235 million per year over the MTEF period. Furthermore, it is important to note that the current MTEF allocation of R704 million is in fact lower than the total allocation received by the SABC in the previous MTEF period.

2. The funding is earmarked for specific public interest content.

This allocation is a continuation of a long-standing commitment by government to support the production and acquisition of children’s programming, educational and religious content as well as support towards Channel Africa in line with the SABC’s public service mandate. These funds are ringfenced and will be used strictly for the purposes for which they were allocated, to ensure that
the Corporation continues to deliver quality educational content to the SABC’s audiences, especially underserved communities.

3. No new bailout or discretionary grant has been received.

It is important to underscore that the SABC has not received any new or discretionary government grant as continuously purported by some media publications. The referenced funding forms part of previously committed support under the DCDT’s content policy priorities and is reflected accordingly in the national budget.

The SABC acknowledges with appreciation the continued support it receives from government and reiterates its long-standing view that the public broadcasting mandate, as set out in law, ideally requires full funding by the state to be sustainably fulfilled. While the current allocation provides valuable support, it covers only a portion of the total cost associated with delivering on the SABC’s constitutional and developmental obligations. The Corporation remains committed to ongoing and constructive engagement with all relevant stakeholders on this important matter.

ENDS
Issued By: Group Communications
Media Enquiries: Mmoni Ngubane (Head: Communications)
Ngubanemv@sabc.co.za | T. 011 714 3057 | C. 073 688 1590

Johannesburg – Monday, 28 July 2025- SABC Sport announces the departure of Simphiwe Dludlu, respected broadcaster, former Banyana Banyana captain, and one of South Africa’s most prominent voices in football. Simphiwe officially exits the SABC after a trailblazing tenure that began in 2022, concluding with her final broadcast on SoccerZone, which aired Monday, 28 July 2025.

Since joining SABC Sport, Simphiwe brought an unmatched depth of football knowledge, credibility, and charisma to the screen. Her presence became synonymous with insightful analysis, professional excellence, and the continued elevation of women in sport both on and off air.

One of her most significant roles was as an analyst on the flagship football show, SoccerZone. Simphiwe quickly became a fan favourite, known for her balanced commentary, strong on-screen presence, and ability to break down the technical aspects of the game in an accessible and engaging way. Her voice helped shape national conversations around domestic and international football, and she played a crucial role in broadening the show’s appeal to a more diverse audience, also with her ability to connect to SABC’s audiences in various languages.

Throughout her tenure at SABC Sport, Simphiwe served as lead analyst and commentator for the SABC’s broadcast of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, AFCON 2024, the CAF Women’s Champions League, Bafana Bafana matches, FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, AFCON 2025 qualifiers and the COSAFA Women’s Championships and on weekends doing analysis for PSL matches on SABC Sport, among others. Her expert coverage during these events brought fresh perspective and authenticity, particularly in spotlighting the achievements of women as leading football analysts across the board for both men and women football.

In 2022, she provided critical coverage and analysis during one of the most historic moments in South African sport Banyana Banyana’s WAFCON victory. Her heartfelt and insightful commentary resonated deeply with viewers, creating a shared national moment of pride and celebration.

“Beyond her on-screen brilliance, Simphiwe made a lasting impact behind the scenes. She was a mentor to many up-and-coming sports journalists and presenters, with a particular passion for empowering young women entering the industry. Her commitment to talent development and leadership within the newsroom has left a legacy that will continue to shape SABC Sport long after her departure.” Keletso Totlhanyo, Head of SABC Sport.

She was also an active supporter and voice for grassroots and youth football initiatives, using her platform to highlight the importance of developing talent at community level. Her commitment to empowering the next generation of footballers has contributed to SABC Sport’s mission of being a catalyst for social impact through sport.

ENDS

Issued By: Group Communications

Media Enquiries: Mmoni Ngubane (Head: Communications)

Ngubanemv@sabc.co.za | T. 011 714 3057 | C. 073 688 1590