Speaking at a Zimbabwe Digital Broadcast Content creators meeting in Hwange on Friday, disgruntled residents said it was unfair for them to pay Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) licence fees since they have never had access to local television and radio programmes since independence.
Mr Cephas Chinhaba said:
We don’t understand why we’re being forced to pay for radio and television licences yet we don’t receive ZBC signals. It’s not our fault that Government is yet to service our area as far as transmission is concerned. We therefore want to be exempted from paying radio and television licences until we’re able to receive transmission. ZBC should be able to discharge its mandate first before demanding money from us.
Another resident Mr Godfrey Sibanda said traffic police officers were also demanding ZBC licence discs from motorists in the area yet they do not have access to the country’s radio programmes. Responding, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) chief executive officer Mr Obert Muganyura said Hwange residents will have to pay licences since the law states that everybody in possession of a receiver should pay licence fees whether it’s working or not.
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