ZADNA, SITA, GCIS, MDDA 2021/22 Annual Performance Plans

Meeting report

The Chairperson noted apologies from the Minister and Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies. He said the Deputy Minister in the Presidency would be joining them.

The Chairperson noted that 12 May commemorated the Swanieville massacre of 12 May 1991 that led to the death of a lot of people and that area still needs high-level interventions such as job creation and housing.

Ms Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani, Acting Director General at Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), introduced her team and said the four entities would present their MTEF strategic plan, 2021/22 Annual Performance Plan (APP) and Budget. They would also give updates on their transformation progress.

ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA) APP
Ms Palesa Legoze, ZADNA Board chairperson, introduced other board members and the new Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Molehe Wesi, ZADNA CEO, highlighted the five strategic outcomes and ZADNA was building on its achievements despite the onslaught of COVID-19. ZADNA achieved 90% of its targets and noted the one it did not achieve was the development of the registry and registrar licensing framework as entrenched in the prescripts Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002. He outlined ZADNA targets and noted that it had to re-align its targets due to the pandemic. ZADNA had embarked on a digital process because of the pandemic. ZADNA introduced a new marker of managing the growth rate of domain names by leveraging the platforms used in the past. One of these platforms is the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission and the other is the registration of domain names for schools.

ZADNA had aligned its targets to its key priority areas. It is building capacity to ensure the sustainability of the domain space. ZADNA is committed to eliminating any repeat audit findings for the next financial year. It is working on improving staff satisfaction and manager effectiveness as it is known that staff do not leave organisations but leave managers. It would like to build a good culture that retains its staff to ensure achieving its outputs and targets.

Some of its targets include adding a 0.25% increase in the registration of 25 000 domain names; embarking on 13 awareness events and conducting 13 registrar/reseller training sessions. This training empowers Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) and designated groups to become key players in the industry. Through this endeavour, it intends to launch a DNS programme to empower 150 SMMEs involved in the domain space. ZADNA will run a pilot of 200 public schools launching their domain names in collaboration with the Basic Education Department. It wants to ensure it does not just register the domain name but it becomes a reusable website that students can use for research.

The income it hopes to generate in 2021/22 is about R20.4 million through registering domain names and it plans to expend R19.9 million. The only significant increase is salaries as it wants to retain the appropriate skill set to achieve its outcomes. ZADNA plan to have surplus funds as investments to ensure it has a fallback plan and does not return to the DCDT for more funds. The balance sheet of ZADNA shows that it is in good financial standing and it will continue to strengthen regulatory control by creating a vibrant domain name space.

State Information Technology Agency (SITA) APP
Mr Luvuyo Keyise, Executive Caretaker of SITA, introduced the new interim board members. He noted apologies from the new board chairperson, Mr Mxolisi Tsika, who is a legal practitioner in the Eastern Cape and also a member of the Sentech Board.

Mr Themba Phiri, SITA interim board member, said the board members had just been appointed and were still engaging with the APP and Strategic Plan. A workshop has taken place to welcome the board members and a schedule has been set to engage further in processing materials that are part of the Act to ensure that SITA is stabilised as well as to streamline its operations. The board chairperson had looked into these matters and he wanted to assure the Committee that the board would get SITA to be a going concern.

Mr Luvuyo Keyise explained that SITA had not changed the five-year strategic plan approved by the Minister and it was in the second year of implementing this plan. The key strategic themes embrace digital services, digital infrastructure, customer service, procurement and transformation, automation of procurement, service delivery, and enablers of the strategy. He outlined the programmes of SITA and noted its objectives include a commitment from SITA that the processes of eight frontline Departments such as the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), SAPS and Department of Justice and Constitutional Development are digitised which would involve integrating the operations of these departments. Integration ensures that once citizens have submit information to one entity, it is held by all the entities. SITA is investing funds and skills to ensure that eight priority frontline Government Departments are integrated.

SITA would still ensure that it maintains its performance matrix despite the third wave of COVID-19 by using its Big Data analytics tools. Big Data analytics tools were implemented in the Department of Basic Education to ensure that matric results were released quickly. SITA is working on home grown solutions to ensure that government procurement processes are streamlined in collaboration with National Treasury and mitigate the challenge of corruption in procurement.

It is investing funds in cybersecurity to protect government data and also upgrading and improving the core network of government to ensure that it does not collapse. It is rationalising its data centres and upgrading the remaining ones to tier three data centres. This would ensure that critical data such as that of DHA and the security cluster can be protected, managed, and restored. The cloud data storage had been done previously but SITA is now working on the building infrastructure.

It is still committed to skilling and training its employees and set aside R85 million for bursaries and reskilling. SITA is doing lifestyle audits to infuse an ethical culture in it.

The revenue growth projection of SITA over the MTEF was outlined. SITA is projecting relatively lower profits in 2021/22 compared to the previous year because it is making significant investments. It is also making improvements in the way it collects its money from departments as it had challenges with this in the past. SITA has set targets to collect at least 80% of the money owed by departments. It wants to see government departments procuring through SITA to gauge if departments are confident in using SITA for their service delivery operations. In 2020/21, SAPS spent an additional R500 million through SITA which means that SAPS is gaining confidence in the SITA procurement process. It is working with other departments in 2021/22 to ensure that working with SITA is not just on tenders but direct service delivery to departments.

It is working on its procurement turnaround time to ensure that 80% of transactions are completed. This involves departments giving SITA its demand plans so that SITA can rationalise what every department wants to buy at the same time and use economies of scale to create efficiencies. This includes the automation of its procurement process where the bidding for tenders was done online. It is projecting revenue growth and its services revenue would also increase. R2 billion would be invested through the MTEF which involves collecting funds owed by departments. This would enable SITA to invest R800 million in 2021/22 to finish infrastructure refurbishment investments that should be done. The cash and cash equivalents of the SITA balance sheet showed that it was investing its funds and that it was still a going concern even though the SITA shareholder did not fund it and it did not receive any budget from government.

The Chairperson invited the Deputy Minister in the Presidency to address the Committee.

Deputy Minister in the Office of the Presidency, Ms Thembi Siweya, apologised on behalf of the Director General in the Presidency who was unavailable for the meeting. She informed the Committee of the GCIS and MDDA officials who would be briefing the Committee.

Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)
Mr Michael Currin, Acting Deputy Director General: Intergovernmental Coordination and Stakeholder Management, said there was no change in the strategic focus of GCIS and outlined the key priorities. The 2020/21 APP built on the progress gained in in key areas such as COVID-19, gender-based violence and femicide, economic recovery plan, technology, and anti-corruption adjustments. The present vacancy rate is 8% and most vacant posts would be filled by June 2021.

Ms Nonkhosi Peter, Chief Director: Strategy and Programme Management, outlined the revised outcomes which were an informed and empowered citizenry, sound corporate governance, transformation in the digital media and mainstream print media, improved relations with the media, and a well-functioning government communication system.

Mr Currin noted the targets which included that older folks were vaccinated; GCIS was responsive to the fourth industrial revolution; R15.3 million copies of the Vuk'uzenzele newspaper is circulated; 22 online editions of Vuk'uzenzele newspaper; 11 online editions of the Public Sector Manager magazine; and GCIS evaluates the G-CET reports on communications in government. improving relations with the media; post-Cabinet media meetings; holding 10 inter-governmental communications forums and bringing awareness about COVID-19 issues.

GCIS CFO, Ms Gcobisa Soci, said the budget allocation was R749 million and about 50% of the budget was appropriated to the two entities, MDDA and Brand SA. GCIS had budget cuts from National Treasury on compensation of employees, goods and services but the transfers to the two entities had increased.

Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) APP
Ms Andiswa Ngcingwana, MDDA board member apologised on behalf of the board chairperson who was unavoidably absent. The governance structure is working and it is stabilised. MDDA had always received a clean audit in the past and would strive to maintain this trend. MDDA is challenged by the Sentech high transmission costs which does not allow MDDA to assist its clients and the Committee would recall that MDDA has inadequate funding.

MDDA Acting CEO, Ms Zukiswa Potye, presented the key performance areas and APP outputs for its five programmes. MDDA had one vacancy as a staff member had resigned. The risks in MDDA are fraud, corruption and theft. R20 million was approved for MDDA for the COVID-19 response.

MDDA CFO Mr Yaseen Ishmael said the budget did not have any significant changes, all the positions were filled, and the MDDA is working on a hybrid model to reduce costs.

Ms Potye said MDDA has a piloted a sustainability model which would be launched in 2023. The MDDA has about R8 million debt on signal transmission but the Board has been engaging in ways to mitigate the high costs of signal transmission. MDDA has approached SITA to assist it with training programmes.

Discussion
Mr T Gumbu (ANC) welcomed the presentations. He asked SITA to elaborate on the strategies for collecting payments owed by government departments. He asked GCIS to clarify its level of readiness in case of a third wave of COVID-19.

Mr C Mackenzie (DA) appreciated ZADNA on work done in providing schools with registered domains. He expressed concern that a key performance indicator for ZADNA was to develop the registry and registrar licensing framework but the CEO mentioned that the target was not achieved even though it was part of the core priorities of ZADNA. He asked why it had not met the target. He asked ZADNA to confirm if it was using external domain registration service providers and to confirm who the service provider is. He asked about plans to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on its operations. He asked if it collaborated with other state-owned-entities (SOEs) such as NEMISA in the development of content and to elaborate on the use "Professional Skills" for which it budgeted R1.8 million. He asked if ZADNA held awareness programmes online to ensure that these continue even if the third wave of COVID-19 starts.

Mr Mackenzie commended SITA for the progress it had made with the South African Police in providing digital assistance services worth R500m. He asked if SITA was meeting its service level agreement with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and if it was encouraging DHA to develop new applications for online legacy applications such as passport and marriage certificate applications. What plans did SITA have for the possibility of a COVID-19 third wave?

Mr Mackenzie commended GCIS for its language policy and advised that it was important to continue to use the right words for government communications.

Mr Z Mbhele (DA) wanted insight into the intended outcomes of ZADNA’s strategic partnerships. Who are the strategic partners presently and future hoped-for partners and what were the benefits it would obtain from these partnerships? He recalled there was a partnership with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in boosting cyber registrations. Please elaborate the reasons for pursuing these strategic partnerships.

Mr Mbhele asked SITA to clarify if the creation of digital IDs across all government departments part is a future target of SITA. This could add value to the operations of SITA, eliminate duplication and difficulties for citizens who need to make applications to different entities especially when citizens have to submit affidavits and certified documents. Please confirm if this is part of what SITA intends with the creation of digital IDs.

Mr Mbhele commended GCIS on the quality of its Gov.Za website which is comprehensive, detailed, and kept up-to-date. He had found the GOV.Za site especially useful during lockdown for Acts of Parliament, policy papers, Government Gazettes, and lockdown alerts. Members always received GCIS communications such as the Vuk'uzenzele newspaper and he asked if this newspaper was received in rural areas. He asked if GCIS had done surveys to establish if citizens were drawing value from the newspaper content and if there was feedback from citizens on how the newspaper could be improved.

Mr Mbhele expressed concern to MDDA about the risk of a fragmented approach by different role-players in the small media development space especially when it comes to funding. He asked MDDA to clarify if it received funding for small media development from partnerships with donor agencies such as Open Society Foundation and other philanthropic foundations. He asked MDDA if there is information sharing amongst these organisations or collaborations on joint funding for media development projects for these small media operators.

Ms N Khubheka (ANC) asked ZADNA to confirm how many women, youth, and people with disabilities had been on ZADNA training programmes, how many had been supported, and how many were already entrepreneurs. She asked ZADNA to clarify how many domains had been registered based on its target to register 25 000 domains this year and if ZADNA had templates to monitor the tasks it undertakes for service delivery projects to empower communities. Government entities could assist in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan and asked if ZADNA had been able to create jobs. She appreciated ZADNA for reskilling its staff to ensure that redundancy did not exist and positions are filled.

Ms Khubheka welcomed the new interim board of SITA. She appreciated the work done by the SITA Executive Caretaker, Mr Luvuyo Keyise, in ensuring that SITA would become a reputable entity. She commended SITA’s efforts in maintaining the network for digital infrastructure. She asked SITA to clarify if it could collaborate with municipalities in the provision of digital infrastructure for IT in an ordered manner. She commended SITA for streamlining the procurement process as it had previously frustrated service providers.

Ms Khubheka appreciated the GCIS collaborations on the small media development especially as the country was facing the possibility of the a COVID-19 third wave and budget challenges. She asked GCIS to state the mechanisms it uses to keep staff morale high during the pandemic. Despite assurances that GCIS is assisting MDDA, MDDA is challenged by constrained budget to fund community radio signal transmission as its business relationship with Sentech is threatened. She asked GCIS how best it could support MDDA as MDDA was tasked with service delivery for community radio stations in rural communities and also how it could assist MDDA to produce more commercial newsprints.

Ms Khubheka appreciated MDDA resolving its challenges and its efforts to ensure that it met the target for community radio stations broadcasting in the different official languages. The Committee would assist the entities to achieve their targets. All entities should close the gaps especially those that arose from COVID-19 and ensure that they provide strategies to resolve their challenges.

ZADNA response
Mr Molehe Wesi reported that ZADNA missed the target on registry and registrar licensing framework because it changed its operations in the first and second quarter to respond to the pandemic and ensure that ZADNA remains functional. This project was severely affected by the pandemic which led to it starting in the third quarter. ZADNA has full confidence now that based on the milestones set to amend the focus of the project, the targets on this project would be met.

ZADNA was using external professionals to achieve its projects. The key service provider used presently is Morata incorporated as an SMME based in Gauteng that provides legal services. The framework is part of ZADNA’s core mandate entrenched in the prescripts Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002 Section 65 1 (d) which empowers ZADNA to licence and regulate registrars for the respective registries in the ZA domain space. ZADNA is working closely with the South Africa Central Registry who assists ZADNA to provide the services needed. ZADNA is aware of the possibility of a third wave and is working on adopting more online campaigns. In 2020/21 digital campaigns were used to make citizens aware. Success in the digital area has been achieved through social media and scripted media platforms.

ZADNA welcomed the commendation on the provision of domain names for public schools and assured the Committee that the target would be met especially the pilot for 200 schools. It would update Members on the progress when they give feedback on the successes achieved in this programme.

ZADNA produces its training material but ZADNA is having preliminary engagements with the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) which deals with digital skilling to see how collaborations would work in the future.

He outlined the funds budgeted for service professionals in 2021/22 as ZADNA still relied on professional service providers to produce its annual reports, internal and external support, account auditing, and human resource support services.

In the past ZADNA aligned with CIPC as a strategic partner as companies that register with CIPC locally or internationally register their domain names with ZADNA. Other strategic partners are the Film and Publication Board which deals with child safety online which aligns with ZADNA’s internet governance (safety to children and citizens). ZADNA has partnered with NEMISA on digital schemes in the past but now ZADNA wants to widen the scope of partnership with NEMISA. Also, Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) assists ZADNA with the Domain Name System (DNS) practitioner programme. The DNS programme builds capacity of 150 individuals and SMMEs with skills sets for the DNS practitioner programme to ensure that that these participants make an impact and add value to the DNS. These individuals gain accredited skills that they could use to seek employment if the individuals do not set up businesses that would employ others.

ZADNA recently concluded the Proudly SA one which shows their audience locally and internationally what citizens have to offer from a DNS perspective. ZADNA conducted several training sessions for about 309 participants including women, youth, and people with disabilities in 2020/21. Of the 309, 216 were in contact sessions while 93 of them were on virtual platforms. Of the 309 participants, 34% were women. These programmes targeted the distant and rural areas in Limpopo. Eastern Cape and North West provinces.

The number of domain names registered in the past financial year was 77 262 because during lockdown most people migrated to online platforms and registered a lot of domain names. Hence the target of 25 000 domain names was exceeded. About 1.3 million commercial domain names were registered in this period and ZADNA would continue to improve its services to ensure that people retain their domain names and register more domain names. ZADNA would continue to improve the data it extracts from outreaches and in the future it plans to obtain data via radio stations. The DNS practitioner programme which targeted 150 individuals and SMMEs is closer to creating more digital presence in the rural communities. It would ensure that this programme creates jobs through individuals setting up businesses or getting employed through the accredited training programme certificate.

SITA response
Mr Luvuyo Keyise replied that SITA was trying to ensure that systems between DHA and municipalities were integrated in such a way that citizens did not have to continually photocopy documents for each government department. Hence SITA would be developing a technology integration plan to streamline these processes. Also, SITA is looking at DHA work platforms to provide solutions for passport applications. The main challenge that delays service delivery in DHA is that its legacy system has not been upgraded. There are also engagements with DHA to increase its internet speeds to ensure efficiency in DHA operations.

Part of the work that SITA does is to ensure that citizens have a single digital ID and SITA is looking at ways to work with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJCD) to ensure that criminals are known within the Integrated Justice System. SITA would share the details of the integrated digital ID with the Committee after the engagements were complete. SITA is also working with NSFAS to integrate its database to know if a student qualifies for student funding based on the salary earned by their parents. For SAPS and DoJCD, SITA is at the stage of developing solutions for other departments but engagements are ongoing to develop the solutions needed. SITA is automating its procurement process to ensure it is above board, ethical, and transparent. In the past, departments only acknowledged their debts but would not pay timeously. Now SITA engagements have led to the signing of multi-year service level agreement (SLA) so that procurements is done only once. The SLA enforces a clause that departments make payments within 30 days. SITA has made its payment conditions more strict because SITA pays service providers upfront. Hence SITA is looking at ways to increase the target on payments from 80-100%

The Chairperson invited Deputy Minister Thembi Siweya to answer questions but Ms Siweya requested that GCIS and MDDA answer their questions.

GCIS response
Mr Michael Currin replied that GCIS had put in place processes to keep its staff morale high. He assured the Committee that the GCIS had a comprehensive communication strategy on COVID-19 information it released to the public that had been approved by the National COVID-19 Council. The framework of the approved communication strategy covers radio, television and print media and the campaign has been implemented. GCIS collaborates on Vuk'uzenzele newspapers with MDDA. Funds have been appropriated to ensure that non-medical interventions on vaccines such as campaigns are sustained. GCIS monitors the work of its staff remotely.

Mr Tyrone Seale, Acting DDG: Content Processing and Dissemination, replied about print media initiatives. GCIS published about 850 000 paper copies of Vuk'uzenzele newspapers every two weeks. The paper reaches communities where access to the electronic media is low and distribution focuses on peri-urban communities where residents are particularly in need of information on economic opportunities and programmes. Vuk'uzenzele is published in all official languages to ensure that that the paper is relevant and relatable. The stories in the paper profile individuals who have accessed government-supported programmes or opportunities offered by the private sector and others in partnership with government. The publication is published online at Vuk'uzenzele.gov.za and for the paper edition GCIS conducts distribution checks to ensure that the paper is not dumped. Random checks have shown that residents await the paper. GCIS conducts long range research on the reach, impact and relevance of the publication. The prospect of broadened broadband and greater affordability opens the scope for digital migration and a potentially universal reach.

Mr Sandile Nene, Chief Director: Media Policy, noted that due to the relationship that GCIS has with mobile service providers like Vodacom the online version of the Vuk'uzenzele newspaper is zero-rated meaning there is no need to have data on the phone to access the Vuk'uzenzele newspaper. One of the key functions of the Marketing, Advertising and Communications (MAC) Charter Council is to monitor and allocate BBB-EE scores when the private sector contributes to MDDA.

Mr Currin said the GCIS website has an icon on the information campaign for approved COVID-19 information and encouraged Members to visit the GCIS website.

MDDA response
Ms Zukiswa Potye commended Mr Mbhele on the concerns expressed about the perceived risk of a fragmented approach by different role-players in the small media development space especially when it comes to funding. She also replied that signal distribution is a big challenge to the sector.

Further questions
The Chairperson asked if Members had any follow-up questions.

Mr Mbhele replied that he was fully covered.

Ms Khubheka replied that the four entities had covered all the questions and had shown that they were committed to the fulfilment of their targets.

The Chairperson remarked that the Committee had to be satisfied with the level of preparedness of the entities to achieve their outcomes.

Deputy Minister Thembi Siweya apologised as she was attending two meetings at the same time and asked if there are any questions that needed political answers.

The Chairperson said the Committee appreciated the commitment of the Deputy Minister and it was satisfied with the responses given by the four entities.

The Chairperson said the Committee appreciated the collaboration between ZADNA and NEMISA on the digital training. He asked ZADNA to elaborate on the accreditation for digital training.

The Chairperson asked SITA to clarify if supply chain procurement was done according to the prescripts of transformation and how long it will take for the procurement process to be transparent and accountable. It is commendable that the public tender process can be done without corruption. Please elaborate on how long it will take for public tenders to be transparent and when this would be implemented in the state departments.

The Chairperson asked GCIS to clarify why it reduced its key priority areas (KPAs) from nine to five as the Committee would be performing oversight and it wanted to ensure that the reduction in KPAs is due to consolidation and not a way of reducing performance standards. The Community Charter seeks to ensure responsible social marketing and communications to aid true transformation and greater citizenship. GCIS must focus on what the Community Charter sought to address and begin to evaluate if GCIS is meeting the targets.

The Chairperson asked MDDA to clarify if it was engaging in broadcasting on COVID-19 issues in community radio stations because marketing budgets have reduced. Had MDDA considered making inputs on COVID-19 on community radio stations?

ZADNA response
Mr Wesi reported that the DNS practitioner programme was accredited in two phases. The beginner phase with a National Quality Framework (NQF) level 4 which covered an introduction to soft skills capacity and the advanced phase (NQF level 5) which led the individual to become a practitioner. The advanced phase covers financing, managing a business, and the technical aspects for an individual to become a practitioner. ZADNA is collaborating with other entities to ensure that these individuals have a form of an internship.

SITA response
Mr Keyise replied that SITA’s targets involve launching additional functionality for an online presence every quarter by communicating with suppliers and those who submit tenders on the progress of the tender in a transparent way. Although SITA knows that the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) would replace what is being done in two years, it would launch a track and trace system for procurement in Quarter 2. SITA would announce additional functions each quarter.

GCIS response
Ms Peter clarified that the reduction in GCIS KPAs was primarily to refine and adhere to best practice where specific branches would reflect how they contribute to GCIS outcomes. Therefore the reduction in GCIS priority areas seeks to align the functions of GCIS. It has identified areas that are common in the organisation hence the reduction from nine to five priority areas.

Mr Currin said GCIS acknowledges the work done by Ms Nonkhosi Peter to align the work of GCIS with the intended vision of GCIS and would share the Charter with the Committee.

Mr Nene addressed the need for the communications sector to be transformed. In GCIS, one of the areas that need transformation is skills and enterprise development. Therefore GCIS will use the use the MAC Charter and the Print and Digital Media Transformation and Diversity Charter to look at how transformation has happened in the sector and report to the Minister. The need for transformation in the digital space must be enforced. Adverts were placed to nominate individuals for the MAC Charter Council and GCIS is in the process of having nominees appointed by the Minister. GCIS is in the final stages of appointing the sector councils.

Mr Currin replied that GCIS in the past had incidents that negatively impacted GCIS marketing so it has introduced mechanisms to ensure that it does not happen in the future and it constantly monitors GCIS marketing.

MDDA response
Ms Potye replied that the funding reduction due to the pandemic was affecting advertisements placed with community media but MDDA launched a R20 million emergency fund for community media. The community media is suffering presently as the advertising revenue that could fund the community media is low or nonexistent. The late Minister Jackson Mthembu was the face of an initiative to corporates such as Coca-Cola for alternative funding. Community media needs to move to a level of self-survival and a sustainability model must be proposed based on six pillars. We have looked at how commercial radio stations survive and we need to impart some of their principles but an alternative source of funding is needed to sustain community media.

MDDA has done a skills audit and completed a three-year plan for the sector which includes the introduction of packages that would see the sector through the fourth industrial revolution. This plan looks at the kind of premium content that would compel corporate South Africa to fund community media and transformation of the print sector. On consolidating government support, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs needs to support radio stations with funding for renting of equipment beyond the grants that are received from GCIS. The present structure of the Broadcast Research Council is not suitable to measure audience in community media hence mechanisms to sustain community media must be provided.

The Chairperson remarked that the Committee had received comprehensive responses. He appreciated the Deputy Minister for attending the meeting despite her commitments and also the officials of each entity.

The meeting was adjourned.