Executive Mayor of Capricorn District, Gilbert Kganyago
SENTECH CEO Mr Kganki Matabane
MDDA Chairperson Ms Phelisa Nkomo
USAASA Representative Mr Eugine De Klerk.
SAPO Representative Mr Thabedi SAASA
IEC Limpopo Mr Nkaro Mateta
ICASA Adv. Clement Mametja
SABC Executives
FPB Ms Sipho Mkhwanazi
Moral Regeneration Dr T Farisani
Kgoshigadi Moremadi Mothapo
Ward Councillors
Traditional Leaders
Church Leaders
Business Forum
NAFCOC
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
Rea Lotsha Ba kgaga ba ka Difokeng
Good Morning
Programme Director,
The 18th of July is celebrated by South Africa and the world as it has been declared the Nelson Mandela International Day. It is on this special day, that we celebrate our own icon, the first democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.
Our Government has declared July as the Mandela month. This gives everyone the opportunity to heed the call to action for people to make an imprint and change the world around them.
A global movement for positive change begins with small actions. As each person acts, they fuel momentum toward positive change, raising awareness and expanding the reach of Mr Mandela’s values – fighting injustice, helping people in need and practicing reconciliation.
Today, we are here at Ga-Mothapo to create public awareness on the need for communities to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting. This is in line with the resolutions taken by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). We wish to reiterate that the Limpopo Province as it is situated along the borders of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique is therefore considered as a priority Province in line with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on communications with regards to Member States’ commitment to ensure that there is sufficient mechanisms in place to avoid broadcasting signal interferences from one country to another.
When it comes to digital migration, our government has the greatest role to play in implementing the migration process. It is the role of Government, in particular, the Department of Communications to lead the project’s implementation by developing appropriate policy, strategy, acquisition and installation of Set-Top Boxes (STBs) for the country. I have also invited the key entities that are the implementing arms of Government in this critical project, namely SABC, SAPO, SENTECH, USAASA, and ICASA. These entities report to the Department of Communications on the implementation of the project.
Programme Director
Digital migration is the process by which broadcasting around the world today is switching from inefficient analogue signals to more efficient digital ones. This process will enhance the quality of sound and pictures as well as providing more channels.
Digital distribution, however, has a major bearing on both the production and consumption dimensions of broadcasting. Content rights holders are working with us in trying to ensure the transition does not enhance unauthorised use and re-use of broadcast content distributed in digital format.
Programme Director
Since the launch of the Digital Migration Project in December 2015, in Keimos and core towns surrounding the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) in the Northern Cape Province by the Department of Communications. The rollout of Digital Migration Project has reached a point of no-return and South Africans are beginning to realise the benefits of government endeavours to improve their lives in the broadcasting space. I am proud to share with you that in this SKA area the installation and activation process of services has reached a stage where the SKA core distribution and installation is beyond 85% mark, a target for analogue switch off.
It is important to stress that the prioritisation of borderline areas to be the first recipients of the government subsidized Set-Top-Boxes is also informed by the outcomes of my Department’s Bilateral Engagements with our neighbouring States last year.
Programme Director
Digital migration is a lengthy process envisaged which all countries in the world have gone through. This is because of the involvement and engagement with broadcasters, signal distributors, regulator, manufacturers, government and the public to ensure the success of the project. Our Government is committed to consult and engage citizens when introducing new programmes and projects that affect their lives.
To allay your fears, upon the approval of the digital policy in 2015 by Cabinet, this ANC-led government committed itself to its continued pro-poor policies. Through this intervention, government is subsidizing 100 per cent of the cost of STB, including, antennas and installation cost for free to all five million poor television-owning households. I need to repeat this, ‘beneficiaries will not pay a cent for the acquisition and installation of the Set Top Boxes’.
I would like to make an assurance that the Digital Migration is going ahead. On Wednesday the 31 May 2016 the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) delivered a judgement in the matter between eTV vs the Minister of Communications. As the Department, we welcome the judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), delivered on 31 May 2016. The judgement confirms the decision of Government that the encryption of Set-Top-Boxes should be optional and remain commercial option for individual broadcasters. The Department wish to further reiterate that the SCA did not order the reversal of the broadcasting Digital Migration process. We are forging ahead with the implementation of Broadcasting Digital Migration. We have since launched a Constitutional Court Appeal on the SCA ruling. We are confident that we have a strong case.
We want to take this opportunity and appeal to communities not to be swayed by propaganda and misrepresentation of facts about who qualifies for STBs. Anyone wanting to access the subsidy would have to prove that their monthly income is less than R3 000. During my Budget Vote Speech in May, I instructed the SABC to delink- the television licence requirement, which was previously one of the core requirements to receive a set top box. We urge all of you to go out in numbers and register with the South African Post Office Branch near you.
As government, we are proud that the digital migration programme contributes to national policy on capacity development on local content production. This means that there will be enough channels to showcase the culture and lifestyle of the community of Ga-Mothapo in future. This project will empower our communities in different ways. In support of this project, the SABC has also introduced the 90% percent local content policy.
This initiatives means that artists, musicians, producers and television dramas can be produced here to provide employment to society. It is on these basis that as government, we are convinced that digital migration will support nation building and social cohesion. In addition, this programme will further make provisions for the development of South African content at all levels of society, and ensuring that all society not just those in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg can become content generation hubs.
Batho ba Ga-Mothapo, let us embrace the Digital Migration Project in honour of our struggle hero and former President Nelson Mandela. As we celebrate the Mandela Month, let’s keep in mind that his sacrifices were to create invaluable services to humanity. Wherever he is, his disarming smile oozes out with words of encouragement as he witnesses the rolling out of the Digital Migration Project to the people.
I believe that next time I come back to Ga Mothapo, every poor household would have registered at the Post Office to be the beneficiary of the Digital migration Project. Digital Migration has become a reality in South Africa!
Programme Director
I have been informed that there is a poor network reception in this area. I have brought along SENTECH and ICASA who will ensure that this challenge is resolved.
Today let us celebrate the efforts our government is making to change the lives of the people for the better. In particular, we celebrate with indigent TV viewing households here in Ga-Mothapo who have managed to visit the post office kiosk for Set-Top Boxes. This government is enduring the legacy Nelson Mandela of giving back to the community.
This year marks 16 years of democratic local government in South Africa. The date of the 2016 local government elections, 3 August 2016, has been declared a public holiday. This would enable all eligible South Africans to exercise their right to vote on the day.
Voting is a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution," he said. "It is important that citizens are granted an opportunity to exercise this right freely. This is particularly so when they elect this sphere of government that is closest to them."
All eligible voters are encouraged to go out to vote on 3 August 2016.
Ra Leboga!
Enquiries:
Mishack Molakeng
Cell: 082 469 3997
