This isn’t the first such warning regarding the SABC’s operational continuity. Earlier in the year, Media Monitoring Africa’s William Bird noted that the broadcaster was at risk of a blackout, attributing this to ongoing government defunding. He emphasised that the costs of signal distribution by Sentech are among the SABC’s largest financial burdens and argued that the government should bear these expenses for public broadcasters. Bird stated, “It should be the government’s responsibility to cover these costs. Instead, the SABC is left to shoulder this significant financial burden, jeopardising its sustainability.” He added that the SABC is in a dire situation without a financial rescue plan or loan guarantees from the government. “It’s not far-fetched to suggest we could soon face a blackout,” he warned, referring to a near-miss blackout the previous year.