Communications Department distributes decoders to low-income households in E Cape

The government programme of ensuring that people have access to basic services in the country continues. This as the Department of Communications distributed decoders to low-income households in King Sabatha Dalindyebo Municipality in the Eastern Cape on Monday.

Minister of Communications Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says they want more people in rural areas to benefit as the country switches from analogue to digital television viewing.

Ntshavheni says the initiative will curb the disruption of learning and teaching and they also want the Small Medium and Micro Enterprise sectors to trade easily and for everyone to have access to technology.

The registration for digital migration will continue for the next 6 months. This as the Department of Communications together with local municipalities strive to deliver decoders to low-income households across the country.

No more snowy TV and restricted SABC radio channels!
Digital television offers you:
Clearer picture quality.
More free-to-air channels than the current four on an analogue TV.
All 19 SABC radio channels irrespective of where you are in South Africa.#Tshintshaungasali #GoDigital pic.twitter.com/jpaXTXDCd4

— Dept of Communications & Digital Technologies (@CommsZA) March 20, 2022

Ntshavheni says the aim is to ensure equality in the country and that everyone has access to technology.

“It is important that we move to digital television because one, we saw what the spectrum did. We raised R14.4 billion which is 1 billion dollars, so in any currency, we are in billions of rands. What is important with the spectrum auction is not the amount raised but what is important is what the digital transformation does for our country. It means here in Mthatha, learners can have access to the internet and can do e-learning.”

King Sabatha Dalindyebo Mayor Nyaniso Nelani says this will add to the municipal agenda of becoming a smart city.

“We have been in the drive for our city to be a smart city and we know that this adds, puts more on our agenda for us to become a smart city indeed. We are driving at our towns to be connected, our villages to be connected.”

Some of the beneficiaries are happy and say they can easily access channels.

“I could no longer access SABC 1 and SABC, the ones I want because I watch the news and get updates of everything there. Now it is clear, it is not dark anymore. I am happy about what our leaders are doing is big.”

“I am happy. My children and grandchildren will no longer watch TV in other households. They will watch it here at home. I never thought I will have it because I buy groceries and take myself to the doctor with the social grant that we receive. I am very grateful to the mayor.”

The Minister will be at the Buffalo City Metro on Tuesday rolling out decoders to other beneficiaries. Ntshaveni says government wants all its citizens to have access to technology by 2024.

#AllHandsOnDeck at KSD ,Eastern Cape.#GoDigitalSA #TshintshaUngasali #The final push pic.twitter.com/6lZ1b4eDiY

— Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (@Khu_Ntshavheni) March 21, 2022