Industry observers have reacted with dismay to news that SA's broadcast digital migration process is the official responsibility of the Department of Communications (DOC), as the Presidency this morning prepares to gazette a proclamation that gives control over the project to minister Faith Muthambi.
According to a well-placed source, the proclamation will, once and for all, settle the purported power struggle between the DOC and the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) over the process. It is also expected to shed more light on the respective functions and responsibilities of the respective departments.
The DOC this morning declined to comment, with spokesperson Ayanda Hollow saying: "Let's give the Presidency space to communicate the proclamation, and after that, we can talk." His DTPS counterpart, Siya Qoza, also declined to comment, saying he would first have to see the proclamation before responding.
Controversy and talk of a turf war between Muthambi and telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele over digital migration emerged soon after president Jacob Zuma split the former communications ministry earlier this year into two separate departments.
Initially, Cwele championed digital migration as a priority project for his department, talking up the urgency of concluding the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting, as the international deadline of June 2015 looms ever closer. However, since Cwele's submission of draft digital migration policy to Cabinet for final approval, six months ago, the process seems to have ground to a halt.
In recent weeks, Muthambi has claimed responsibility for the project, and has vowed to "revive" digital migration, while the DTPS has all but withdrawn from making public statements around the issue.
However, Muthambi's statements around digital migration have not been received with enthusiasm by industry observers and opposition politicians, with Democratic Alliance shadow minister of telecommunications and postal services Marian Shinn accusing her of meddling and holding up a process that rightfully belongs under the DTPS.
No real difference
While the new presidential proclamation will finally bring some much-needed clarity to the process, and will irrefutably put Muthambi in the driving seat, analysts reacted with dismay this morning.
ICT veteran Adrian Schofield says Muthambi's jurisdiction over the digital migration process is the result of the splitting of the old DOC, and the earlier proclamation placing all broadcast-related issues under the auspices of the current DOC. "If it smells and tastes like broadcasting, it falls under the DOC; in essence, the propaganda unit of government."
But, says Schofield, the proclamation will not make any real difference to the digital migration process, which has seen no progress in recent months. "There are two sides to this coin - on the one hand, is there is the issue of [set-top box] access control, which gives consideration to the interests of commercial players and allows them to play politics.
"On the other hand, there is the issue of spectrum that needs to be released and given to ICASA [the Independent Communications Authority of SA]. Putting it in her domain might speed things up a bit, but we have to ask where in her department are the technical skills? The pool of expertise lies within the DTPS."
Schofield says Muthambi has failed to impress him, as she has not shown she has a clear grasp of the technical issues involved in digital migration. "It is now 28 November, and nothing much is going to happen for the next six to eight weeks on this side of the world. Yet, the June [2015] deadline looms."
Unimpressive minister
World Wide Worx MD Arthur Goldstuck is not surprised that Muthambi has been given control of digital migration, but also says he has been left uninspired by the general track record of the new DOC. "There needs to be a delivery imperative, but this department has so far delivered very unimpressive results. I would normally give Muthambi the benefit of the doubt, but given the department's short track record, it is clear that this is a poorly thought-out structure."
Goldstuck says the process requires a minister with a sense of urgency and focus on migration to move it forward.
Ovum senior analyst Richard Hurst expresses similar misgivings. "Digital migration has been on the table for years and nothing has happened. It needs direction - we thought it had direction at one stage, but that was just hot air."
Hurst adds that SA is falling seriously behind other African states in terms of digital switch-over. "Whatever it is, it now needs to get going. But there is a worry that it is yet another new minister - and we are hearing a lot about what is going to be done and there are meetings about having more meetings. Yet, we are back to square one. That is the biggest fear."
He is also critical of Muthambi's lack of technical knowledge. "One thing about digital migration is that you need some understanding about how to divide up 800MHz of spectrum, and you also need some understanding about signal distribution and how Sentech will be affected. Perhaps the minister will surround herself with clever advisors, but something concrete has to be done."
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