In South Africa, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is in talks with the National Treasury regarding a funding shortfall of US$46 million necessary for the distribution of set-top boxes (STBs) and the completion of the analogue switch-off process.
During a presentation to Parliament on September 12, 2025, the department indicated that current budget constraints would allow for the rollout of just 1,583 additional STBs based on registrations logged in December 2024.
To address this shortfall, a memo with a detailed analysis and a request for additional funding of US$46 million was submitted to the National Treasury on August 8. The request highlighted unforeseen expenses stemming from a Gauteng High Court ruling issued in March 2025.
In March, the Pretoria High Court postponed the deadline for the analogue switch-off, originally set for March 31, 2025, preventing Communications Minister Solly Malatsi from taking further action to finalise the switch-off.
The department informed the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee that it aims to distribute and install a total of 447,815 STBs. Following the High Court’s decision, Malatsi initiated the Analogue Switch-Off Acceleration Initiative, with a goal to expedite the distribution of 226,741 STBs.
This initiative will focus on ensuring the timely delivery of objectives and monitoring the implementation of essential components. It receives backing from Deputy Director-General Dick Sono, the Director-General, and the Minister himself, who aim to hold responsible entities accountable.
Sentech has adjusted its installation strategy to align with the Analogue Switch-Off Acceleration Initiative. The key steps identified for progress include:
- Increasing installation capacity and improving installation rates
- Managing the distribution and installation of decoders, especially from the South African Post Office’s inventory
- Enrolling low-income households for assistance
The March 2025 ruling resulted from legal action taken by eMedia and organisations, including Media Monitoring Africa and the SOS Coalition, to challenge the analogue switch-off deadline.
According to Malatsi’s department, they are currently in negotiations with e.TV lawyers are considering a potential settlement outside of court.
Additionally, the March ruling also prohibited Malatsi from concluding the dual illumination process—whereby both analogue and digital signals are transmitted simultaneously, which has been a financial burden for Sentech.
Before the ruling, Malatsi stated that the government could not sustain the costs associated with maintaining both broadcasting formats. Since 2014, keeping these dual signals has cost South Africa over US$69 million, with projected future annual fees ranging from US$5 million to US$9 million.
The minister emphasised that the March 31 deadline was established after considering the prolonged duration of the project and the financial implications of continuing dual illumination.
In a presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies in November 2024, the department revealed that no funding was allocated for dual illumination for the 2024/25 fiscal period, which concluded on March 31, 2025. They anticipated that costs for maintaining dual signals for that year could reach US$9 million.
To address the funding gap for dual illumination in 2024/25, the department, along with USAASA, has requested National Treasury to authorise the reallocation of US$8 million from USAF funds.
