Communications budget: Committee Report

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Communications and Digital Technologies

09 May 2018
Chairperson: Mr H Maxegwana (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Committee considered its draft Report on Budget Vote 3: Communications. The Committee focused largely on the recommendations in the report, which proposed the following:

For the Department the Minister should:

  • Provide an updated comprehensive plan for Digital Terrestrial Television rollout towards the international switch-off deadline and present a progress report.
  • Provide a comprehensive report on its engagement with Sentech regarding the switching off of signal for community radio stations due to non-payment.
  • Ensure Entity Oversight is capacitated
  • Get Members of Parliament and their constituencies involved in coordinating public awareness and registration campaigns.

For the Government Communications Information System, the Minister should:

  • Submit a report on media houses used for advertising
  • Strengthen strategy on dealing with fake news and develop a plan to counter fake news websites
  • Provide breakdown of government spend for community media

For the SA Broadcasting Corporation, the Minister should:

  • Find new ways of attracting funders, and find alternative funders
  • Provide detailed financial projections for unfunded mandates
  • Ensure the Corporation manages its staff duties better, rather than referring them to union forums
  • Ensure the Corporation prioritises coverage of rural areas and broadcast signals for public broadcasts
  • Ensure that the Corporation must report to the Committee regarding the Board member Mr Mohuba
  • Ensure the Corporation develops contingency proposal for the Committee on how it can cater for unfunded mandates
  • Ensure the Board continues with the good work done by the Interim Board to resolve the Corporation’s challenges, as well as ensuring clear staff communication and the public

For the Film and Publications Board, the Minister should:

  • Ensure Board investigates allegations against Facebook
  • Ensure the management does not abdicate its duties in engaging with staff by relegating them to union forums

For the Independent Communication Authority of SA, the Minister should:

  • Ensure the Authority reports to the Committee on preparations for 2019 elections
  • Ensure the Authority provides a report on rationale for issuing of licences to community media projects in same areas
  • Ensure the Authority provides a report quarterly provincial engagements with stakeholders
  • Ensure the Authority does not relegate staff matters to union forums

The report was adopted with no changes

Meeting report

Committee Report on Budget Vote 3: Communications

The Chairperson presented the report to the Committee suggesting that the meeting could proceed to the observations and recommendations section of the report. He further noted that it was circulated to Members the previous day.

Mr R Kalako (ANC) supported the proposal on the assumption that each member had read the report. He further suggested that the meeting should proceed directly to recommendations.

Committee Recommendations and Observations from the Report

The Department
The Minister should:

  • Provide an updated comprehensive plan for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) rollout towards the international switch-off deadline and present a progress report.
  • Provide a comprehensive report on its engagement with Sentech regarding the switching off of signal for community radio stations due to non-payment.
  • Ensure Entity Oversight is capacitated
  • Get Members of Parliament and their constituencies involved in coordinating public awareness and the Government Communication and Information System registration campaigns.

Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)
The Minister should:

  • Submit report on media houses used for advertising
  • Strengthen strategy on dealing with fake news and develop a plan to counter fake news websites
  • Provide breakdown of government spend for community media

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
The Minister should;

  • Find new ways of attracting funders, and find alternative funders
  • Provide detailed financial projections for unfunded mandates
  • Ensure that SABC manages its staff duties better, rather than referring them to union forums
  • Ensure SABC prioritises coverage of rural areas and broadcast signals for public broadcasts
  • Ensure that SABC must report to the Committee regarding the Board member Mr Mohuba
  • Ensure that SABC develops contingency proposal for the Committee on how it can cater for unfunded mandates
  • Ensure the Board continues with the good work done by the Interim Board to resolve SABC challenges, as well as ensuring clear staff communication and the public

Films Publications Board (FPB)
The Minister should;

  • Ensure FPB investigates allegations against Facebook
  • Ensure the management does not abdicate its duties in engaging with staff by relegating them to union forums

Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
The Minister should;

  • Ensure that ICASA reports to the Committee on preparations for 2019 elections
  • Ensure ICASA provides a report on rationale for issuing of licences to community media projects in same areas
  • Ensure ICASA provides a report quarterly provincial engagements with stakeholders
  • Ensure ICASA does not relegate staff matters to union forums

Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA)
The Minister should;

  • Ensure MDDA provides s report on shared services strategy
  • Ensure the Department and MDDA submit audited reports on the support of community media
  • Ensure MDDA does not relegate staff matters to union forums

Brand South Africa (BSA)
The Minister should;

  • Ensure the BSA provides a report on its presence abroad, with its plans of leverage from embassies
  • Ensure the entity seeks to create linkages between their programmes and the DTTA programmes

Furthermore, the Committee recommends to the Minister that she should ensure that all critical funded positions are filled in the Department and across entities. Lastly, the Committee recommends that the Minister should provide all the reports contained in the recommendations to the Department and entities on or before 30 September 2018.

Ms P van Damme (DA) stated that having read the report, it is a truthful reflection of the Committee’s work. There might be differences held by Committee Members and these will be addressed in their debate speeches. The report does as well reflect the parts in which the Committee agrees on. She supported the notion by Mr Kalako.

The Chairperson and asks whether members accepted the recommendations and adopt the report.

The report was adopted by the Committee with no changes.

Other Matters
Ms V Van Dyk (DA) raised a concern on the matter of a radio station in Johannesburg which charges the public R100 for membership; a letter has been drafted in response to the matter in communication with ICASA.

The Chairperson admitted to having received the letter and that the actions to process it will be taken by 18 May 2018.

The Committee Secretary informed Members’ about the programme for the following week.

 The meeting was adjourned.

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