South Africa’s digital migration television launch is set for the 26th and the 27th of September in the Northern Cape, Karoo region.
Nonetheless, the Department of Communications (DOC) has a R7 billion shortfall to fund before migration can be completed.
According to IT Web, the deputy director-general of the DoC, Themba Phiri, told the Select Committee for Labour and Public Enterprises a week ago that it was very clear the country could not meet the SADC deadline, as there was not enough time to complete the work and there were also funding constraints.
“DOC needed a total of R7 billion more in funding to address a shortfall to rollout digital TV,” Phiri was quoted saying by IT Web.
He however, told the committee that SA would meet the ITU timeframe, as it still had a full three years to wrap up the entire project.
How much will you pay for Digital TV Signal?
Every South African household with a TV set will be forced to pay R700 for a set top box (STB) or will lose their free TV signals, City Press reported few months ago.
The announcement by Communications Minister Dina Pule in government-run print ads indicated that South Africans would have to fork out about R700 to buy a STB and a new antenna, it said.
The government will only be subsidising a portion of the cost for the “poorest of the poor” households, but no plan has yet been announced on how it will work practically, it also reported.
Turn on:
Digital TV is expected to be ignited up on 26 and 27 September.
Job Creation:
DOC is expected to create several categories of jobs along with migration.
In the manufacturing sector, about 800 and 1 000 opportunities expected to be created, which include more jobs at existing factories and new jobs at new start-up small and medium companies.
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http://www.thenewage.co.za/59826-1021-53-SAs_digital_TV_to_switch_on
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Article source: http://www.thenewage.co.za/59986-1021-53-DoC_needs_another_R7bn_for_digital_TV