DA defends Sentech for raising signal concerns
DA spokeswoman on communications Dene Smuts was responding to cabinet, which early this week said it was disappointed by Sentech officials’ perceptions regarding the country’s readiness to televise the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
During a briefing to Parliament’s communications committee last month, Sentech executives complained about a lack of funding for the conversion of broadcasting infrastructure from analogue to digital. They said the conversion was essential if SA was to meet its television broadcasting commitments for the event, saying there was no clear conversion plan on the table.
"Negative public communication, aimed at accessing resources or any other purpose, does not help the image of the country, nor does it in any case reflect the true state of affairs," the cabinet statement said.
Cabinet said that, after Germany this year, the international sport spotlight would turn to SA. Therefore, it was essential for officials to base their statements on fact and help in engendering confidence in SA and the continent. Smuts said the 2010 World Cup was far too important an event to allow slanging matches between government and its own enterprises.
She accused government of being "reluctant and stingy in facilitating digital broadcasting", which required a R900m investment. Instead, Sentech has received R200m over three years.
"Sentech has been doing its duty in reporting on the subject of ageing infrastructure to Parliament at least twice a year for the past four years.
"The parliamentary committee supported it and consistently raised the matter with the department of communications," Smuts said.
However, communications department director-general Lyndall Shope Mafole told the committee last week, during a presentation on the department’s plan, that Sentech had enough to start the project and that more resources would be forthcoming.
Smuts said that, despite cabinet’s assurances, nothing had been forthcoming to Sentech.
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