Chaos to break out over radio licence

Harare Residents Trust has predicted that there will be serious chaos over the ZBC radio licences following the court ruling that people must pay ZBC when ever they have any radio receivers.

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday made landmark ruling saying the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has a legal right to collect licensing fees from every citizen who is in possession of a gadget that is capable of receiving radio and television signals.

The HRT said it foresees a situation where the State-controlled public broadcaster going out in full force in residential areas demanding to see the licences to all radios and televisions in their possession.

"It would mean that if you are found with a radio or television but without a license, you will be either asked to pay for it or be subject to arrest. Thereafter the nation will witness a lot of fighting against the State for allowing this kind of situation to prevail when not everyone listens or watches ZBC radio or television stations," said the trust.

"This could be one of the best opportunities given to the ailing state broadcaster by the Constitutional Court to generate revenue.Unfortunately, the Parliamentary route will be difficult to navigate as the ruling party endorses most of the decisions made in the courts, and hence would hinder any initiative to amend the Broadcasting Services Act, the principal Act being used by the ZBC to demand licensing fees from the citizens."