SABC Left to Beg as Treasury Denies R120m for 2026 Election Coverage

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has been denied the R120 million it requested to cover the upcoming local government elections on November 4, a decision that threatens to undermine democratic participation and leave voters in the dark. The National Treasury has confirmed it will not provide the additional funding, despite the public broadcaster's constitutional mandate to serve all South Africans.

Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi confirmed the funding shortfall in a written response to parliamentary questions from IFP MP Alco Ngobese. There is currently no allocation of R120 million from National Treasury for the local government elections, Malatsi said, adding that his department had supported the SABC's submission through both the 2026/27 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) process and the 2025/26 adjustment process. Despite these efforts, the requested funds were simply not provided.

Why is the SABC election funding critical for South African democracy?

The SABC remains the only broadcaster with the reach to cover every corner of the country, from urban townships to deep rural villages. In a nation still healing from the wounds of apartheid, where access to information was historically weaponised against the black majority, the public broadcaster's role in ensuring fair and adequate coverage for all political parties is not a luxury. It is a democratic necessity.

In August, the SABC told Parliament that it operates from a normal budget for news and current affairs, whereas an election year demands scaled-up coverage to provide fair and adequate coverage for all political parties and independent candidates. The R120 million was requested specifically to meet this obligation, yet the Treasury has turned its back.

What does the funding denial mean for voters and political parties?

Khusela Sangoni-Diko, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, did not mince words. This matter should never have been left to be the challenge it is now, as this could jeopardise the depth and scope of the public broadcaster's election coverage, thus leaving parties unevenly profiled, she said. The warning is clear: without adequate funding, smaller parties and independent candidates, often those representing black communities and grassroots movements, will be sidelined in favour of those with deeper pockets.

SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli had expressed the intention to cover the elections wall-to-wall, at the same level as the 2024 national and general elections. Any lower envelope requires immediate approved reprioritisation. The approved envelope will determine the scale, depth, technical ambition and resilience of the operational model, she said, holding out hope that funds would still be allocated before the elections. That hope has now been dashed.

Is the SABC being deliberately defunded?

This denial comes amid a broader crisis for the public broadcaster. The National Treasury allocated R728.8 million for the 2026/27 financial year for subsidies covering the public broadcasting mandate, programme productions, and Channel Africa. However, a separate R700 million in the Special Appropriations Bill was directed to the South African Post Office business rescue and Sentech's liquidity crisis, not to the SABC.

The department is now considering a new funding model for the SABC, following research by BMIT Knowledge Group, appointed in September 2025. The firm's final report has been submitted and considered by the SABC and Treasury, but no preferred model has been selected. Meanwhile, the broadcaster's revenue continues to decline and its financial challenges mount.

Sangoni-Diko's words resonate deeply: the SABC cannot be expected to fulfil its critical public service and democratic mandate while it continues to be chronically defunded. For comparison, the SABC received just R35 million for the 2024 elections, a fraction of what was needed then and now.

What happens next for the SABC and the 2026 elections?

With the elections less than two months away, the SABC must now reprioritise its existing budget, a move that will inevitably reduce the depth and scope of its coverage. The public broadcaster has a duty to reach every voter, but it cannot do so on an empty purse.

This is not merely a budgetary issue. It is a question of whether South Africa truly values the democratic rights of all its people, or whether it will allow the public broadcaster to be starved into irrelevance. The SABC belongs to the people. Its funding is not a favour from the Treasury. It is a debt owed to the millions who rely on it for their voice.

FAQ

How much funding did the SABC request for the 2026 elections?

The SABC requested R120 million from the National Treasury to cover the local government elections scheduled for November 4, 2026. The request was not granted.

Why does the SABC need extra funding for election coverage?

Election coverage requires scaled-up operations to provide fair and adequate coverage for all political parties and independent candidates across the entire country. The SABC operates from a normal budget for news, which is insufficient for the demands of an election year.

What was the SABC's funding for the 2024 elections?

National Treasury documents show the SABC received R35 million for the 2024 national and general elections, significantly less than the R120 million requested for the upcoming local government elections.

What are the consequences of the funding denial?

Without the funding, the SABC will have to reprioritise its existing budget, potentially reducing the depth and scope of its election coverage. This could leave smaller parties and independent candidates unevenly profiled, undermining the democratic process.