What is thought to be Africa’s first high-tech facility with the capacity to manufacture more than three million television set-top boxes per annum was christened in Durban on 2 August by Minister of Communications Roy Padayachie.
Altech UEC, a leading developer of digital technology for the international pay-TV industry, consolidated six buildings on two sites into a single, 13 500 m², state-of-the-art factory at Mount Edgecombe to take advantage of South Africa’s migration to digital terrestrial television (DTT).
With the country’s demand for digital set-top boxes (STBs) expected to reach more than nine million as the country moves to DTT, with a further 30 million required for the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, Altech CEO Craig Venter said the new factory would drive growth and job creation in line with President Zuma’s economic development targets.
“Our investment in this facility is in direct support of government policy. Not only are we employing people in the factory, but services such as packaging, delivery and installation will create tens of thousands of small business opportunities in the years to come. In the process, people will acquire new skills, equipping them for the next wave of ICT innovation and development. The cycle of advancement and wealth creation is potentially endless.”
Commenting on the new factory, Altech UEC CEO, Peter Balchin had the following to say: “The building of the factory is not only to gear up for the anticipated demand for locally produced STBs, but also as part of a wider strategy to enable Altech UEC to extend its manufacturing capabilities and remain a world class digital media manufacturing operation. Aligned to this is the fact that Altech UEC is in the process of evolving into a multimedia global business as the industry matures and converges between broadcast and broadband media delivery.”
Venter said crucial to South Africa’s broadcasting digital migration policy was the creation of millions of new jobs countrywide by advancing the local electronics manufacturing sector. “Digital migration creates an opportunity to build a globally competitive export sector that is an objective of the Industrial Policy Action Plan,” he stated. “The economic spin-offs are destined to be huge – from technical support to retailing – while the increased demand for broadcast content, especially regional-based programming, will create more jobs for local content producers and their supply chains. New jobs will be created all down the delivery chain, while millions will be able to benefit from better education and communication through new electronic means.”
In addition to the new factory and in order to support its stated goal of furthering the role of science, engineering and technology in South Africa, Altech UEC also recently opened the multimillion Rand KwaMashu Multimedia Centre for Learning in KwaZulu-Natal to help children from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to master mathematics, science, English and essential life skills.
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