BULAWAYO Video club operators say high charges they are required to pay under the governments Entertainment Control and Censorship Act are driving them out of business, with several operators said to have already closed shop. Under the Act operators are required to pay a US$150 annual licence fee to run a video and DVD renting shop and an additional $5 for each movie title in stock. But club operators can only charge amounts ranging from five to 20 South African rands for each video or DVD rented out to customers.
I am shutting down the business in response to the Entertainment Control and Censorship Acts charges, which I feel are too high, said a video shop owner, who said he was considering shutting down his business.
Stewart Marshal a video club operator in Bulawayos Hillside suburb, who had 1 837 DVDs confiscated over fees, said: The money they are charging for a licence is very high, how can I pay US$5 for a single DVD . we are only charging our customers five rand.
The chairman of the Matabeleland Video Club Association, Derrick Guto, concurred with Marshals sentiments and said the licence fee was very high.
The licence fees are very expensive and some of operators have closed. It is very difficult to tell whether those that are remaining will withstand the heat. We cannot afford to pay such figures and remain in business, said Guto.
Many Zimbabweans have resorted to renting films from private video and DVD shops rather than watch Zimbabwe Televisions poor quality programmes.
Post published in: Economy