The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni is in Ntabankulu, Eastern Cape, for a one-day monitoring session on the progress of connecting households to digital television. Beneficiaries were checked on in Bonxa and Zulu villages.
Assessing the progress of the switch over to DTT and ultimately the switching off of analogue transmitters by the end of June 2022.
Ntshaveni says the digital migration comes with a number of benefits as the department will also roll out internet connectivity to all villages.
People earning less than R3500 qualify for the government-assisted rollout, which accounts for nearly half of the population in the Alfred Nzo District.
“When we were migrating from the first of July to the spectrum, we were expected to roll out the LTE network, 5G and the 4G network across the country… We are going to have a timeline to say by this period we must have completed the rollout of this network so that every South African by 2024 can have access to the internet because that is why we are doing this to achieve that connectivity,” says Ntshavheni.
Ntshavheni says no village will be left out in the process.
“We commit to say we will not leave any village, any household, it does not matter which valley we have to cross, we are going to make sure that everybody is connected, those who apply, we continue to reach out to those who have not applied to bring them on board. Even after we have a switch off we will continue…”
Beneficiaries are happy
Beneficiaries are happy with the switch and hope migrating to digital will be hassle-free. Mamthimkhulu Nyikinya is one of the beneficiaries. “I am very happy for receiving this set-top box. I thank the people that have come to us. We thank the government for this. We have been waiting for this for so many years. Now our TV screens will be clearer.”
Mahlubi Msutu says digital migration is like a miracle for the villagers.
“I am so happy about this. It’s free, it’s mahala. We are excited and we are sure that our television sets will change. It’s the first visit from the Minister to this village, we hope that good thing will come. Thank you so much.”
Minister Ntshaveni says the digital migration comes with a number of benefits as the department will also roll out internet connectivity to all villages.
“When we migrate from the first of July when giving over the spectrum, we are expecting them to roll out the LTE network, 5G and the 4G network across the country; Which will mean that in this area, we are going to have a timeline to say by this period, we must have completed the rollout of this network so that every South African by 2024 can have access to the internet. That is why we are doing this to achieve that connectivity.”
EXPLAINER: What is Digital Migration
Ntshavheni on South Africa’s Broadcasting Digital Migration programme:
Indigent households are also encouraged to apply for the assisted rollout.
