Communications minister Dina Pule has accused e.tv and SABC of holding up the digital migration process by failing to finalise the set-top box access control mechanism.
At a breakfast hosted by The New Age newspaper today in Johannesburg, broadcast on SABC, the minister said the set-top box control mechanism was the only remaining obstacle to the migration process.
“If I say, ‘SABC, please do switch on’, they can do so because they are ready,” she said. “We’ve already rolled out 80% of the digital signal and what it means is that we just need set-top boxes to go and connect, and boom!”
Various players in the sector have repeatedly expressed doubt over South Africa’s ability to meet the digital migration deadline of June 1015.
Pule blamed the free-to-air broadcasters for the delays, as they have yet to finalise an access control system.
“Last year, we took a decision we wanted to fast track … the finalisation of the set-top box control but we were stopped because I was taken to court and the court decided that the free-to-air broadcasters are the ones that are supposed to finalise these control systems and therefore I’m waiting for them. I’m waiting for them since January.”
Pule was referring to her decision to award the management of the control system to state-owned Sentech, a decision which was subsequently appealed by e.tv in court. The court found Pule had acted beyond her powers in awarding the contract to Sentech. The minister only dropped her appeal against the decision in February.
The minister has attacked e.tv for delaying the process before, with the broadcaster forced to release a statement in January denying they were to blame for the delays to digital migration.
“If the minister were to abide by the decision of the high court, the free-to-air broadcasters would be in a position to put the digital terrestrial television process back on track with immediate effect,” e.tv said.
“Unfortunately, the ministry has proceeded to issue media statements which misrepresent the nature of the ruling and which imply that free-to-air broadcasters are responsible for the delays in digital terrestrial television.”
