I never thought I’d be writing about South Africa’s digital TV migration project in 2025, more than a decade after it was meant to be completed, but here we are.
Once again, the process of moving the SABC, e.tv and several community broadcasters off ancient analogue systems and onto more modern (but already rapidly dating) digital terrestrial TV technology is back in court.
Here are the latest developments in this long-running saga, which has cost South Africa an estimated R12bn (and counting):
- In January, e.tv filed papers in the high court in Pretoria seeking an urgent order to stop communications minister Solly Malatsi from switching off analogue broadcasts on March 31 2025. This is after e.tv in 2022 won a similar lawsuit in the Constitutional Court against Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the minister at the time, for failing to consult adequately with broadcasters about an earlier planned switch-off.
- E.tv was joined in the Malatsi lawsuit by media industry lobby groups Media Monitoring Africa and the SOS Coalition, both of which are worried about the impact on the SABC of a rushed analogue switch-off.
- The applicants have accused Malatsi of rushing the analogue switch-off before Sentech has had a chance to complete the distribution of state-subsidised set-top boxes to several hundred thousand indigent households, which risk losing access to basic TV services.
- The high court heard oral arguments last week. E.tv’s legal counsel contended that, going by its record so far, the government’s claims that Sentech could accelerate the rollout of set-top boxes to complete the project by year-end was without basis. Malatsi’s legal team, meanwhile, suggested e.tv was arguing in favour of its own commercial interests, not the interests of South Africa’s indigent population.
In its heads of argument to the court, e.tv said there had been no consultation with industry players about Malatsi’s decision to extend the switch-off deadline to March 31 2025.
Digital migration has become the butt of jokes. There has been a dire lack of political leadership by a long series of communications ministers
The fact is that digital migration has become the butt of jokes. There has been a dire lack of political leadership by a long series of communications ministers. The jury is still out on whether Malatsi — a DA MP, and the first non-ANC minister to serve in the portfolio in the democratic era — will do any better. If the court grants e.tv its urgent interdict, it would represent a political setback for Malatsi and the DA.
Hanging over all this is an increasingly loud chorus of industry players who argue that South Africa is so far behind with the project that the world is moving on from digital terrestrial broadcasting.
Those concerns appear not to have reached policymakers, who seem determined to push on with the current technological framework. But given the demand by mobile broadband operators for the radio spectrum used by TV broadcasts, it may make sense to migrate South Africa’s free-to-air channels not only to digital technologies but to satellite too, and to scrap the idea of operating a terrestrial TV network entirely.
That has some risks, including possibly relying on offshore satellite providers. But that argument had more currency in a bygone era before the internet fractured the media landscape.
There’s also the affordability question, especially if consumers are required to get satellite dishes to continue watching the SABC and e.tv. The last thing the country needs is another equipment subsidy project that’s going to cost more time and money.
Some industry players, including e.tv, argue that newer terrestrial technologies, such as 5G Broadcast (5GB), could be the future of terrestrial TV. The 5GB standard uses mobile phone towers with a range of up to 60km to provide linear broadcasts to mobile handsets and other devices — with zero data charges incurred by the viewer. Few people have compatible devices, though — and that’s a problem.
Whatever the high court decides in the coming days will determine the future direction of TV broadcasting in South Africa.
If e.tv wins, Malatsi should begin an immediate review of the project and whether it still makes sense to proceed with it. If e.tv loses, and the court says analogue switch-off can go ahead, then Malatsi should press on — perhaps after giving broadcasters and Sentech one final deadline — to get their houses in order. No further extension should be entertained.
At the same time, Malatsi should initiate a review of broadcasting policy. The white paper on audiovisual media services, which has been gathering dust, should form the basis of a thorough policy overhaul. It’s long overdue.
McLeod is editor of TechCentral
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