The Democratic Alliance is concerned there is a lack of progress in wrapping up outstanding issues needed to move SA onto a digital television platform.
In a statement issued today by the party's shadow minister of telecommunications and postal services, Marian Shinn, the official opposition notes there was "no sign" in the report back on Wednesday's Cabinet meeting of the revised Broadcast Digital Migration Policy "that is holding up the start of the tender process for the local assembly of the set-top boxes and the switch over to digital terrestrial television".
This policy is among the last issues holding up SA's migration from analogue and is seemingly stuck at Cabinet for sign off. The new telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele had promised to have the final policy published by the end of July, with a switch on date to be announced next month.
South Africa's migration to digital television started as long ago as 2006, but the official launch has yet to happen amid several delays that have derailed the process, including a change in the chosen standard, and a lawsuit over which entity would handle set-top box controls, an impasse former communications minister Yunus Carrim tried unsuccessfully to resolve.
Shinn also notes the policy had allegedly not been discussed by Cabinet because current communications minister Faith Muthambi objected to having not been consulted over Cwele's submission.
There is as yet no clarity over which department will handle digital television because both ministers have been seeking to expedite the process, with the apparent infighting over whose job it is causing more delays as the international deadline of mid-2015 looms.
The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services has denied there is any infighting, while Cwele has said migration falls under his portfolio. Shinn, who urges Cwele to fast-track the process, notes analogue signal will be subject to interference post the migration deadline.
Other commentators have also noted the delays impede the release of much-needed spectrum, which is needed to roll out faster broadband. The department was not immeditely able to respond to a request for comment.
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