SA prepares to migrate to digital broadcasting by 31 March 2022

The South African Post Office (SAPO) has reiterated its call for qualifying households to apply for free set-top boxes as the country prepares to migrate to digital broadcasting by 31 March 2022.

In a statement on Monday, the Post Office said almost 60 000 households applied for a government-subsidised television decoder in October 2021.

“Households that missed the registration deadline of 31 October may receive their decoder only after 31 March 2022. Households that applied earlier should receive their decoder before 31 March next year, when the old analogue television transmission will be switched off in all provinces. After that, all television transmissions will be digital, and television sets will need a decoder to work,” SAPO said.

Last month’s provincial statistics show that the Eastern Cape is in the lead with 10 261 registrations, followed by the Northwest with 8 452 households registered, KwaZulu-Natal at 7 783, the Western Cape 7 561, Gauteng 6 994, Limpopo 6 867 and Mpumalanga 6 375.

“The switch to digital television transmissions is almost complete in the Free State, where 3 309 households registered and in the Northern Cape, where the conversion is practically complete, 1 300 households registered. Qualifying households are still welcome to apply at their local Post Office.

“Visit your local Post Office with your identity document, proof of address and proof that you earn R3500 per month or less. If you do not have proof of income or address, your post office will help you to complete an affidavit to confirm your address and income,” said the SAPO. Devdiscourse