Question NW1294 to the Minister of Communications
06 June 2016 - NW1294
Bhanga, Mr BM to ask the Minister of Communications
(1)(a) What is the current status of discussions about the requirement of households to have a current SA Broadcasting Corporation TV Licence in order to receive government-subsidised set-top boxes and (b) with whom are these discussions being held; (2) are amendments to (a) the Broadcasting Act, Act 4 of 1999 and/or (b) any other regulatory mechanism(s) being contemplated to alleviate the legal obligation of the specified households from requiring valid TV licences before receiving government-subsidised set-top boxes; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
The qualifying criteria issued by the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) requires that for poor TV owning households to qualify for free set-top-boxes they must have a valid TV license. However, a TV license is not compulsory to purchase a STB. The license requirement is proving to be an obstacle in the registration of the qualifying TV households and ultimately on the distribution of set-top-boxes. Therefore, Department of Communications (DoC) sought to address this as a matter of urgency.
Resultantly, a decision was made, together with the SABC management, to delink TV license requirement from the Set-Top-Box registration process. It is my considered view that by delinking the TV license requirement, registration of the qualifying TV households and ultimately on the distribution of set-top-boxes will enable the indigent households in the SKA area to benefit from the government subsidy.
MR NN MUNZHELELE
DIRECTOR GENERAL [ACTING]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
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MS AF MUTHAMBI (MP)
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
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