Cape Town - Civil society activists from the #SaveFreeTV campaign have said they are doubtful about whether the government has properly consulted the public with regard to its newly announced final deadline of September 30 for applications for subsidised set-top boxes for qualifying low-income households.
The set-top boxes are the devices that allow analogue television users to migrate to Digital TV.
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni’s publication of the deadline in the Government Gazette follows the Constitutional Court’s setting aside of her October 31, 2021 deadline for indigent households’ application for government set-top boxes.
Announcing the deadline, Ntshavheni said: “I’m informing members of the public and non-indigent households who are still watching analogue TV of my intention to switch off analogue and ask them to purchase compliant digital TV sets from the retail market.”
She said the compliant digital TV sets were identifiable by a “go-digital” logo.
She underlined that the September 30 deadline was final and that no applications would be considered after that date.
However, she did not set a date to consult affected parties on the new cut-off date for analogue.
Speaking for the #SaveFreeTV campaign Peoples Media Consortium spokesperson Hassen Lorgat said: “The minister was ordered by the Concourt to consult and do her work democratically, effectively and efficiently.
“In response, she held a press conference and then published the Gazette.”
Lorgat said the Gazette announcement did not talk about how the working poor were included.
He said his view was that the minister was skimping on the qualitative involvement of the citizens and that the assumptions in the gazette notice were elitist.
He said they did not conform with the most basic, rudimentary elements of a people-centred consultation.
“The department officials must go out there and meet people. Set up desks at community centres and workplaces and even the malls,” Lorgat said.
For those who need assistance with their set top boxes, or who experience difficulties with registration, the Gazette notice advises to contact telephone number: 0860 736 832 or to WhatsApp number: 0600 625 458.
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za