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Sibonelo Masondo (68) is a pensioner who loves sport on television and watching his favourite soccer teams play is the only thing he looks forward to every weekend.

But poor television signal at his village means Masondo is unable to fully enjoy the games. He is one of many South Africans living in remote parts of the country who are subjected to a poor quality TV picture and radio signal. This is one of the reasons South Africa has joined hundreds of other countries in moving from an analogue television signal to a more efficient digital terrestrial television (DTT) signal.

From the 1970s, when TV started in South Africa, the country used analogue signals and some broadcasters such as SABC TV and radio stations are still using this technology. Government is now in the process of making the transition to DTT and the Department of Communications has been tasked with ensuring all South Africans are able to make the switch.

Better quality TV and radio           

Digital migration will allow users to experience the many benefits of digital television, which includes clearer pictures and sound as well as more channels. It’s similar to the movement away from record players to CD players – which have made the music listening experience a whole lot better.

"It’s a whole new experience that we want South Africans to enjoy," said Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.

Speaking in Bizana in the Eastern Cape, where she led a DTT awareness campaign, she said, “We need all South Africans to know that digital migration is here, the project has not stalled. We are going to make sure that we migrate everyone.”

Set-top box decoders are needed to continue watching television when South Africa fully switches to DTT. These boxes will give access to more than 18 television channels, including the SABC, e.tv and community channels.

The registration of households for digital television decoders started over a year ago in the Square Kilometre Array (telescope area of the Northern Cape) but registration has been slow.

“The numbers are actually quite low; that is why we are constantly on the road to raise awareness and register people," said the minister. "We want people to understand that they need to go and register for them to receive these decoders." She visited several households in the Bizana area where the minister took it upon herself to register beneficiaries.