Minister warns manufacturers against dumping unwanted analogue TV sets in South Africa

Communications Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has warned against the dumping of analogue television sets as South Africa migrates to digital broadcasting.

Ntshavheni on Wednesday gave an update, saying that South Africa was making good progress to complete digital migration.

The minister said that the last SABC analogue site would be switched off in Upington in the Northern Cape on Friday.

Minister Ntshavheni said that more than half a million indigent households had already migrated to digital with more being registered to receive digital set-top boxes.

But she’s warned against manufacturers dumping their unwanted analogue TV sets.

“As South Africa is shifting to digital, we want to ensure we avoid dumping of analogue televisions in South Africa. I am therefore in consultation with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, the Department of International Relations and the International Trade Administration Commission. We are coordinating government’s approach on the non-proliferation of analogue TVs in the South African market.

South Africa hopes to fully migrate by March next year.

It’s the last country in Africa to still use analogue.