communications minister

"We are able to clearly articulate what we stand for as country," South African Minister of Communications Faith Muthambi said in her speech at the 2016 World Communication Forum. "It allows us to stand out and stand tall."

South Africa will not meet the international deadline to migrate from analogue, but it will begin with an awareness campaign and roll out set top boxes to five million poor homes over the next two years. It is also signing agreements on frequency interference with neighbouring nations.

Wherever they go in the world, all citizens should be good brand ambassadors and promote the country, according to according to the deputy minister of communications. She also called on journalists to report accurately and for gender equality in the workplace.

The Department of Communications has launched a mobile app that aims to open channels between South Africa's citizens and its government. The app, which makes key information more easily accessible, is available for both iOS and Android smartphone devices.

The second day of debate on President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address saw heated exchanges between Members of Parliament in Cape Town on Thursday. President Jacob Zuma, who will reply to the debate on Friday, listened attentively throughout.

The council to oversee South Africa's migration from analogue to digital broadcasting has been appointed. The country's analogue signal will be switched off on 1 November 2011, after which South Africans will require either digital-compliant TV sets or converters for their existing sets in order to watch television.

The "big bang" liberalisation of telecommunications in SA is set to shake the country's fixed-line monopoly - and could spell cheaper phone calls and new Internet opportunities.