South Africa is set to conclude its analogue TV signal transmissions by March 31st, but this long-awaited transition may again be at risk.
According to local news sources, contractors responsible for providing and installing new digital set-top boxes are raising concerns about the looming deadline, citing a shortage of boxes, insufficient installation fees, and theft of approved adaptors. Additionally, eMEDIA is pursuing a legal challenge claiming that this switch-off could result in “millions of South Africans being deprived of television access.”
Contractors have also highlighted issues with payment delays. One installer mentioned, “The contract and quality assurance guidelines state that payments should be made within two weeks, but we’ve never seen that happen. Some installers have gone without payment for nearly two years.”
In 2016, the payment rate for installations was US$34.67. At that time, pay-TV operator MultiChoice offered installations for about US$42.67. However, when Sentech, the national transmission company, was responsible for supplying and installing the digital set-top boxes, the installation fee dropped to US$13.34. Although this amount has increased over time, it is now at US$20.86.
Given the current circumstances, the March 31st deadline appears uncertain for at least 220,000 households that have yet to transition to digital television.
