Johannesburg — A woman from Pretoria has tried in vain for 15 years to cancel he deceased mother's SABC television licence, it was reported on Wednesday.

Capital Park resident Elizabeth van Zyl told Beeld her mother Martha Bezuidenhout died in Pretoria in August 1998.

"She was a pensioner who lived with us, and was the proud owner of a television with a valid licence. When she died, I made copies of her death certificate, wrote a nice letter, and posted it to the SABC."

However, Van Zyl had since received countless postal demands addressed to her mother, and letters threatening court action.

She said she still had her mother's ashes as she intended burying them with her father, in Durban.

"I wish the SABC would take me to court. I'd love to wait until they call her name, so I can stand up with the box of ashes, and say 'here she is'," Van Zyl told the newspaper

According to Beeld, SABC communication manager Christelle Keevy said she needed the licence number to deal with Van Zyl's complaint.