Min Faith to assist in improving rural TV coverage

Date: 19 June 2015 By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi admitted on Sunday that the Vyeboom area is in a "cell phone network dead zone" and promised to do her best to connect them with the world quickly.

Muthambi was accompanied by the mayor of the Makhado Municipality, Cllr David Mutavhatsindi, Thovhele Vho-Nthumeni Masia and several traditional leaders around the Vuwani area on a fact-finding mission regarding cell phone reception.

The area is known for extremely bad mobile phone reception, the gravel roads are in a bad condition and water is also an extremely scarce commodity. Residents who do not have satellite dish decoders are struggling to receive good transmission.

Muthambi said that the emergence of digital transmissions would improve TV coverage in the area. She also announced that the Cabinet has approved that the government will provide free "set-top-boxes" to the five million poor TV-owning households. 

“This digital migration will happen within the shortest time possible. An amount of R22 million has been identified to enable the implementation of the broadcasting digital migration awareness campaign. We will work with local traditional leaders in implementing the awareness campaign,” she said.

During the event, Mutavhatsindi announced that the gravel road which links them to the Davhana village will be tarred. "We know your concern regarding this gravel road. We will make sure that the road is tarred. We will also make sure that all households in the village are electrified,” he said. 

Residents said they needed action from Muthambi’s office, not promises that were unfulfilled. "There is water scarcity and the road condition is bad,” said residents.

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Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

More photos... 

Community members pose wearing Venda and Tsonga traditional attire during Min Muthambi's visit to Vyeboom.