Speaking notes for the Premier of the Free State. Ms. S.H Ntombela on the occasion of the opening of the Free State Broadcasting Digital Migration Colloquium, Pacofs, Bloemfontein
Members of the Executive Council,
Heads of Department and Entities,
The Delegation from the National Department of
Communications,
State Owned Entities present,
Senior Government Officials from various Departments and Stakeholders,
Most importantly, you, the participants, who have come out in your numbers to contribute towards coming up with workable solutions which will ensure that this Digital Migration process benefits us all – I welcome you.
I am pleased to stand here before you, announcing that indeed the Free State province is proud to be the first province to be switched off in December 2018. This however, comes with great responsibility to us all.
We need to ask ourselves: How do we collectively ensure that the switch from analog to digital is a smooth one, but most importantly, how do we ensure that it contributes to the betterment of our people – the relentless fight against poverty and unemployment in the province?
Ladies and gentlemen, on Friday, October 19, 2018, I was a panelist in Hatfield, Pretoria, at the Media Briefing hosted by the Department of Communications, where Minister Nomvula Mokonyane unpacked the revised Broadcasting Digital Migration delivery model, which I welcome, as it fosters inclusive participation, and creates an environment for private sector and industry collaboration and partnerships.
At the media Briefing, I outlined the objectives of this colloquium, which are to:
- Enhance the communication and awareness and education of the migration programme;
- Fast track the viewer migration element in the areas of registrations, distributions and installations;
- Solicit assistance with the acquisition and distribution of migration devices.
- Create a platform for content providers, local media and other members of the value chain to network and identify opportunities that comes from the project;
- Attract local installers and grow the Free State provincial database;
- Deliberate on current trends within the broadcasting industry in the province; and
- Host discussions on current and imminent developments in the industry
Ladies and gentlemen, the objectives of the colloquium are aligned to those of the National Development Plan on the need to bridge the digital divide, increase the competitiveness of the South African economy, create jobs and build social cohesion and unlocking the potential of SMMEs and cooperatives.
Therefore, at the end of a productive three days of deliberations, I hope the following questions shall be addressed:
One: How can the Free State province assist the digital migration project in communicating the message of switch off to citizens?
Two: How can the Free State province assist the project in mobilizing citizens to migrate to digital?
Three: How do we begin to explore opportunities to do consumer help in the province for digital migration, for example, provincial walk-in centers, workshops to repair decoders in the province, and so forth?
Four: Are we ready, as province, to fast track the application for Free State community TV to get on to the DTT multiplex?
Five: Are we ready, through the assistance of the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), to explore ways to help with the establishment of a production hub in the province?
Six: Are we ready, through the assistance of the Free State Training and Development Institute (FSTDI), to implement a training programme for youth to become installers, call centre agents and do first line support for faulty decoders in the province?
Seven: How can the province assist in coordinating with manufacturers and retail to accelerate the supply of set-top boxes in stores in the province?
Ladies and gentlemen, if we come out of here having answered these critical questions, then we will achieve our goal of a seamless process of migration from analog to digital. We will boast to be a worthy benchmark for other provinces.
In conclusion, let me pay tribute to the late Ivy Florence Matsepe-Casaburri, first female Premier of the Free State Province (1996 – 1999), and former Minister of Communications from 1999 until her death.
During her tenure as Minister of Communications, Sis Ivy, as she was affectionately known, promulgated the Electronic Communications Act (ECA) in 2005 which created a new policy and regulatory environment in South Africa.
She further oversaw the amalgamation of telecommunications and broadcasting regulatory bodies resulting in the formation of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), a move emulated in many other parts of the world.
She was indeed, the doyen of the ICTs – Malibongwe!
Ladies and gentlemen, let us ensure that the switch off of analogue broadcasting by end of December 2018 unlocks opportunities for the Free State citizens and businesses.
Let us all work together to inform viewers of the pending switch off and to assist with viewer registrations in all towns in the Free State province.
I officially declare the Free State Broadcasting Digital Migration Colloquium open!
The Free State is ready!.
Go Digital, Mzansi!
I thank you!
