Question NW1441 to the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
15 June 2017 - NW1441
Mackenzie, Mr C to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
(1) Why has the implementation of the Rapid Deployment Guidelines, inserted into the National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper, been delayed until after March 2019; (2) has a study been conducted by her department to determine (a) the impact of this delay on broadband rollout across government jurisdictions and (b) the knock-on effect of the delay on the cost to communicate and in rolling out South Africa Connect; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
I have been advised by the department as follows:
1. When the Electronic Communications Act was amended in 2014 it replaced the requirement to develop Rapid Deployment Guidelines with the requirement to develop a National Rapid Deployment Policy. As a result of this amendment, the National Rapid Deployment Policy was included in the National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper. The rationale for the replacement of the guidelines with a policy is that a large proportion of the key stakeholders that are affected by the Rapid Deployment Policy are not subject to the provisions of the Electronic Communications Act (ECA), and, consequently, their behaviour cannot be regulated through the ECA.
2.(a)-(b) The Department has not carried out any study to determine the impact of a delay in implementing the Rapid Deployment Policy as there is no delay as yet in the implementation.