Programme Director, Mr Samson Mashabane
For Acting Premier, MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Mr Kenny Mmoeimang
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, Mr Eric Kholwane
Deputy Minister of Communications, Ms Stella Ndabeni
Executive Mayor of the Sol Plaatjie Municipality, Ms Agnes Ntlhangula
Members of the Executive Council of Municipalities represented here,
Government and community leaders
Director-General of the Department of Communications, Ms Rosey Sekese
Chairpersons and CEOs of our State Owned Enterprises
Business leaders and SMME operators,
Ladies and gentlemen
It’s wonderful to be here in the Northern Cape. Having driven through this beautiful province I understand why the Namaqwa is called the ‘greatest flower show on earth.’ However, we are gathered here today for a show of another kind. Digital Terrestrial Television or DTT will revolutionise the television industry in South Africa. As you know we are in the midst of the Square Kilometre Array territory and we’ve decided to showcase our proof of concept launch on DTT in an area where it will be particularly difficult.
The second big diamond found in the Kimberly area was called the Star of Africa. Today the communities of the Northern Cape will discover a new star, a technology that in future will have as profound an effect as the discovery of diamonds.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Television was first broadcast to the people of South Africa in 1976. At that time the debate was about whether to use black and white technology or colour. While the government of the time saw issues in black and white, even then it realized that the future lay in colour. Subsequently South Africa was only the second country in Africa to broadcast in colour. Since then technology in the television industry has made great strides. Today, like the rest of the world we are in the process of migrating terrestrial television broadcasting from analogue to digital technology, as prescribed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in 2006.
The Cabinet approved the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy in 2008. Following that much work has been completed. While the first television broadcast was the sole prerogative of the SABC, today’s migration process is reliant on a number of role-players at it is multi-layered. The migration process includes the following processes: DTT Policy and regulation review, manufacturing of Set Top Boxes (STB) or decoders as they are more commonly known, distribution of set top boxes, subsidy of ownership scheme and signal distribution network rollout.
The policy set into motion the Migration Plan – a policy and framework within which digital migration should take place in the country. Today – as we look back on the past five years and all that has been accomplished, we have much to celebrate. South Africa is one of the few countries in the world that will be utilising DVB-T2 technologies. This technology allows for greater capacity in DTT than the current DVT standard. It makes possible the launch of new broadcast services. Of course this comes with cost implications for, amongst others, network operators and viewers.
Community members,
In his latest book, Screw Business as Usual, Sir Richard Branson espouses turning capitalism upside down. He punts a ‘new’ philosophy of caring for people and communities – as the Government of South Africa this has been the overarching principle in our work. We remain committed to bridging the digital divide in South Africa.
In February this year Cabinet approved the STB and Scheme for Ownership. This means that Government will provide a 70% subsidy towards the cost of the STBs to the 5 million poorest of the poor TV owning households. In addition to this free-to-air channels such as SABC and e-TV will continue to be available for free - no subscription fee will be charged.
In keeping with our mandate, we will ensure universal service and access by providing broadcasting services through the digital migration process that promises to enhance diversity and access, especially for the previously marginalised. All South Africans will benefit from and afford to move from analogue to digital television in line with world standards.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
One of government’s key priorities is job creation. Digital migration creates an opportunity for South Africa to build a globally competitive export sector that will create jobs and grow the economy. The manufacture of set-top-boxes has the ability to unlock the potential of the electronic hardware manufacturing sector and stimulate job creation.
South Africa would then be well positioned to provide technical assistance as well as training and capacity building to the African Region. This would give South Africa the much needed influence as a technology leader thereby creating more commercial opportunities. This in turn will open-up opportunities for small medium and micro enterprises (SMMES) for digital local content development and job creation.
We envisage that 800 jobs will be created in the manufacturing industry. 20 000 youth will be trained in the installation and maintenance of Set Top Boxes and ultimately four to six thousand jobs will be created here.
Four thousand call centre operators will be employed to deal with queries relating to the STBs. The South African Post Office will have to employ an additional five hundred staff to assist with the distribution of STBs.
The launch of digital television will also free up space for the introduction of more television channels and the content industry had the ability to create more than 10 000 jobs.
It is intended that at least 24 000 job opportunities should be created in all parts of the country within 12 months of the rollout of digital migration. We also intend on focusing on rural and underserviced areas to ensure that these job creation opportunities are spread throughout the country.
CEOs and Chairpersons,
While the digital migration process is being driven by the Department of Communications, it is reliant on a number of role-players for its success.
The Department is currently assessing the outcomes of the RFP (Request for Proposal) for Set Top Boxes, which closed on 14 September. We intend awarding contracts to manufacturers by the middle of October. We expect that the first deliveries of STBs will take place at the end of November 2012.
In December this year we will host the commercial launch of DTT. This will mark the start of the dual illumination period in which both analogue and digital signals will be available. Our signal distributor Sentech has currently achieved DTT network coverage of 61% of the population. Sentech is on track to reach 80 percent coverage by March 2013 and 88 percent by December 2013. The remaining 12 percent will be covered by satellite technology.
Digital migration is all about television and our various broadcasters are ready to roll. The SABC is fully prepared to transmit SABC 1, 2 and 3 on the DTT network. It will also have a 24-hour news channel available for the DTT launch. Both SABC and e-TV are collaborating on a Free-To-Air partnership. e-TV and M-Net are ready to launch on the DTT platform and are awaiting approvals on ICASA regulations and tariff structures.
The SA Post Office’s vast distribution network is geared up to assist with the distribution of STBs to the indigent. South Africans who don’t qualify for the Set Top Box subsidy will be able to purchase their STB from commercial retail outlets. USAASA (Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa) will place STB orders with manufacturers on behalf of the Department of Communication and facilitate payment after STBs have been delivered at SAPO warehouses. The draft DTT Regulations have been released for public comment and are awaiting approval from ICASA.
The South African Bureau of Standards will have its STB Conformance laboratory ready this month. This will ensure that STBs from the various manufacturers are in line with South African specifications. The Department of Communications has allocated R10 million to fund the Conformance Laboratory. A consumer awareness programme has also commenced.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you can see we have covered all bases to ensure that digital migration happens as smoothly as possible. The reason we’ve chosen to host the Proof of Concept launch in the Northern Cape is because it encompasses both digital migration technologies i.e. the satellite Direct-to-Home (DTH) and the land based Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT). The SKA area is particularly difficult to transmit in because of the radio telescopes it already hosts. By launching here it will prove our readiness to ensure that digital migration in the rest of South Africa will be a foregone conclusion.
The road to digital migration has been a long and arduous one. However, the end is in sight. South Africa is a leader on the African continent in digital migration as visits by Kenya and Malawi in the last two months indicate. We are also expecting visits from Nigeria, Mozambique and Angola who are keen to understand the challenges we face. Our Post Office is also launching a commemorative stamp to mark this momentous occasion.
We are indeed proud of the challenges we have overcome in this process. We have given ourselves a deadline of December 2013 to complete the digital migration process, while the International Telecommunications Union deadline of 2015 will allow us to ensure that we take care of any unforeseen hiccups in the process.
Television has changed dramatically from those first grainy images that graced our screens. Television today is a convergence of computers, the Internet and television. The television of the future will be an interactive tool that will revolutionise the way we communicate and interact with each other.
I am glad that we are on the way to allowing all South Africans to be part of that global conversation.
Let me end by thanking all the leaders in the province for gracing our event here today. I particularly want to thank the leadership of the Northern Cape, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications, Mr Eric Kholwane, the Sol Plaatje and Frances Baard, Karoo and Kareenberg Municipalities, the representatives from the DST SKA project, the local Union representatives, and the Northern Cape Chamber of Commerce.
I now hand over to the real stars of the show, who will demonstrate our DTT capability.
I thank you.
Media enquiries:
Siya Qoza
Cell: 082 8981657
