South Africa’s digital terrestrial television (DTT) migration was expected to start in the second quarter of this year, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi said on Wednesday.

Despite a previous deadline of 18 months for the much-delayed project, set by Muthambi, no specific date had been given for South Africa to turn on its digital broadcasting signals or switch off its analogue frequencies.

“Using our collective efforts and wisdom, we will do all we can to ensure that the migration process commences during the second quarter of this financial year,” she said.

The Department of Communications, tasked with leading the overdue project, was, however, “ready to consult” with Cabinet on the digital signal switch-on date, Muthambi assured in her Budget Vote to Parliament.

Further, the department was in the process of signing bilateral agreements with South Africa’s neighbouring countries as five-million subsidised set-top boxes were deployed over the next 18 to 24 months, with borderline areas prioritised.

“We are hard at work to conclude and sign bilateral engagements with our six neighbouring countries namely, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland, in order to minimise cross border radio frequency spectrum interference,” Muthambi said.

On Thursday, the department would finalise a memorandum of understanding with Botswana, followed by Lesotho and Swaziland on May 27 and June 3 respectively.

Meanwhile, the department had set aside R22-million for a broadcasting digital migration awareness campaign, which would start within four weeks.