According to South African Communications Minister, Siphiwe Nyanda, the migration from analogue to digital TV broadcasting should be ready by November next year.
The country has until 2015 to finalize the move as recommended by the International Telecommunications Union, however no tender has been awarded yet for the manufacturing of the new set-top boxes required to make this a reality.
According to Business Day, Nyanda once again confirmed his department’s commitment to digital migration at the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association conference which took place yesterday in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“We have commenced with the construction of digital television transmission infrastructure through Sentech . Several operational tests have been conducted by the SABC and I am told that the process has gone smoothly. The rollout of the digital terrestrial infrastructure provides us with an opportunity to meet our digital migration coverage timelines of November 2011″, commented Nyanda.
The software requirements for the set-top boxes needed in the migration process will be discussed at the end of April between the Department of Communications and key players in the industry.
Questions have also been raised about the controversial 1% surcharge on income tax proposed in the Public Service Broadcasting Bill to fund the SABC. Mamodupi Mohala, Director-General of the Department, said on a local radio talk-show that the money would go towards funding other commercial stations and to promote local content.
According to a spokesperson for the official opposition (The Democratic Alliance), Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has rejected the proposed tax and the public broadcaster (SABC) itself was not in favour of it. She added that the deadline for the conversion to digital TV might not happen before 2015, as government has not fully involved the private sector in the process, she affirmed.
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