On Monday, Icasa ruled that the SABC must withdraw its decision not to broadcast footage of violent protests and damage to property.

Bird said it would be highly unusual for Icasa to suspend all the SABC’s broadcast licenses, particularly before the local government elections, but added: “If we need to get to that point, then I think we are going to need to get to that point”.

Nelisiwe Tshabalala, ‘Damage to SABC will take a long time to undo’, Business Day, July 12 2016