Speech for Minister AF Muthambi on the occasion of Broadcasting Digital Migration Programme Analogue Transmitter Switch-off in Carnavon, Northern Cape
Executive Mayor of the Pixely Ka Seme District Municipality: Cllr MT Kibi
Mayor of the Kareeberg Local Municipality: Cllr N.S. van Wyk
Chairpersons of the Boards of our SOCs
Senior Officials from government and our SOCs
Captains of the industry
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning!
Today, is indeed a glorious moment for our country. A moment all of us have been waiting for since the adoption of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy Framework for South Africa in 2008. We should be celebrating this important achievement as a nation.
Programme Director
Allow me to indicate that, when the broadcasting digital migration programme was formally handed over to us in January 2015, the biggest question we had was “where do we start with the implementation of this magnanimous and complex programme?”
With the passage of time we have been able to figure out what needed to be done and record a significant progress over the shortest possible time. It is for this reason that we are all gathered here in Carnarvon this morning to be part of making history!
Before I go any further allow me to thank the people of this beautiful province for their excellent cooperation with us in ensuring that we get to this point. To our colleagues in government, our state-owned companies and the private sector enterprises we say thank you so much for your partnership. At some point we came to realise the complexities that come with the implementation of this flagship programme. Together we have been able to prove that it is never impossible until it is done!
Programme Director
We are meeting today as a result of an international agenda that impacts on our country in a number of fronts. When people view Broadcasting Digital Migration as a programme that impact on television services what they should know is that there is a big economic agenda behind its implementation. Radio frequency spectrum re-farming marks the biggest evolution of broadcasting services since the introduction of television globally in 1925.
It is very humbling to stand in front of South Africans today, the people of Northern Cape and those residing within the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in particular to represent their own achievement of migrating from Analogue to Digital platforms within a very short time period.
The implementation of the broadcasting digital migration programme and the event today is a milestone that witnesses the first of the two thousand (2 000) high and low power analogue transmitters to be switched off across the country. This analogue switch off marks the beginning of the process to release the radio frequency spectrum required to support ground-breaking scientific discoveries for many years to come.
The implementation of this programme provides a great potential to re-structure South Africa’s ICT infrastructure in support of the National Development Plan (NDP). The NDP infrastructure development agenda calls for efficient information platforms that promotes economic growth and greater inclusion that require a stronger broadband and telecommunications network that is affordable to all.
Radio frequency spectrum is a limited natural resource available equally in every country to benefit all citizens. When land and water make it possible for the human race to survive, radio frequency spectrum makes it possible for the human race to prosper. Radio spectrum availability contributes to the availability of television, internet connectivity, cellular phone and radio astronomy services and create a conducive environment for competing services to co-exist.
We have, in February this year, announced the commencement of the Dual Illumination Performance Period. This announcement was based on the readiness of the network configurations achieved by Sentech on those areas in the country that historically had very poor or no television coverage, particularly areas outside the major metropolitan areas.
All these areas were configured with digital network in order to close any network coverage gaps and everyone in the country can now have access to television services on digital platforms.
What brought us here together today is a dream for all the countries across the globe “to achieve broadcasting digital migration implementation process”.
This is a milestone that demonstrates the capability of the country to deliver the projects of international magnitude. This milestone further clears the path towards the successful implementation of the programme while benefiting communities and sectors of the economy in the process. We are in the race that requires the support of all of us at political, administrative and social levels.
I believe in the competence of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Warriors (the DTT team and all role playing entities) that have taken us to this milestone of connecting all the households in these five towns we are celebrating switching off analogue transmitters today. I have moved around the community to witness the connectivity and the community has confirmed how the programme has changed their lives and their enjoyment of the services they are receiving.
Through our collective efforts and wisdom, we are determined to ensure that the broadcasting digital migration rollout process becomes a success and we therefore call on all stakeholders to continue supporting us to realise a common goal for the country “Television Revolution to Digital Platforms” in our lifetime so that we can consult the Cabinet to announce a switch off date for the entire country.
In conclusion,
Programme Director,
Owing to Apartheid, government’s perceptions of the risk posed by television to its administration, sadly South Africans only saw television broadcasting in 1976.
Furthermore, a sizeable percentage of our citizens have not experienced television viewing and the ANC-led government is addressing this issue through the DTT programme.
As I conclude, it is important for the people of this province to note that, the democratic government which was given power by you has since 1994 ensured widespread access to radio and television broadcasting. This is important for a number of socio-economic and non-economic reasons.
Moreover, while radio and television broadcasting continues to be the major source of information, it constitutes “a principal source of information for the majority of the population”, which becomes particularly important in times of emergencies
Broadcast media brought news and information from around the world into homes. The experiences of professionally crafted drama and music, becomes a service expected by the general public. DTT is providing a communication platform, with an improved resilience of a country’s communications infrastructure.
Programme Director
I will now be switching off the analogue transmission services in Carnavon. It is, however, important to note that the physical transmitter sites will remain operational to host the new digital equipment and associated services. It is only the analogue transmission equipment located in the transmitter sites that will be switched off and taken out of service.
I thank you!
