Operations at StarSat’s headquarters in Midrand came to a halt on Wednesday following a raid by ICASA, the regulatory body overseeing South Africa’s communication services.
Story Summary:
- StarSat has gone offline across Africa following a raid by ICASA at its Midrand headquarters.
- The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) confiscated broadcasting equipment, citing the company’s failure to renew its broadcasting license on time.
- StarSat is now pursuing legal options to restore services.
StarSat reacts to high-level raid at South Africa broadcasting station
The raid resulted in the disconnection of key broadcast infrastructure, affecting services across Africa.
According to SABC News, ICASA, accompanied by police, removed broadcast equipment and disconnected StarSat’s servers as part of the enforcement.
StarSat’s marketing manager, Jan Harmse, expressed surprise at the sudden action, stating:
“This is a complete shock. Our systems in South Africa and across Africa are down”.
StarSat, a subsidiary of On Digital Media (ODM), had failed to submit a timely renewal application for its broadcasting license, which expired in July 2023.
Despite late submissions in November 2023, ICASA moved forward with enforcement.
Why was StarSat raided?
The raid stems from StarSat’s failure to renew its Individual Subscription Broadcasting License (ISBL) by the required deadline.
According to ICASA regulations, companies must submit their renewal applications between six and 12 months before the license expiration.
ODM, StarSat’s parent company, failed to meet this deadline, submitting paperwork only after the license had already expired.
ICASA had issued several warnings, reminding StarSat of the approaching deadline.
However, the late submission and expiration of the license left ICASA with no option but to enforce the shutdown.
StarSat maintains that it submitted the required documents, albeit late, and is now working to resolve the issue through the courts.
What does this mean for StarSat subscribers?
The raid has left StarSat subscribers across Africa without access to satellite television.
Services in South Africa, as well as other countries, have been affected due to the removal of the company’s broadcasting infrastructure.
The company is exploring legal options, including an urgent interdict, to restore services.
Harmse confirmed that StarSat is actively engaging with ICASA to resolve the issue and restore broadcasting as soon as possible.
In the meantime, subscribers are urged to stay informed through StarSat’s official communication channels for updates on when services might resume.