The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has tasked its legal team with collaborating with industry stakeholders to address the stalemate regarding the analogue switch-off outside of court proceedings.
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi shared this update during his Budget Vote address on Friday, July 11, 2025, following the Gauteng High Court’s rejection of his previous March 31, 2025, deadline.
“The plan for the analogue switch-off by the end of March was halted earlier this year due to the Court’s ruling,” the minister stated.
“We acknowledge the court’s findings and have assigned our legal representatives the responsibility to engage with their counterparts to seek a resolution without resorting to litigation.”
On March 27, 2025, the Pretoria High Court suspended Malatsi’s revised deadline and prohibited him from proceeding with the project to end dual illumination. Additionally, Judge Selby Baqwa issued an injunction against state signal distributor Sentech to halt the deactivation of analogue signals. Stakeholders, including eMedia and Media Monitoring Africa, initiated a legal challenge against Malatsi’s deadline.
“The enforcement of the final analogue switch-off date of March 31, 2025, as announced by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies on December 5, 2024, is suspended,” the ruling stated.
Opponents of the switch-off argued that many low-income households would lose access to essential information if South Africa’s analogue TV signals were terminated. They also contended that the minister failed to adequately consult key stakeholders before establishing the March 31 deadline.
Judge Baqwa concurred, noting that the public would face significant consequences if analogue TV signals were turned off as scheduled. He emphasised that the minister recognised this in his response, admitting that cutting off analogue transmitters would result in widespread challenges throughout the country.
“Despite this acknowledgement, he proposes that all registered households will receive a set-top box by December 31, 2025, nine months after the proposed analogue switch-off date,” wrote Baqwa. He argued that the damage caused would be long-lasting, pointing out that each day without access to crucial information leads to an irreversible loss of knowledge, awareness, and civic engagement.
In May 2025, SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli expressed concerns to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts regarding the deadline’s uncertainty and its impact on the broadcaster’s ability to attract advertising clients. She noted that potential marketers were hesitant to enter into long-term agreements amid the lack of clarity surrounding the switch-off plan.
Chabeli warned that the cessation of analogue TV signals could drastically affect audience numbers if many viewers were not transitioned to digital platforms promptly. “We rely on audience metrics to sell our advertising space, and losing viewers will immediately reduce our market value,” she said.
She emphasised that many advertisers prefer to purchase bulk in advance, but this uncertainty around the switch-off has made them cautious. “Advertisers are hesitant to commit to a bulk deal based on today’s audience estimates when uncertain about future audience sizes,” Chabeli added.
“This hesitation affects our liquidity since bulk sales comprise most of our inventory sales. We don’t operate on a month-to-month basis.”
Chabeli concluded that a premature analogue switch-off would jeopardise the SABC’s sustainability. “The implications and timing of the switch-off are crucial for our sustainability, as they directly relate to a significant portion of our revenue,” she stated.
The SABC advocates postponing the analogue switch-off until the end of 2025, while some stakeholders argue for an even longer extension.
