Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has pushed out the final date for registering for set-top boxes ahead of digital broadcast migration to 30 September 2022. This follows a Constitutional Court ruling that set aside the Gauteng High Court decision that allowed the analogue switch-off to take place by the end of June 2022.

The ConCourt held the Minister must consider constraints when exercising her authority. For the Minister to set the analogue switch-off date, she must notify the industry and affected parties, and take into account their representations. It said must notify members of the public about the planned analogue switch-off and inform them about a need to register for set-top boxes (STBs) with a sense of urgency.

To date, the total number of households that registered between 1 November 2021 and 31 March 2022 is 260 268. Considering the five months period between November and March, this translates to an average of 52 000 registrations per month. But the total number of registered households between April 2022 and June 2022 is 49 385, and this translates to an average of 16 461 registrations per month, indicating a decline in STB applications and registrations.

“Noting the decline in STB applications and registrations in recent months and comparing the end of October, end of March and end of June registrations, this period is sufficient for the last registrations,” the minister said in a statement.

“Through this (|Government Gazette) notice, I will also inform members of the public and non- Indigent households who are still watching analogue TV, of my intension to switch-off analogue and urge them to purchase compliant digital television sets from retail market. The compliant digital TV set is identified through the Go-Digital logo.”

She said 30 September 2022 is the final deadline, and no applications will be considered after this date.

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