CAPE TOWN — The South African Broadcasting Corporation says it requires approximately R120 million to deliver comprehensive coverage of the 2026 Local Government Elections, prompting Parliament to call for urgent funding of the public broadcaster.

The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies raised concern about the SABC’s financial position after receiving a briefing on the broadcaster’s readiness for the elections.

According to Parliament, the corporation estimates that about R120 million will be required to support its election coverage operations.

The money would be used to fund an extensive nationwide operation involving news teams, political debates, voter education, outside broadcasts, election-related programming and the dissemination of election results.

Committee chairperson Khusela Sangoni Diko said the SABC should not be expected to fulfil its public-service election mandate while remaining chronically underfunded.

The committee warned that inadequate funding could affect the depth and scope of the broadcaster’s coverage and potentially result in political parties receiving uneven exposure.

Why election coverage costs so much

Local government elections involve thousands of political contests spread across municipalities and wards throughout the country.

Unlike a single national political event, broadcasters must deploy journalists, producers, technical teams and equipment across multiple provinces while simultaneously providing national election programming.

The SABC’s proposed election operation includes political debates, voter education, live broadcasts, news reporting and results coverage.

Parliament said the scale and complexity of the election requires significant personnel, technological and broadcasting resources.

Funding concerns return

The funding dispute also revives the longstanding question of how South Africa should finance its public broadcaster.

The committee criticised what it described as slow progress towards a sustainable public-broadcasting funding model.

It said the SABC had already requested dedicated election funding last year and that the matter should not have been allowed to reach the current stage.

Parliament has indicated that it will continue monitoring both the broadcaster’s election preparations and progress in securing the required funding.

Why this matters for voters

The dispute goes beyond the finances of one broadcaster.

The SABC remains one of the few media organisations capable of reaching audiences nationally through television, radio and digital platforms, including communities where access to commercial or subscription media may be limited.

If financial constraints reduce election coverage, voters could receive less information about candidates, parties and local issues ahead of the polls.

The committee has therefore stressed that election coverage must remain fair, balanced and equitable across political parties.

The key question now is whether government will provide the requested R120 million and what the SABC’s election coverage will look like if it does not.

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