Nyanda calls off digital council

Cape Town - Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda has dissolved a council appointed in 2008 to advise him on South Africa's transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting.

At a meeting with the Digital Dzonga Advisory Council on Thursday, he told its members he had received a report "suggesting a possible conflict of interest" among some of them.

In a statement issued after the meeting, his ministry said the conflict arose from "the fact that most members are employed by organisations that have interests, directly or indirectly, in the value chain of the migration process".

Nyanda felt the department and the migration process (from analogue to digital) "shouldn't be compromised as a result of this issue".

The minister had therefore taken a decision to dissolve the council, with a view to reconstituting it urgently.

Invitations for the nomination of suitable candidates would be issued shortly, the statement said.

The 12-member council comprised representatives from the ICT industry, broadcasting, labour and consumer groups.

- Sapa