Parliament to Fast-Track Digital Laws as SABC, SAPO Face Crisis Warnings

The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies has announced that it will fast-track new legislation to modernise South Africa’s communications framework and align it with the realities of the digital era.

Committee Chairperson Khusela Sangoni-Diko said on Tuesday that outdated laws remain one of the biggest barriers to progress, affecting innovation, transformation, and the ability of state entities such as the SABC, Sentech, the South African Post Office (SAPO) and the Postbank to adapt to rapid technological change.

Outdated Laws in a Digital Age

“Our communications laws were largely designed for an analogue era and are not fit for purpose in a fast-changing digital environment characterised by artificial intelligence, e-commerce, internet of things, blockchain and many other technologies,” Sangoni-Diko said.

The Chairperson warned that unless Parliament acted decisively, South Africa risked falling behind on platform regulation, media sustainability, and digital transformation.

The committee confirmed that its upcoming legislative agenda will include:

• Committee-initiated bills to speed up legal reform.

• Amendments to the Electronic Communications Act.

• New laws governing over-the-top (OTT) digital services such as streaming platforms, ensuring platform accountability.

• Protections for the media sector to safeguard press freedom and sustainability.

“Ours is to ensure that our legal framework keeps pace with global technological advancements,” Sangoni-Diko stressed.

Progress and Challenges in Connectivity

The committee welcomed the rollout of over 3,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots under the SA Connect programme, which currently serves about four million South Africans.

“Young people and people in rural areas are beginning to access the opportunities the digital world offers,” Sangoni-Diko said.

However, she warned that school connectivity remained a “pipe dream” for many learners, urging the Departments of Communications and Digital Technologies and Basic Education to accelerate universal school internet access.

SABC on the Brink

The committee also raised urgent concerns about the future of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), warning that the public broadcaster faces imminent collapse.

The SABC continues to suffer severe financial and operational challenges, with Sentech losing more than R70 million per month in subsidising its signal costs.

“The SABC Bill – essential to ensuring sustainability – remains stalled in Parliament. As the SABC teeters on the brink of collapse, jobs, livelihoods, and the sustainability of public and community broadcasting are at risk,” Sangoni-Diko said.

She urged the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to work with National Treasury to invest in the SABC, warning that government risked losing a strategic public asset.

“The public broadcaster has not had a technology or infrastructure refresh in more than a decade. The SABC is not asking for a bailout. It needs recapitalisation. The time for decisive action is now,” she said.

Delayed Digital Migration

The committee also expressed frustration at government’s failure to complete the long-delayed digital migration process.

South Africa missed the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2015 deadline to switch off analogue television broadcasts, and nearly a decade later, the process remains unfinished.

“Digital content creators are calling for space on the channels promised to them as part of migration. Ten years later, South Africa continues to squander the economic and technological benefits. The department and the Minister must finalise this matter urgently,” Sangoni-Diko warned.

Post Office Business Rescue

Turning to the South African Post Office (SAPO), the committee stressed the need for a sustainable turnaround plan.

Two years into business rescue, SAPO has spent nearly R250 million on business rescue practitioner fees, lost thousands of jobs, and continues to struggle to stabilise operations.

“While we welcome signs of stabilisation, a sustainable turnaround plan remains elusive,” Sangoni-Diko said.

She emphasised that SAPO remains a strategic state institution, particularly for underserved communities, and called on leadership to diversify revenue streams and use its vast infrastructure for broader service delivery.

A Race Against Time

The committee’s warnings come as South Africa faces urgent decisions about the future of its communications sector, with legislative reform, financial investment, and digital migration all overdue.

In the coming weeks, Parliament is expected to debate new bills that could reshape the regulatory environment, modernise state-owned communications entities, and ensure that South Africa is better prepared for the demands of the digital economy.