In 2006, South Africa committed to the ITU Geneva Agreement (GE-06) deadline of 17 June 2015 for completing the switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television. Cabinet approved the Broadcasting Digital Migration (BDM) policy in 2008. What followed was one of the longest-running procurement and policy scandals in South African history.
The programme was crippled by seven ministers in 15 years: Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri (died in office 2009), Siphiwe Nyanda, Roy Padayachie (died in office 2012), Dina Pule (fired for ethics violations 2013), Yunus Carrim (reshuffled after 10 months for being too independent), Faith Muthambi (reversed progress, issued unlawful policy), Nomvula Mokonyane (no progress), and Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams (finally completed migration). Each minister changed policy direction, creating a paralysing cycle of stops and starts.
The encryption vs. non-encryption debate consumed 5+ years. Cabinet's 2008 policy specified non-encrypted set-top boxes. e.tv challenged this, arguing encryption was needed to enable pay-TV competition against MultiChoice/DStv's monopoly. MultiChoice lobbied against encryption. Faith Muthambi's 2015 policy amendment removing encryption was found unlawful by the Supreme Court of Appeal for failing to consult ICASA.
USAASA, the implementing agency, accumulated R1.2B+ in irregular expenditure across a decade of AG audit findings. STB procurement was repeatedly restarted due to irregularities, specification changes, and legal challenges. Millions of rands were spent on STBs that sat in warehouses undistributed.
The ITU deadline was missed by 8 years. The analogue switch-off was finally completed in 2023. The delayed spectrum auction (2022) raised R14.4 billion — but the delay cost the economy an estimated R50-100 billion in delayed 4G/5G rollout, higher data costs, and reduced broadband competition that disproportionately affected rural and poor communities.