The South African Post Office (SAPO) is due to deliver more than 2 000 set-top box decoders to households in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) area in the Northern Cape.
Post Office acting CEO Trevor Ndlazi said 2 281 households in the area were due to receive an SMS from the SA Post Office requesting them to collect their set-top boxes from their nearest post office.
The registration of households for digital television decoders started on 1 October at post offices in the SKA area.
Government has committed to providing five million indigent homeowners — in possession of TV sets — with set-top boxes which convert broadcasting signal from analogue to digital.
South African households with a combined income of R3 200 or less are eligible for a subsidised set-top box.
To qualify, the household members must be South African citizens, with a valid television licence.
“Further, applicants must bring their identity book, proof of address, proof of income [a payslip] or an affidavit if they don’t have an income and television licence to their local post office when they register,” the Post Office said.
It added that as part of contributing to the local communities, local contractors will be enlisted to install the satellite dish and decoder.
Ndlazi encouraged residents in the SKA area to apply for digital television decoders as soon as possible to avoid a last-minute rush.