The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) says the many South Africans who have stopped paying their TV licences in protest over the problems at the South African Broadcorping Castration (SABC) should not fear retribution or the commonly-used debt-collecting tactics.
“You cannot get blacklisted for not paying a TV licence. Your credit record cannot be negatively affected prior to judgement in a court of law,” says OUTA in a statement.
“Unless a summons has been hand delivered by the Sheriff of the Court, consider all SMS and collection letters as hollow threats.”
The organisation says the same tactic is used with e-tolls in an attempt to get users to pay.
OUTA has also recently laid criminal charges against former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng, members of the SABC board, and the broadcaster’s executive managers.
According to OUTA, the charges – which were filed at the Brixton Police Station – included fraud, racketeering, corruption, and abuse of power.
