Takealot has warned shoppers that if they’re hoping to get lucky with a television deal this upcoming Black Friday, they need to make sure that they have a valid TV licence and that it is paid before the big sale arrives.
All potential TV owners need a licence
In South Africa, “a TV licence is required to possess a television set or device capable of capturing broadcast signals“. The licence is R265 per year.
And any retailers selling televisions need to ask customers to present their ID number in order to check on the SABC’s TV licence database. Even when you purchase a TV online, you have to enter your ID number when checking out.
In the case that the customer does not have a TV licence, the store typically has systems in place to assist the customer in taking out one.
Licences may take a while to reflect
However, even though these systems are in place, Takealot has warned that it could take a few days for the TV licence to reflect on the SABC’s database. Thus, many stores or online companies might not detect that you have a valid licence for a while.
“This is especially true during high-traffic sale periods, such as Black Friday and the Takealot.com Blue Dot Sale, which is why it’s advisable for you to plan ahead and buy a SABC TV licence well in advance to avoid disappointment,” Takealot said.
Hence, by the time your licence reflects, the Black Friday deal might already be sold out or no longer available.
For those not interested, there is one option left – buy a large monitor without the built-in TV tuner.