ZBC starts two-week door-to-door TV and radio licence inspections across 28 Harare suburbs

# What's happening

# Where the campaign will go ZBC named 28 suburbs and private developments to be visited. The list includes Borrowdale Brooke, Pokugara Residential Estate, Arlington Estate, Arlington East, Madokero Estate, Mabvazuva Estate, Aspindale Park, Aspire Heights, Carrick Creagh Estate, Ocean Park Estate, Shineplus Gated Estate, Haydon Park, Leengate, Tynwald Village, Views Park, Southview Park, Glaudina, Rainham Park, Westgate, Tynwald, Fairview, Sandton Park, Gletwin, Shawasha Hills, Greendale, Mainway Meadows, Zimre Park and Pomona.

# How the inspections will work ZBC's Licensing Inspectorate will send teams into the targeted communities. The corporation asked estate management, residents' associations and private security companies to provide what it called "the necessary assistance and cooperation" to help inspectors enter gated areas and move between properties. Inspectors will verify licences, sell new home broadcasting licences, and accept renewals.

A standard home broadcasting licence (covering both television and radio sets) is cited as costing US$24 per year.

# Why ZBC is doing this now The inspection drive is part of a broader compliance and revenue campaign for the state broadcaster. ZBC expanded its monitoring fleet to 15 vans to support this and similar operations. The corporation has recently reported a financial turnaround: it returned to profitability in 2025 after large losses in 2024, with licence-fee revenue rising substantially in 2025.

# What residents should expect and do

• Expect licensing teams to call at doors in the listed estates between 7 and 18 September 2026.
• If you have a valid home broadcasting licence, be prepared to show it to inspectors.
• If you do not have a licence or yours is expired, inspectors can issue one or process a renewal during the visit.
• Estate managers and security personnel may be approached by ZBC to allow access across gates and between properties.

# Practical implications This operation concentrates on private, gated and estate communities rather than public streets. The campaign builds on ZBC's recent shift toward more active enforcement and on its investment in mobile monitoring capacity. For households that lack a licence, the visit offers a quick way to obtain one, but it also means an immediate compliance check and potential payment obligation.

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