Question NW95 to the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services

Reply:

1(a) Yes, the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services led a delegation to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Guadalajara (5-6 December 2016) and Benchmarking Visit on Wireless Open Access Network in Mexico City (7-8 December 2016). This was one trip.

(b) The following officials accompanied the Minister to Mexico:

• Ms Nonkqubela Thathakahle Jordan-Dyani;
• Ms Palesa Legoze;
• Mr Siyabulela Qoza;
• Mr Sipho Joe Mjwara; and
• Mr Dick Sono.

(i) The purpose of participating at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was to present the African position on internet governance issues. South Africa hosted the African Internet Governance Forum in October 2016, which adopted a number of resolutions which South Africa presented at the global Internet Governance Forum, as African common positions.

The second part of the visit to Mexico City was to benchmark on Mexico’s open access wireless network model as part of conducting a comparative analysis with countries with similar sector plans and socio-economic conditions and levels of development.

(ii) Internet Governance Forum (IGF): 5 – 6 December 2016 in Guadalajara:

• Minister
• Ms Ntandoyeningi Sithebe (Minister’s Spouse)
• Mr Siyabulela Qoza (Departmental official)
• Ms Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani (Departmental official)
• Ms Palesa Legoze (Departmental official) attended the IGF from 5 – 9 December 2016)

Benchmarking visit on Wireless Open Access Network model: 7 to 8 December 2016 in Mexico City:

• Minister
• Ms Ntandoyeningi Sithebe (Minister’s Spouse)
• Mr Sipho Joe Mjwara (Departmental official)
• Ms Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani (Departmental official)
• Mr Dick Sono (Departmental official)
• Mr Siyabulela Qoza (Departmental official)

(iii) Internet Governance Forum

• Internet Society (ISOC)
• Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
• United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)
• World Economic Forum (WEF)
• Governor of Guadalajara
• Minister of Science & Information Technology

Benchmarking on Wireless Open Access Network

• • Telcel a subsidiary of América Móvil the largest mobile and fixed operator in Mexico
  • National Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (Secretariat – Department of Communication and Transport)
  • Meeting with Mexican State Telecommunications Experts (former and new Regulators)
  • Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (Federal Institute of Telecommunications)

(iv) Internet Governance Forum

• Participated in the development of a training programme to build on capacity as a country on internet management, internet architecture and policy development.
• South Africa has joined the Internet for All programme which seeks to improve universal access, uptake and usage of the internet.
• South Africa will participate in capacity building and training programmes offered by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and its partners on digital economy

Benchmarking on Wireless Open Access Network

• • The role of the new regulator in managing both network infrastructure roll-out and competition matters.
  • Lessons learnt from ongoing efforts to introduce Wholesale Open Access in Mexico to promote competition and therefore universal access to affordable quality services.
  • Mexico like South Africa is a developing country which is grappling with the restructuring of the market.
  • Private-Public-Partnership models in universal access connectivity.

(aa) R 671 704.49

(bb) Internet Governance Forum: 3 to 7 December (including travel dates)

Benchmarking on Wireless Open Access Network: 7 to 10 December (including travel dates).

2. Yes, Minister’s spouse, Ms Ntandoyeningi Sithebe accompanied the Minister to Mexico in line with the Ministerial Handbook. Total cost for her travel was R 110 200.00.