Minister of Communications Khumbudzo Ntshavheni did not consult telecommunications, broadcasting and civil society players about South Africa’s decision to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting on 30 June 2022. And because of this, the Constitutional Court has ordered her to begin a new consultation process to determine a fresh date.
South Africa’s migration into the digital age from old-style analogue television broadcasting – which was meant to start in 2008 in line with best global standards but hasn’t been completed 14 years later – faces more delays.
Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, responsible for overseeing South Africa’s broadcasting policy, had agreed to a deadline of 30 June 2022 for the country’s move to digital television broadcasting.
The switch will allow larger data to be transmitted, improving picture and sound quality for television viewers. By 30 June, traditional analogue signals would be switched off across the country, heralding a new era in broadcasting.
But the Constitutional Court has thwarted Ntshavheni’s analogue switch-off plans, declaring her deadline “unlawful” because she unilaterally decided on it without consulting the broader telecommunications and broadcasting industry.
The apex court found that the switch-off of analogue television broadcasts in South Africa must be delayed to allow for more…