The Department of Communications (DOC) is looking to complete the registration process for government-subsidised set-top boxes (STBs) in the North West and Free State by 31 March.
The DOC announced that qualifying households in those two provinces have until the end of March to register for these devices.
In line with the digital migration programme, the South African government has committed to supply free STBs to five million households that depend on social grants and those with an income of less than R3 200. The STBs are required to convert digital broadcasting signals on analogue TV sets.
Following numerous delays, the DOC, which is charged with facilitating SA's switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television, is determined to meet the June 2019 deadline.
According to the communications ministry, households that fail to register and receive the digital TV decoders will lose access to television services.
"Qualifying households are therefore invited to register at their nearest post office. The registration deadline is 31st of March 2018 for the Free State and North West provinces.
"We also encourage households that fall outside the qualifying criteria to get digitally-enabled TV sets, and migrate with us. When buying a new TV set, ensure it has a digital tuner."
Officials from the DOC are visiting various municipality districts in the North West and Free State to register and install government-subsidised decoders to qualifying households, it adds.
The DOC told ITWeb once it completes registration in the Free State and North West, the next phase of the rollout will focus on the borderline provinces, namely Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
"The process should be complete before June 2019," says the department.
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