Bushbuckridge –Residents of Marite in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, will be the first to benefit from the roll-out of government’s digital migration project in the province.
Communications Minister Faith Muthambi on Friday met with residents at Marite Community Hall to educate them about the benefits of switching from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television (DTT), and how this will impact their lives.
“Digital broadcasting will offer us as a country a sharper, brighter picture with no interference and as viewers you will also enjoy quality sound. There would be more free-to-air channels covering culture, youth, education and health matters, to mention but a few.
“We are here to inform you about this global digital transition in broadcasting involving the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting signals.
“In order to view and enjoy the digital television signals on an ordinary analogue television set, you will need a set top box (STB). As a caring government, we will be distributing free STBs to poor TV households and we want to inform you that in this province, we have prioritised to start rolling out the DTT project in Marite and the neighbouring border-lying areas,” she said.
STB converts the DTT signal for reception on an ordinary analogue television set. However, in order to acquire STBs before the analogue signal switch-off, qualifying Marite residents will need to register at their local Post Office to get free STBs.
Minister Muthambi has already launched the registration of STBs for poor TV-owning households in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) communities of Keimoes and Kai Garib in the Northern Cape.
In the last four weeks, about 1 000 qualifying households have registered to receive STBs that are subsidised by the government.
Minister Muthambi said to qualify for a free STB, applicants must prove that they are South African citizens, that their household income is R3 200 or less and that they have a valid TV licence.
“It is important for us as government to educate our people about the impending migration process, how it will impact them, the steps they will need to take to ensure that they acquire government subsidised STBs and I’m happy with this clear market communication because our people understand why we are also migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting,” she said.
Bushbuckridge is near the Mozambique border, but the good news is that the Minister had already signed agreements of co-operation with Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia to try to avoid possible television signal interference threats from outside South Africa's borders.
Marite Ward 6 resident Prince Mashabane said: “… The fact that we are going to be the first ones to benefit from the digital migration project in the province is indeed good news to us.
“We’ve been hearing the Minister talking about digital migration on radio. We are ready to enjoy the benefits of digital migration… We want more news channels so that we can know more about government’s programme of action.
“We are excited … (and) are even prepared to help government in encouraging people in our area to pay their television licences,” he said.
Local kwaito artist, Sibusiso Dladla, said: “We are glad that the Minister also touched on the issue of local content. As artists, it is very difficult for our music to be played on national TV and it is our view that with digital migration coming, there will be a dedicated channel for young artists, especially us from the deep rural areas.” - SAnews.gov.za
