Govt to announce new analogue switch-off date

Ntshavheni briefed the media on Thursday on the recent Constitutional Court ruling on the switch-off date.

The apex court ruled government’s deadline for the national switch-off from analogue to digital to be unconstitutional.

This comes after the free-to-air broadcasting giant e.tv challenged the government, arguing that the switch-off date was unlawful as it would leave millions of poor households without access to television because they don’t have access to the new set-top boxes.

Ntshavheni said she will publish a new closing date for applications and registrations for government-subsidised set-top boxes.

“This week, I will publish through a government gazette a public notice of the 30th of September 2022 as the closing date for applications and registrations for government subsidized set-top boxes for qualifying indigent households. The 31st of October 2021 deadline was provisional as qualifying households could still apply for STBs after, but the 30th of September 2022 is the final deadline, and no applications will be considered after this date.”

Ntshavheni said the time has come for all analogue users to switch to digital.

“I will also inform members of the public and non-indigent households who are still watching analogue TV, of my intension to switch-off analogue and urge them to purchase compliant digital television sets from retail market. The compliant digital TV set is identified through the Go-Digital logo.”

ALSO READ