March 31, 2022 has been announced as the date of the switch-off of analogue television broadcasts in South Africa and fully go digital.

This was announced by Communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on Tuesday, October 5. Analogue television carries SABC 1, SABC 2, SABC 3 and eTV. Households that already watch television through DSTV, OVHD, Telkom-One, StarSat and any other streaming platforms or have a digital TV will not be affected by the switch-off.

Before the switch off was announced, government undertook to assist beneficiary households that have an income of less than R3 500 per month with installation of set-top-boxes to ensure universal migration. The process of registering beneficiary households to be supported started in 2015 and to date 1, 184 million qualifying households have been registered out of the estimated 3,75 million qualifying households. Indigent households still hoping to get a free set-top box have until the end of this month to visit a Post Office to register.

Benefits of digital migration include improved picture and sound quality, as well as the freeing of spectrum to add more free-to-air channels.