Committee Programme & other Committee Business

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Communications and Digital Technologies

04 August 2015
Chairperson: Ms J Moloi-Moropa (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Committee met briefly for the Adoption of outstanding minutes of nine previous meetings as well as the Adoption of the 3rd Term Committee Programme. The matters were reviewed swiftly with minimal dissent, approved and adopted by the Committee.  

Meeting report

Adoption of Outstanding Committee Minutes
Committee Minutes Dated 17 March 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

Mr G Davis (DA) asked the Chairperson for clarification on the Deliberations part marked as: 3.1 which stated that all communication to entities will be done through the Minister of Communications. The wording made it sound as if the Committee needed to have the Minister’s permission to communicate with the entities.

The Chairperson replied that the Committee had to first go through the Minister and then to the entities, but, of course, if there was a specific case in which they needed to address one person or entity in particular, they could also do so.

Mr Davis called for a change in the wording to: 3.1 to state that “all communication to entities will be communicated to the Minister of Communications”.

The Chairperson agreed to the change.

After reviewing the four pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted, with minor changes.

Committee Minutes Dated 24 March 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

After reviewing the three pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted without amendments.
 
Committee Minutes Dated 21 April 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

Mr Davis asked to schedule the presentation on the SABC / Multichoice Agreement in page 4, part 7 that the Committee agreed on. 

The Chairperson agreed to look into that in the next meeting, if possible.

After reviewing the five pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted without amendments.

Committee Minutes Dated 22 April 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

After reviewing the five pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted.

Committee Minutes Dated 5 May 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

After reviewing the three pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted.

Committee Minutes Dated 12 May 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

After reviewing the two pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted.

Committee Minutes Dated 26 May 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

Mr Davis asked for a change in the word “Expediently” to “Expeditiously” on page 2, part 4.3: that
the SABC Board matter must be dealt with expediently.

The Chairperson agreed to the change.

After reviewing the three pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted

Committee Minutes Dated 9 June 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

After reviewing the three pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted.

Committee Minutes Dated 23 June 2015
The Chairperson tabled the document for a page-by-page review and consideration by the Members.

Mr Davis asked to make a note and add the Democratic Alliance Objection in page 4 under the
Conclusion section that reads as follow: “The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) insisted that the
Committee must note its objection on two basis:”

The Chairperson agreed to the addition.

After reviewing the four pages of the document, the minutes were approved and adopted with minor amendments.

Committee Programme: Adoption
The Chairperson moved to the second matter of the agenda and tabled the Committee Programme for review and consideration by Members, proposing a page by page review, for either corrections or additions.

The Committee Members reviewed the programme along with the Chairperson, who explained the programme date by date and made comments on what to expect from each meeting. After the
review, the Chairperson asked for input from the Committee Members.

Mr Davis asked if it was possible to have a joint meeting with the Telecoms people on September
1st and 8th as the proposed agenda will be dealing with the frequency spectrum policy and the ICT oversight tool, which falls within the area of Telecommunication.

Mr M Kekana (ANC) supported the programme and proposed for research to be done
in countries like Australia or the UK to analyze and compare their communications model to the South African one.

The Chairperson agreed to the proposal and promised to bring it back again for formal proposal and adoption of the committee.

Mr Davis proceeded to suggest 4 things that he would like to include in the program: First, to ask
the Minister to brief the Committee in regards of her past study trip to China; what she saw and
learned in terms of how they do Broadcasting, or regulate the Internet.?. Second, to engage
in the conversation on the draft of the online regulation policy. Third, he asked to expedite the ASBC board hiring process, as currently there are only 6 members out of 9, highlighting the fact that the candidates for such positions have been waiting for 8-9 months. Fourth, he asked to expedite the ICASA vacancies; a total of 5 vacancies to which they have proposed 8 people and nothing has been resolved.

The Chairperson considered the proposals and issues and addressed them in order. First, on the
study trip by the Minister, we can’t keep track on every trip and ask for briefings, as there are more things people are working on; but, what we can do, is consider a specific trip, in which we as a portfolio committee have a particular interest on, and then we can maybe ask for a short briefing. Second, in regards of the online regulation policy, I agree with you as far as our area is concerned; the engagement is still at a government level, so yes, we would take a look at it once it comes to us, not yet. Third, in regards of the ASBC vacancies, it is certain that the interviews need to go faster, but I have to consult first and come back to it in the next meetings. Fourth, on the ICASA matter I also need to consult first and come back to it in the next meetings.

Mr Davis thanked the Chairperson for consulting and coming back on the issue, but insisted on having the discussion during the next meeting.

The Chairperson did not agree on having the discussion the very next meeting. She proceeded by thanking all the honorable members and called for an adoption of the program.

The Committee Program was approved and adopted.

The meeting was adjourned.
 

Present

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