- The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has raided pay-TV broadcaster StarSat’s headquarters to remove its broadcasting equipment.
- Jan Harmse, StarSat's marketing manager, told TechCentral that when the regulator's team arrived with the police shortly after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, they began pulling out plugs and cables throughout the building, eventually focussing on StarSat's server room, where racks had been disconnected.
- He expressed that the officials also removed the company’s equipment to broadcast to countries in the rest of Africa rather than just South Africa.
“As we speak, our customers have nothing showing on their screen, and many other countries in Africa are also black on screen, ” he shared.
This development follows the company's refusal to cease operations after being instructed by the regulator, which had warned it would shut down StarSat if it did not comply.
On October 1, the company reiterated its intention to remain in the market and that it has been in discussions with the regulator to clarify operational parameters before submitting its license renewal application as required by the Electronic Communications Act (ECA).
It stated that abruptly halting operations would have severe consequences, affecting not only shareholders but also employees, including a network of installers throughout the country, as well as the hundreds of thousands of subscribers who depend on its direct-to-home satellite broadcasting services.
However, with this turn of events, StarSat, operated by On Digital Media (ODM), is reportedly considering legal options against the regulator to restore its services and return its equipment.
“The company’s legal representatives have urgently approached the courts and will continue to keep all stakeholders, including customers, employees, and the media, informed as the situation progresses, ” a statement confirmed.
Amid this, customers have expressed their concerns. One customer commented on the company's social media: “They must refund us; they didn't even send an SMS to notify us. We wouldn't have paid if they had informed us beforehand.”
ODM has been operating without a valid licence since its expiration in July 2023. Despite the regulator's warnings, the media company continued to broadcast, assuring customers that their services would remain unaffected.
The company cited difficulties in securing investment, a new shareholder agreement, and financial challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons for the delay in renewing the license. It also claimed that Icasa had not provided adequate regulatory support.
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While ODM submitted its renewal application in November 2023 — four months after the deadline—Icasa rejected it, as it was submitted beyond the legally permitted timeframe under the Electronic Communications Act (ECA).
South African regulations stipulate that a licensee must submit renewal applications no later than six months before the license expires.
