Thousands of people from the close-knit rural community of Heuningvlei in the Northern Cape were overwhelmed when they heard they would be able to watch television and listen to the radio for the first time in their lives. The Minister of Communication, Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, made the announcement on Saturday, 25 October 2008, before switching on television and radio transmitters at the Kgalagadi Nodal Point, during an imbizo in the area.
The initiative, which is a partnership between the Department of Communications, South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Sentech, will provide 66 villages in the north-west of the province with access to television and radio programmes.
Addressing the elated crowd, Matsepe-Casaburri said all South Africans were living in a participatory democracy, of which access to information was important.
"In today's world, news travel fast because of radio and television. Both provide news, information and entertainment, more importantly it focuses on education, health and social issues as well as current affairs and financial advice," she said.
The minister said without access to television and radio services, none of the above was possible, adding that many South Africans were still not able to receive the services offered by the public broadcaster.
However, in an effort to address this problem, the SABC had earlier this year launched a lower power transmitter initiative to extend its services more rapidly and cost-effectively to these affected areas, with universal access as its ultimate aim.
"Service to the public and the best interests of the country's citizens are at the heart of the SABC, in line with its vision of Broadcasting for Total Citizen Empowerment," the minister said.
She added that the SABC was a national asset that contributes significantly to the sharing of information, news dissemination, education, entertainment and the general development of the South African society.
In terms of its mandate, the SABC has a responsibility to encourage the growth of a unique South African culture among all citizens and to play an important role in shaping the future of this country.
Speaking at the event, SABC chairperson Khanyisiwe Mkonza said the broadcaster believed that all South Africans had a democratic right to access any information that affects their lives.
"We are glad that we are here today to enhance information accessibility and through our vision [Broadcasting for Total Citizen Empowerment] our work will not end here.
"We work according to our capacity to make sure that people, regardless of race or geographic status, have access to our services and to make sure that they participate in our democratic South Africa," she said.
Mkhonza said that this initiative was made possible by the TV licence fees that loyal and compliant South African citizens pay on an annual basis.
During the imbizo, the department donated 25 television sets to schools, community centres, clinics and police stations as part of accelerating information accessibility.
The switching on of the television and radio transmitters in the Northern Cape was as a result of a commitment made by the Ministry of Communications at a previous imbizo, held in October 2006.
The first launch of this initiative took place in Prince Albert in April this year, resulting in the first-time delivery of radio and television services to the Central Karoo area of Prince Albert and surrounding towns in the Western Cape.
Article published courtesy of BuaNews.
