Minister Gungubele switches off last analogue transmitter in Stellenbosch

Communications Minister, Mondli Gungubele, has switched off the last transmitter above 694 Megahertz in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape.

This follows his announcement last month of a Two Step Approach to switch off analogue and end of dual illumination.

Minister @MondliGungubel_ and DM @PhillyMapulane have officially switched off the Stellenbosch analogue transmitter about 694 MHz.@SentechLtd @sitasocltd @usaasa_za @PostofficeSa @SABCPortal @GODIGITALDOC #LeaveNoOneBehind pic.twitter.com/7WY9oJwDUZ

— Dept of Communications & Digital Technologies (@CommsZA) July 31, 2023

This switch off means that mobile telecommunications companies will now have access to the high demand radio frequency spectrum which they bought on auction that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) had conducted last year.

This means the availability improved high speed Internet and other technological innovations in a cost-effective manner.

The SABC’s Group Executive for Technology, Lungile Binza, says they will now embark on a campaign to educate viewers on how to access the public broadcaster’s free to air channels.

“We are actually not just switching off SABC 3, but we are also migrating SABC 1 and SABC 2 to below 694mhz so we would need to campaign and ensure that our people now are retuning their televisions so that they can access SABC 1 and SABC 2 services that is (are) below 694. So, this is one of the biggest days because now the main objective of the entire analogue switch off was actually for us to release the spectrum…”

VIDEO | Analogue switch-off in Stellenbosch: