MHLANTLA J (BDM Policy), for which a public participation process was held in March and April 2007. This Policy was published in the Government Gazette in September 2008.10 [7] In 2007, Cabinet approved the dual illumination period, which was scheduled to commence on 1 November 2008. However, the government missed this deadline. In December 2012, the Digital Migration Regulations11 were published in the Government Gazette and the commencement date for dual illumination was changed to 1 February 2016. While the BDM Policy had intended for full migration to be completed by November 2011, this was also not achieved. In the result, the BDM Policy was amended in 2012.12 In terms of the 2012 amendment, government was set to complete digital migration by 17 June 2015, but this, too, did not materialise. As a result, the BDM Policy was further amended and published on 18 March 2015. 13 In terms of this amendment, the digital switch-on and analogue switch-off dates were “to be determined by the Minister of Communications in consultation with Cabinet”. [8] Modern television sets have a built-in digital tuner that allows them to receive digital transmissions. In order to receive digital transmissions, the old analogue television sets need a set-top box (STB), which is an instrument that converts digital transmissions to analogue transmissions, so that the signal may be received on analogue television sets. In the result, it is stated in the BDM Policy, and all its amendments, that these STBs would be made “affordable and available to the poorest TV-owning households”, which had to register if they wished to receive state-sponsored STBs. Registration for the STBs was opened in 2015 and there was no closing date for registration. 10 Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy, GN 958 GG 31408, 8 September 2008 (2008 BDM Policy). 11 Digital Migration Regulations, 2012, GN 1070 GG 36000, 14 December 2012 (Regulations). 12 Amendment of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy, GN 97 GG 35014, 7 February 2012 (2012 BDM Policy). 13 Amendment of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy, GN 232 GG 38583, 18 March 2015 (2015 BDM Policy). 7