Press release issued by NAMEC:
The National Association of Manufacturers in Electronic Components (NAMEC) strongly disapproves of government’s change in position regarding the control access systems known as encryption. After a very long and intense special caucus between NAMEC leadership and manufacturers on Wednesday, 11 March 2015, NAMEC national leadership decided to take a clear position regarding the current ongoing national debate on government’s broadcast digital migration (BDM) policy.
The outcome of Wednesday’s special caucus stated clearly that NAMEC is in support of encryption and opposes the department of communication’s (DOC) proposal to scrap encryption from the set top box (STB) by replacing it with the LOCK control system.
Encryption is the subject of a major public debate and for the DOC to shift away from this debate and ‘mislead the public on this major national project,’ NAMEC says, is a matter of great concern. NAMEC therefore urges all the stakeholders and other parties involved to critically evaluate, analyse and interrogate the current digital migration amendment bill as proposed by the DOC. Encryption is a highly vital component of the STB and this matter should not be treated lightly or dismissed. At the special caucus the manufacturers reported that they were never consulted regarding the changes in the bill and yet the department is claiming to have made consultations regarding the newly proposed security feature and scrapping of the encryption technology within the STB.
NAMEC urges the department to implement the 862 standard that was already accepted and endorsed within the digital migration amendment bill which was adopted by the ANC Lekgotla, states that any further changes to the digital migration amendment bill will halt the process further and delay the BDM process. The BDM roll-out will create an enabling environment and further boost growth and produce economic spinoffs throughout the digital migration value chain. In order for the economy of South Africa to develop, sectors such as the broadcast industry have to be empowered to transform and shape our economy. Technology is an enabler and encryption is the vital component without which South Africa will suffer and miss the opportunity of national economic development and socio-economic transformation.
