Now That The SABC’s Gone What Are We Gonna Do?

So Sentech finally scrambled the SABC link to Zimbabwe on 1 July leaving loads of locals somewhat stranded. We say stranded because that is the song to say.

Are we sad or sorry for those affected. We feel must but in reality we aren’t.

To be honest SABC is for South Africans in South Africa and they bankroll it so it should really benefit them and them only. This business of thinking that we can leech off other people because we can’t be bothered to fix our own lot is silly. The South Africans pay licenses every month to make sure the quality of broadcasting is right up there with the best of them. Zimbabweans complain about ZBC yet they can’t be bothered to pay licenses to improve the quality of entertainment.

Sure there are a bunch of knobs at the state broadcaster but in reality we can’t make demands from a service we do not pay for.

In any case the continued broadcasting of SABC in Zimbabwe was simply put, a security threat. This is not to suggest in any way that SABC did anything untoward. It simply means that its unfettered access to media space in Zimbabwe means South Africa if it wished could push its own agenda on Zimbabwe if it wished because an audience of roughly 3 million whose bodies are Zimbabwe but their minds and souls are in across the border.

That said, it is just a matter of time before a few geeks out there decrypt the signal.

Until then unless people go for that $10 DSTv bouquet, it is time to get intimate with Mai Chisamba, Talking Farming or some movie only ever watched by the cast and crew from some dark corner of the 80s.

Ah life…