South Africa’s transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) has hit another delay, with the new switch-off deadline for 31 March 2025 pushed back from the original December 2024 date. This extension comes as millions of households remain unprepared for the change, particularly those who have not yet received their free set-top boxes (STBs) from the government, as well as those in the “missing middle” who earn over US$194 but have not been able to purchase their own due to a lack of availability in stores.
The delay is crucial for households in Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape, which together represent more than half of South Africa’s population. If these areas lose their analogue TV signals, residents may find themselves cut off from essential news and information.
Broadcasters like the SABC, eMedia’s e.tv, and community channels like Cape Town TV (CTV) will likely face severe viewership declines, which could lead to a significant drop in advertising revenue as ratings fall.
Approximately 174 analogue transmitters remain operational in the aforementioned provinces. Solly Malatsi, the 12th Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, announced the three-month extension after a meeting with various stakeholders.
While the SABC has requested a more extended delay of an additional 12 months until December 2025, eMedia’s specific request remains undisclosed. Malatsi emphasised that this extension aims to ensure that as many underserved households as possible can access broadcast services.
“This decision acknowledges the extensive delays that have affected the Broadcasting Digital Migration (BDM) project since its start, providing crucial relief to facilitate a wider migration before the final switch-off,” Malatsi stated.
He has also indicated that management will be held accountable for any failures within the department related to this transition. Currently, around 467,000 low-income households have registered for the government-subsidized STBs, but many remain uninstalled, with boxes sitting unused in South African Post Offices and Sentech warehouses.
Malatsi addressed the financial implications, revealing that the dual illumination process—where analogue and digital signals are transmitted simultaneously—has cost the government US$68 million since 2015. With no budget allocated for this dual transmission beyond 2025, the source of funding for the recent extension remains unclear.
He noted, “This process is not only costly but also unsustainable, particularly given the current strain on our fiscal resources.”
Moving forward, Malatsi affirmed that the department’s primary focus will be on speeding up the delivery and installation of STBs to ensure that as many households as possible are prepared by the end of March 2025 for the impending switch-off.
