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Log in50 000 TV LICENCE DEFAULTERS FACE ARREST
50 000 TV LICENCE DEFAULTERS FACE ARREST
by lefty on Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:35 pm
(source)
The Swaziland Television Rental Authority (STAR) is cracking down on TV licence defaulters, with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) having prepared summons for these historic mass lawsuits.
In the possession of the newspaper is a copy of the summons that have been prepared to be served to some of the over 50 000 people who owe TV taxes.
The summons to be delivered to the defaulters read in part: “You are hereby required and directed in His Majesty’s name on sight thereof to summons”. Section 22 (1) of the Swaziland Television Authority of 1983 is the piece of legislation that TV defaulters are accused of contravening. Another part of the summons read thus: “Not being a holder of a current viewer’s certificate or licence did unlawfully possess a television receiver or video cassette recorder and did thereby contravene the said Act.”
The STAR said police have already been roped in to crackdown on the syndicate in their capacity as law enforcement agents and sometimes messengers of the court.
Convicted defaulters will each pay E500 or serve six months imprisonment but the judicial officer has a right in law to fine and jail the defaulters simultaneously.
A database for STAR indicates 50 000 TV owners whose names were compiled with the assistance of furniture shops and shops selling TV sets and other appliances.
STAR Business Manager Cyprian Nsibandze said they had all along been creating awareness for the significance of paying TV licences. He said a few responded to the nationwide campaigns that began three years ago but a majority of the TV sets owners seemingly did not understand or neglected to understand the importance of honouring this legal obligation.
As a result, Nsibandze said the branch office of Swazi TV, which is STAR was moving to another level - that of bringing culprits to book - something which he said they would do - come rain or sunshine.
He said his office would make public statements beginning this month, beseeching them to avoid arrests by paying up. He said summons would be issued in July. He said people were free to come for assistance in case their accounts were in arrears. He said their offices were situated at the Cooper Motors, Simunye Plaza or in Manzini (Paloma Court building) opposite Metro at the city centre.
Nsibandze said a colour TV set cost E180 per year, meaning that it was 50c per day to view a television in Swaziland and E15 per month. He said the big TV sets (black and white) cost E96 per annum whereas the small ones cost E30 per annum.
So its not just happening in the UK then?
with life expectancy in swaziland being just:
male: 31.84 years
female: 32.62 years
you would think they would worry about other things first before the TV Licence.
(CIA) World Fact Book Swaziland
The Swaziland Television Rental Authority (STAR) is cracking down on TV licence defaulters, with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) having prepared summons for these historic mass lawsuits.
In the possession of the newspaper is a copy of the summons that have been prepared to be served to some of the over 50 000 people who owe TV taxes.
The summons to be delivered to the defaulters read in part: “You are hereby required and directed in His Majesty’s name on sight thereof to summons”. Section 22 (1) of the Swaziland Television Authority of 1983 is the piece of legislation that TV defaulters are accused of contravening. Another part of the summons read thus: “Not being a holder of a current viewer’s certificate or licence did unlawfully possess a television receiver or video cassette recorder and did thereby contravene the said Act.”
The STAR said police have already been roped in to crackdown on the syndicate in their capacity as law enforcement agents and sometimes messengers of the court.
Convicted defaulters will each pay E500 or serve six months imprisonment but the judicial officer has a right in law to fine and jail the defaulters simultaneously.
A database for STAR indicates 50 000 TV owners whose names were compiled with the assistance of furniture shops and shops selling TV sets and other appliances.
STAR Business Manager Cyprian Nsibandze said they had all along been creating awareness for the significance of paying TV licences. He said a few responded to the nationwide campaigns that began three years ago but a majority of the TV sets owners seemingly did not understand or neglected to understand the importance of honouring this legal obligation.
As a result, Nsibandze said the branch office of Swazi TV, which is STAR was moving to another level - that of bringing culprits to book - something which he said they would do - come rain or sunshine.
He said his office would make public statements beginning this month, beseeching them to avoid arrests by paying up. He said summons would be issued in July. He said people were free to come for assistance in case their accounts were in arrears. He said their offices were situated at the Cooper Motors, Simunye Plaza or in Manzini (Paloma Court building) opposite Metro at the city centre.
Nsibandze said a colour TV set cost E180 per year, meaning that it was 50c per day to view a television in Swaziland and E15 per month. He said the big TV sets (black and white) cost E96 per annum whereas the small ones cost E30 per annum.
So its not just happening in the UK then?
with life expectancy in swaziland being just:
male: 31.84 years
female: 32.62 years
you would think they would worry about other things first before the TV Licence.
(CIA) World Fact Book Swaziland
