Even though South Africa completely missed the boat when it came to implementing the switch from analogue television signals to digital ones, communications minister Faith Muthambi today said that South Africa is “on track” to deliver on the migration to digital.

We are not entirely sure what there is to be “on track” about, since the international deadline set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to migrate to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) was on 17 June this year.

“I wish to assure the public that we are on track to have Broadcasting Digital Migration Programme implementation realised in South Africa. The Digital Terrestrial Television Programme Management Office (DTT PMO) is working tirelessly with all key role players towards ensuring a successful implementation of the programme,” Muthambi said in parliament.

She added that since the Migration Policy amendments were gazetted and approved earlier this year, the DTT PMO has been working on assessments of critical elements of the programme’s implementation.

In essence, it was up to the DTT PMO to see where the government stands, what still needs to be done, and how the government can get it done.

“The purpose of the assessment was to take stock of completed and outstanding deliverables in order to ensure proper planning and sequencing of services in consideration of dependencies in line with the programme implementation,” she said.

The Department of Communications and Cabinet will also soon be discussing a possible launch date of the whole system, as well as the length of time that both analogue and digital signals will be broadcast for – knows as the dual-illumation period. The placing of an order for around five million set-top boxes will also be decided.

[Image – CC by 2.0/Sam Brelsfoard]