Pretoria - There will be no reversal of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy as reported in the media on Monday, says Communications Minister Faith Muthambi.
“The Department of Communications wishes to place it on record that the African National Congress (ANC) National General Council (NGC) never discussed a possible reversal of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy as reported in the Business Day and Business Report on Monday, 12 October 2015.
“The matter of encryption was also not discussed in the Commission and Plenary Sessions of the NGC when the report of the Commission was adopted,” she said.
Minister Muthambi said the issues raised in the two publications were never discussed at the sessions she attended with her Deputy Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and the two acting Directors-General of both the Government Communications and Information System and Department of Communications.
“Instead, it was unanimously agreed that the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy should be implemented without delay to create a new broadcasting landscape that will increase the role of free-to-air television to meet the needs and aspirations of all South Africans.
“The Policy went through the proper process as prescribed by Cabinet,” she said.
The draft Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy went for public comments in 2013.
“It was never a secret document; it was always available as a public document until it was finally approved by Cabinet on 4 March 2015. It is unfortunate that certain individuals are now determined to try and find fault with the policy that was approved by government,” she said.
The ANC's communications sub-committee chair Jackson Mthembu was quoted in both Business Day and Business Report as saying that “Ms Muthambi had failed to consult the ANC on her policy”.
Minister Muthambi said this is patently untrue. “The truth is that we have consulted with the relevant stakeholders and the policy directive went through proper channels before it was gazetted.
“It is imperative for the sub-committee chair Jackson Mthembu to clarify that when he spoke to these two publications, he was expressing his own personal views.
“It is also worth noting that in June this year, the North Gauteng High Court dismissed e.tv's application to review aspects of government's Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy. E.tv was arguing that government should subsidise the set-top boxes and also ensure that they have the capability to support encryption,” she said.
In delivering the judgment, the North Gauteng High Court said the non-encryption policy directive was in the best interests of the public, and therefore exonerated the Department of Communications.
Minister Muthambi and her team remain highly committed to ensuring that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is stable, successful and able to meet its social mandate.
“We fully endorse the resolution of the NGC to address governance challenges facing the broadcaster and this is going to be our priority.
The issue of the SABC/Multichoice content is before the Competition Tribunal.
“We should therefore wait for the finalisation of the process before making any further comments, save to say that this deal has been signed in July 2013, which we believe was done in terms of prevailing statutes which govern the operations of the SABC,” she said. - SAnews.gov.za
