[ Home ]
[ Speeches & statements ]
Minister extends radio and TV for the first time in Kgalagadi
24 October 2008
The Minister of Communications, Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri will for the first time, switch on the newly installed low power transmitters that will extend television services to the communities of Heunigsvlei, Laxey, Severn and Loopeng in Kgalagadi (Nodal Point) on Saturday, 25 October 2008 in Heunigsvlei, Northern Cape.
These communities do not have access to basic television services. They will from Saturday receive SABC1, 2, 3 channels and Motsweding FM signals. This means that come 2010, the people of these afore-mentioned areas will be able to watch the World Cup on television and listen to commentaries on radio. Furthermore, it will benefit the community in as far as voter education and educational programmes are concerned.
Minister would also use this platform to popularise the impending migration of television from analogue to digital in South Africa starting on the 1st of November 2008.
This initiative of setting up low power transmitters also signifies the SABC’s vision of broadcasting for total citizen empowerment, which simply means providing all South Africans access to information, through the powerful mediums of television and radio.
As a further initiative to ensure that communities are in a position to enjoy these broadcast services, the Department of Communications is donating 25 television sets to be set up in various community halls and schools. The TV licence fees for these 25 TV sets will be subsidised by the SABC’s TV licences division for a one year period.
Expected to attend are; the Premier of Northern Cape, MECs, executive mayors, councillors, and invited guests. The payment of TV licenses has played a crucial role in enabling the SABC to procure the equipment necessary to carry out the SABC’s mandate of universal access for all. Through the audience services division, the corporation is funding this project from R500 000 taken from TV licence revenue to extend the corporation’s broadcasting reach into certain parts of the Northern Cape.
For more information contact:
Joe Makhafola
Ministry of Communications spokesperson
Tel: 012 427 8010
Cell: 071 290 1735
E-mail joe@doc.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Communications
24 October 2008
Source: Department of Communications (http://www.doc.gov.za/)