The Department of Communications (DOC) has made significant progress in facilitating the switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) for households in towns in the core Square Kilometre Array (SKA) area.
This is according to DOC minister Ayanda Dlodlo, speaking in Parliament on the occasion of her department's budget vote on Friday.
After missing the June 2015 deadline to switch to DTT, the DOC began the digital migration process of households around the SKA area because this is where analogue causes the greatest interference.
The analogue switch-off project marked the first progressive step in SA's digital migration process.
Dlodlo said she is happy with the significant progress made in the implementation of DTT. "To date, we have switched off 18 analogue transmitters in the core towns of the SKA and we have registered 185 000 qualifying households."
The minister maintained the Broadcasting Digital Migration (BDM) policy remains a flagship programme of the department as it has the potential to improve the lives of all South Africans.
"The rollout of the programme further brings tangible benefits that will have a lasting impact across our society and economy. These include the revitalisation of the electronic manufacturing industry through the local manufacturing of set-top boxes (STBs), digital terrestrial television aerials and satellite dish installations."
While Dlodlo previously said she will introduce the encrypted form of DTT in line with the policy of the African National Congress, on Friday she remained mum on the technical specifications of government-subsidised STBs.
The minister's turnabout regarding encryption for DTT decoders came as a surprise because her predecessor Faith Muthambi advocated for the use of unencrypted STBs.
The Constitutional Court is also still to decide on the legal matter regarding the BDM policy regarding the technical specifications of government-subsidised decoders.
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