Question NW1730 to the Minister of Communications
13 September 2016 - NW1730
Ms V van Dyk to ask the Minister of Communications
Has the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) placed a moratorium on community radio licences; if not, (a) how many community radio licences have been issued (i) in the 2015-16 financial year and (ii) since 1 April 2016, (b) what are the names of the stations and (c) in which province is each station located; if so, (aa) since which date has the moratorium been in place and (bb) what are the reasons for the moratorium?
Reply:
Yes, ICASA placed a moratorium on community radio licences.
a) i) ICASA issued twenty three (23) community sound broadcasting service licences in the 2015/16 financial year.
ii) Five (5) were issued since April 2016.
b)/c) The names of the stations and the provinces in which they are located:
|
Licences issued in the 2015/16 Financial Year |
|
|
Name of Station |
Province |
|
Abaqulusi Community Radio |
Eastern Cape |
|
Voice of Matat Community Radio |
Eastern Cape |
|
Dihlabeng FM |
Free State |
|
Eden Community Radio |
Gauteng |
|
Abusekho Ubunzima Christian Radio Station |
KwaZulu Natal |
|
Pongola Community Radio |
KwaZulu Natal |
|
Choice FM |
Limpopo |
|
Mutsindo FM |
Limpopo |
|
Polokwane Community Radio |
Limpopo |
|
Radio Ysterberg |
Limpopo |
|
Radio Wolkberg |
Limpopo |
|
Radio Kransberg |
Limpopo |
|
Radio Naboom |
Limpopo |
|
Thulamela FM |
Limpopo |
|
Eyethu Community Radio |
Mpumalanga |
|
Radio Dagbreek |
Mpumalanga |
|
Revelation FM |
Mpumalanga |
|
Lara FM |
Northern Cape |
|
Radio Magalies |
North West |
|
Radio Tafelkop |
North West |
|
Caledon FM |
Western Cape |
|
Radio Disa |
Western Cape |
|
Radio Perron Central |
Western Cape |
|
Licences issued since 1 April 2016 |
|
|
Name of Station |
Province |
|
Radio Karoo |
Eastern Cape |
|
Sirius FM |
Gauteng |
|
Jou Radio |
Limpopo |
|
Hoedspruit Community Radio |
Mpumalanga |
|
7441 FM |
Western Cape |
aa) On 22 September 2015, ICASA issued a moratorium in respect of applications for class community sound broadcasting service licences and applications for radio frequency spectrum for purposes of providing a community broadcasting service.
bb) The moratorium was necessitated by:
i) A scarcity of analogue radio frequency;
ii)The review of the licensing processes and procedures regulations to include a provision for ICASA to process registrations from class community broadcasting licences in two intervals per year. This was concluded in March 2016; and
iii) ICASA is in the process of developing new regulatory framework for community broadcasting in the 2016/17 financial year.
The moratorium does not however, apply to pending applications received by the Authority before September 2015 and applications for special event licences.
MR NN MUNZHELELE
DIRECTOR GENERAL [ACTING]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
DATE:
MS AF MUTHAMBI (MP)
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
DATE