The government is to give the cash-strapped SABC a R2.1bn bailout, but it is only part of what the public broadcaster was promised.

Communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams announced on Friday that the state would transfer R2.1bn of the R3.2bn it promised the broadcaster.

The balance will be transferred when the SABC meets all the funding preconditions set by Treasury.

Ndabeni-Abrahams said the SABC only fully met five of the eight preconditions, partially met two and one was not met at all.