SABC Channels Still Available In Zimbabwe As Setench Fights Order

Sentech the company responsible for transmitting the SABC channels has challenged the court order to block access beyond South African borders.

The order which came earlier this year had told Sentech to “take all reasonable steps necessary” to make sure the signal did not go beyond South Africa’s borders after eBostwana won a High Court case in Johannesburg.

It means that viewers with free-to-air decoders will be able to view the channels pending the outcome of the appeal. The expectation is that this will take a few months.

SABC has no control over its signals. Its content rides on Sentech and Sentech does not seem keen on playing ball.

Zimbabweans have over the last ten years taken to SABC for entertainment given the lack of diversity and quality on local state-owned TV. While some people see the new Channel 2 as an improvement, the fact that its signal is limited to just 80km outside the capital means that that rest of country is frozen out.

Of course the current situation does very little for local entertainment as it never features on South African TV. Mind you, when you think about, with ZBC not keen on paying royalties we are not sure there are that many people who fancy having their content on ZBC either.