Hansard: Approppriation Bill: Debate on Vote No 27 – Communications
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 07 May 2012
Summary
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Minutes
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TUESDAY, 8 MAY 2012
PROCEEDINGS OF EXTENDED PUBLIC COMMITTEES – COMMITTEE ROOM E249
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Members of the Extended Public Committee met in Committee Room E249 at 14:05.
House Chairperson Mr C T Frolick, as Chairperson, took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick):
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THE PASSING AWAY OF R L PADAYACHIE AND M F NYANDA
(Announcement)
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon members, before we proceed with today's business I wish to announce the untimely passing away of Minister for the Public Service and Administration, hon R L Padayachie and the hon M F Nyanda, both serving members of the National Assembly.
Arrangements are being made to schedule condolence motions in honour of these members. Political parties will be informed accordingly.
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS (Ms D D Pule)
UNREVISED HANSARD
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Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Take: 363
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick)
APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 27 – Communications
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS (Ms D D Pule): Hon Chairperson, hon members of the House, hon Deputy Minister, Ms Stella Ndabeni, chairperson and members of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, chairperson and members of the select committee, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to request this House to observe a moment of silence for my three comrades and former colleagues who have recently passed on. May their passing be a reminder to us all that it is still noble to dedicate one's life to sacrifice and service to the people. The batons of Comrade Roy Padayachie, Comrade Sicelo Shiceka and Comrade Florence Nyanda have fallen. We need dedicated and selfless cadres to pick them up and continue with the race to deliver services and improve the lives of our people. [Silence.] Thank you.
Hon Chairperson, we are honoured and deeply humbled by this opportunity to present the Budget Vote of the Department of Communications for the financial year 2012-13. Every time an opportunity arises to speak in this august House one marvels at how far we have come as a nation. Let me take this opportunity to salute the heroines and heroes of our struggle who laid their lives for us to have the democratic freedom we now enjoy. Their vision was that, as people we must live together in a nonracial, nonsexist, free and democratic South Africa. Amongst them, Ida Mntwana, Helen Joseph, Ruth First, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela, to name but a few.
In this month of May we salute the workers who continue to remind us that our struggle for the liberation of our people is also about the attainment of a better life for all, including freedom from economic oppression. We also salute our heroines and heroes for leading our gallant movement well into the year 2012 which marks the centenary anniversary of our glorious movement, the ANC.
As we continue to celebrate the 12 presidents of this giant movement, led by President Jacob Zuma, we remain uncompromising and unflinching in our determination to build the Information and Communication Technology, ICT, infrastructure which is the infrastructure of infrastructures for South Africa's advancement in the knowledge and digital economy.
Chairperson, this Budget Vote is delivered during one of the most significant months in the history of our beloved country. It has been 18 years since the world heard former South African President, Nelson Mandela say the following:
Our daily deeds as ordinary South Africans must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity's belief in justice, strengthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all.
Hon Chairperson, Allow me to take this House down memory lane. During the 1990s developing countries were advised to liberalise, privatise and put in place independent regulators to regulate the ICT sector. Understanding its socioeconomic development challenges, South Africa adopted a managed liberalisation policy approach. South Africa was not spared of the mixed result that flowed from this approach. Today we pride ourselves in the fact that our ICT sector is competitive and can stand its ground against the best in the world.
Though the penetration of fixed line telephony is stagnant at about 10% since 1999, we have seen phenomenal growth in the uptake of mobile telephony in South Africa. Mobile penetration is estimated at more than 100%, which is one of the highest rates in the world. Currently, there are no authoritative statistics on broadband penetration in South Africa. Estimates put broadband penetration at 2% for fixed line broadband, around 4% for mobile Personal Computer, PC, broadband and 17% for broadband penetration using smartphones.
This nation cannot be satisfied with this statistics. We have to find practical solutions to fast track the uptake and usage of broadband services by the majority of our people. We have thus decided to conduct a study into broadband coverage, penetration and speed in South Africa. The postal sector is competitive with the South African Post Office being the dominant player in the reserved market and the unreserved market being fully liberalized.
One of the key achievements of South African Post Office, Sapo, has been the significant growth in the roll-out of residential addresses in the country since our democracy. The broadcasting industry is competitive with significant market players in the radio and television markets. We are encouraged by the fact that the majority of our people have access to these services. Our focus is to ensure that those who do not have access are catered for in the short to medium-term.
Hon Chairperson, in this financial year and for the medium- term we have prioritised three flagship programmes which are at the core of building a digital information and knowledge society. These include the acceleration of building a modern digital infrastructure as well as the policy reforms which position the country for an advanced knowledge economy in 2030. These programmes are: developing a National Integrated ICT Policy; rolling out a national broadband network; and implementing the digital broadcasting migration policy.
These programmes are aligned to the government's goals of building a developmental state that will contribute to rural development, improving the quality of education and delivery of health care services and relentlessly fighting the scourge of crime and corruption that disadvantages the State in the delivery of services, especially to the masses who are both in rural and urban areas.
As we pursue these goals we want to ensure that our communities receive their share of the socioeconomic dividend that is a result of our democratic freedom. We are focused on elevating the role played by women in the sector. Therefore, in November 2012 we shall be hosting a "Women in ICT" conference to celebrate the female trailblasers within the sector and also highlight the ICT career options that are available to our young women and girls. ICT has to be a career of choice for them too.
It is important to note the department is spearheading
ICT programmes focused on youth, children, women and people with disabilities. As part of this work we have placed 300 young people in health and education centres to do community service which gives them work experience and allow them to earn their living, even though it's minimal.
We are doing this as part of our contribution in the fight against unemployment, especially of young people. A country where one in every four people of working age is unemployed has to do everything it can to return the dignity of its marginalised people by creating jobs.
We are unshaken as the department in our commitment to change this untenable situation that is corroding the fibre of our society. We are happy to mention that our partners in business in this sector are also contributing in improving the lives of the people. Despite the recession they have created numerous jobs, for an example, MultiChoice has created 531 jobs with Vodacom contributing another 450 jobs last year. MTN has created 4 543 direct and 14 500 indirect jobs since 2010.
Working together we believe that the sector can create more jobs while enriching the lives of South Africans.
Young people across the world are leading ICT entrepreneurs and the most successful are among the richest people in the world today and their applications have changed the lives of millions of people. There is no reason why the next Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame and fortune cannot come from South Africa.
In cultivating these types of entrepreneurs and to
honour the pledge of the International Telecommunication Union to increase the numbers of women in the sector, we seek to involve girls in our programmes.
Hon members, today we have ten scholars from schools around the country in attendance. Could you please stand up and be seen? {Applause.] Thank you for coming. We have made arrangements with their schools to ensure that these scholars catch up with their academic work that they would have lost when they are here. We are grateful for the co-operation we have received from the Department of Basic Education and the schools in this regards. We want these scholars to have an opportunity to meet captains of our industry, legislators and of course, officials from the department. Please meet them. We hope this will ignite or strengthen their interest in pursuing careers in the sector.
Young people tend to be very good with word of mouth marketing. We hope they will write about their experience today on their social media profile, Twitter and Facebook, and tell their friends that South Africa and the ICT sector are alive with career possibilities.
On the 19 and 20 April 2012, we hosted a successful National ICT Policy Colloquium under the theme: Defining a new era in ICTs for all South Africans. We also used the occasion to invite 20 students from the University of Johannesburg to attend the colloquium. We wanted them to rub shoulders with the leaders of the sector and to have front row seats in this policy development process.
The colloquium has helped to unpack key issues we have to confront in our plans to craft the digital future our country deserves. The colloquium was unanimous in its support for the ICT policy review and the development of a national integrated ICT policy for the country. This policy review should address availability, accessibility and affordability of broadband.
Broadband is an essential digital resource for accessing basic services, products, commerce and job creation. It has the potential of creating opportunities and opening of new markets that allow businesses, particularly small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, to grow.
Given the strategic importance of this enabling infrastructure the department together with the ICT industry has committed to deliver 100% broadband penetration and delivering a million jobs by 2020. Our partnership with the ICT industry gives us confidence to galvanize sufficient resources to deliver on this commitment. At this point I would like to extend my gratitude to the ICT industry and acknowledge their commitment to work with us.
During 2011-12 financial year we made substantial progress towards the implementation of the Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy. In February 2012 final amendments of the Broadcasting Migration Policy were published in the Government Gazette for implementation by various role-players.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has commenced with the process to finalise the Digital Terrestrial Television regulations. It is envisaged that the final gazette will be published in June 2012.
TheSouth African Bureau of Standards, SABS's, standard according to which locally manufactured set top boxes will be built has been completed and is currently undergoing public consultation in a process led by the SABS. The standard will be finalised by the end of May 2012.
I want to affirm to this House that we are on course on the Digital Terrestrial Television, DTT, process. Our state owned enterprises, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, Sentech, Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa will play a key role in assisting the department to deliver digital broadcasting in the country.
Sentech has already achieved digital signal coverage of more than 60% of the population on the Digital Video Broadcasting Transmission, DVB-T2, standard. We have launched the Digital Terrestrial Transmission, DTT, awareness campaign where we are educating the South African public to understand what digital broadcasting means and the need for them to take action. This campaign is being done in a phased manner and will be rolled-out in all the provinces.
We believe the migration to digital broadcasting will increase the demand for content due to the increase in the number of channels available to broadcasters. We anticipate that communities and individuals will seize this opportunity to tell their own stories to the world. They can also be active participants in the growth of the online entertainment industry through dedicated services.
Our efforts are geared towards supporting the development of education, health and cultural content in South Africa. Several initiatives are underway to increase the availability of digital content as we speak.
This financial year the department has prioritised the amendments of the Electronic Communications Bill, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, ICASA, Bill, the Post and Telecommunications Related Matters Amendment Bill and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill. These amendments are confined to technical matters which cannot be deferred until the completion of the longer process of conducting a comprehensive ICT policy.
One of the most common observations from engagements with business, particularly SMMEs, labour and civil associations is around the cost associated with communications services. Affordability of services remains a challenge. Everyone in the ICT sector has a contribution to make in building affordable ICT infrastructure. One of the key and immediate contributions we can make is to have honest, open and progressive discussions about how we can lower the cost to communicate. Chairperson, I also want to acknowledge that there has been a work done on lowering the cost to communicate thus far.
We shall be hosting the International ICT Indaba on 04 to 07 June 2012 in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union. Our goal is to use this annual event to achieve several objectives, amongst others to attract investment.
We are happy with the support that this initiative has received from our local operators, including MTN, Vodacom, Telkom and many others.
On our state owned entities stabilising our state owned companies remains a key priority for the department. This is key to ensuring that they discharge their service delivery mandates. To demonstrate our seriousness about these companies we have begun a process to capacitate the branch in the department charged with the oversight responsibility to ensure that the department is better informed about the activities of the state owned enterprises, SOEs. Our goal is to ensure that by 2014 all our entities achieve clean audits.
Regarding SABC we are happy with the progress made after the board appointed the executive leadership. These appointments are helping to stabilise the broadcaster and to enable its management to focus on meeting the conditions of the government guarantee. May I also add that the turnaround strategy has started to show positive results.
The SABC is also working towards launching a 24 hour news channel. We are pleased to say that we support them with their commitment to forge forward with this initiative.
We recently appointed new board members and a chairperson at South African Post Office, Sapo. Sapo board has already advertised the post of the chief executive officer last week and is expected to advertise the other executive positions over the next few days. We expect that these posts will be filled soon.
The board will also have to oversee the processes of integrity systems test at the Postbank to avoid challenges in the future.
At Sentech the board has assured us that it has started the process of filling all the critical positions.
At Usaasa we are on course to appoint a new board within the month of May 2012. The appointment of the new chief executive officer, CEO, will be finalised in due course.
Hon and hon members, at the Fourth Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Brics, Summit held on 28 to 29 March 2012 in India, ICT was discussed. This laid the foundation for talks on areas of common interest such as connecting the partner countries and fighting cybercrimes. The theme of the Summit was: Brics partnership for global stability, security and prosperity.
The department participated in the, ITU, International Telecommunication Unions World's radio communications conference in February 2012; the universal postal union meeting in preparation of congress which will be held in September 2012; and the Global System for Mobile Assosiation, GSMA, Mobile World Congress which took place in February 2012.
The department will soon be hosting the Southern African Development Community, SADC ICT Ministers meeting to further our processes of regional harmonisation of ICT policies in June 2012.
We are continuing to reposition the department to fulfill its mandate. We focused on filling vacancies in the new organisational structure, prioritising the acquisition of skills in areas such as broadband, telecommunications policy, postal services, economics, frequency spectrum and ICT research. As a result of this focus and resignations over the year, our vacancy rate is at 29% in 2012.
We are confident that we can reverse this trend within the first half of this financial year because most of the recruitment work has been done and we are now close to finalising the appointments across all employment levels.
We have established a project management Office to deal with matters that relate to DTT chairperson on a daily basis. This office is functioning well.
I wish to thank the director-general of the department and the team of Department of Communications, DOC, for the good work they are continuing to do. Also, I will not forget to start with my colleague, Stella Ndabeni for the support that she is giving me on a daily basis.
Also, allow me to express my appreciation to the chairpersons and CEOs of the public entities reporting to the DOC and leaders of the ICT industry who have enthusiastically come on board to work with us. They are always available when we call them.
Finally and through you Chairperson, I would like to invite the hon members to approve the Budget Vote No 27 of the Department of Communications.
Thank you very much. [Applause.]
GC / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Takes: 364 & 365
The MINISTER of COMMUNICATIONS
Mr S E KHOLWANE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, members of the portfolio committee, colleagues, Director-General of the Department of Communications and staff, chairperson and other councillors if they are here, chairperson, board members and Chief executive officers, CEOs, of the Information and Communications Technology, ICT, sector, the chairperson, board members and the CEO of the state-owned companies, members of the media and distinguished guests, it is my pleasure to introduce, on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, Budget Debate Vote 27 of the Department of Communications.
Firstly, on behalf of the committee, I would like to pass our sincere condolences to the people and social institutions that nurtured and cared for the late former Minister of Communications, Comrade Roy Padayachie. To his family and political home, the ANC, receive our heartfelt condolences, and our prayers are with you during these trying times.
This is our first Budget Debate Vote after our beloved, the late hon Nontsikelelo Mavis Magazi, who during her times served the people of South Africa with distinction. With the advent of concepts such as digital cities and global villages, the importance of ICT cannot be overlooked. The communications industry plays a vital role in education, information dissemination, cultural development, rural development and agriculture, health, entertainment, national identity and the free flow of information to enhance open government.
Despite the constitutional guarantees to access to information, the reality is that in South Africa, the cost to communicate is still high. We acknowledge and appreciate the intervention by the regulator to reduce the interconnection rates. However, compared with other emerging economies, our cost to communicate remains stubbornly high. According to the Africa prepaid Mobile Price Index2012:
Mobile prices are cheaper in over 30 African countries than they are in South Africa with prices in Kenya and other countries only a fraction of the prices of even the lowest priced services in South Africa. In South Africa, even the modest reductions imposed on termination rate have generally not been passed on to the end user.
I am fully aware that some of you in particular, the operators, are disputing this fact. It's well, good and fine. To this end, as a committee, we will embark on the public hearings on the impact of the call termination rate before end of June 2012. Furthermore, these hearings will not be limited to the call termination rate, but will, in generally, include the cost to communicate in the entire communications sector.
The matter of data bundles was raised by the community of Bushbuckridge during the consumer rights awareness campaign on 21 March 2012.To that end we have requested the regulator and the operators to look into this matter. South Africans are complaining that this data bundles issue needs to be addressed. I think we have to adhere to what they are talking about and try to address this matter. If they are wrong, we have to clarify them but this matter needs to be attended to. People can no longer complain about data bundles which they don't understand. Some of them are saying, I buy them and they expire at a certain time. I did not use them, and so on. Someone, somewhere, must give guidance and clarity on the matter.[Applause.]
We urge the Minister to consider section 21 of the Electronic Communications Act to encourage rapid deployment of electronic communications facilities. Furthermore, we urge the SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, to comply with Sections 10 and 11 of the Broadcasting Act, Act 4 of 1999, in relation to the Public Service and Commercial Services regarding among other things, the separation of accounts of the Public Broadcaster, should be enforced by the board.
We are clear on that matter that we are going to hold the board of SABC to account for section 10 and 11, which call upon the separation of accounts. When they come before us they must be able to account for the public service and commercial service separately. We can no longer ignore the provision of the legislation as this House.
Chapter 9 of the Broadcasting Act of 1999, advices that the Minister must establish a SA Broadcast Production Advisory board to advise you Minister on how the development, production and display of local television and radio content can be supported. We urge the Minister to do so.
In his fourth state of the nation address, the hon President pronounced an infrastructure-led development. I won't go at length; we have already dealt with this particular matter. We are, however, concerned, as a committee, that the ICT Infrastructure Development Programme, in the department, has least spend only 11,5% of their budget during this third quarter of 2011-12. We are concerned because that is the division that must lead the infrastructure development but they have got no capacity to spend. I hope what we have said about capacitating the department will make sure that this programme is able to spend because if they don't do so, that is going to disadvantage our people.
We are also mindful about the processes - if you have started, hon Minister - of engaging the Industry, starting with the colloquium which you had. We think this is the step towards the right direction. As I have indicated, we hope that the 29% vacancy rate, which you have talked about, will be dealt with. We've got no doubt as you have already shown your capability in dealing with these matters.
Access to information for all South Africans is a constitutional right enshrined in the country's Constitution. As such, we appeal to the Department of Communications to lead the industry in a national strategy that will ensure that all people receive broadcasting services, whether it's radio or television, despite their geographical location.
I am raising this matter deliberately because one of the reasons why our people in rural areas find themselves without services is this notion of population coverage. There is something wrong about population coverage because it is thought as the coverage to the entire country. Our poor people living in rural areas - I will repeat "our poor" because those who afford are able to have some alternatives - continue to suffer under the auspices of population coverage. We have to move away from population coverage and face this matter head on and deal with geographical coverage of the country. [Applause.]
During the presentation to the committee by the department, we came to the conclusion that the department is doing well in trying to deal with the issue of the digital migration processes. However, we have been receiving conflicting messages from the department and the entities. To this extent, we will then call upon the department to come before the committee on the date which we will determine by the committee, so that we can be given an integrated digital migration strategy of where are we going to as a country.
We are also mindful about the pressure of the timeframes as it has been set out by ourselves, as a country, to the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, and also to Southern African Development Community, SADC.
The ANC has resolved that by 2014 all municipality areas must have community radios and publications. It is therefore our joint responsibility, as different spheres of government, to recognise the importance of creating an enabling environment to facilitate the development of community broadcasting sector.
Once again, I take this opportunity and commend both the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, and Sentech for acting with urgency in reducing the signal distribution cost facing the community broadcasters by 33% for community television and 65% for community broadcasting, in terms of Frequency Modulations, FMs, and so on. The outcome of this process will ensure a long-term sustainability of community broadcasters.
IsiXhosa:
Bendisithi niza kuliqhwabela izandla iGunya eliZimeleyo lezoNxibelelwano laseMzantsi Afrika kwakunye noSentech. Kanti, banjani na aba abantu? [Kwaqhwatywa.]
English:
Findings from the different independent researchers indicate that internet is the first communication tool that allows every user, receiver, narrator and broadcaster in a global sphere. Within this context, access to technology affects every sphere of life and with a broadband penetration rate. As we have said, it is unconfirmed and we are not sure. However, compared to the global average of 30% for developed countries and 21% of developing countries, I'm definitely sure that as South Africa, we are legging behind.
Bearing in mind what has been said above, it is therefore befitting that the Department of Communications has sought a 2020 vision to ensure a 100% broadband penetration in eight years time from today.
This will be in line with the ANC resolution that government should increase access of Information and Communications Technology, ICT, services to previously disadvantaged communities.
We have noted in the strategic plan presented by the department before the committee that indeed we are dealing with the matter of integrated Broadband Master Plan that will facilitate capital investment, innovation and rural access. In this regard, we urge the department to finalise the broadband strategy and consolidated National Broadband Plan. Through this platform, our communities will be empowered with access to information and two-way communication with the government, service providers and amongst themselves. Uncertain markets coupled with the escalating demands for digital alternatives have meant sustained and progressive mail volume decline and this is the new reality. We are saying hon Minister that we understand that the decline of mail volume is going to cause a lot of challenges to Post Office. Indeed one of the issues which we are raising is that the immediate task of the newly appointed board of the South African Post Office, Sapo, is to come up with the strategy that is going to mitigate the mail volume decline and how we are going to sustain Post Office moving forward.
The ANC-led government always put diversification at the centre of our people's interests. To this end, we support the final realisation of the commitment which we made in the 1998 White Paper on Postal Policy by finally enacting the Postbank which will assist in the establishment of the Postbank. However Minister, I must indicate that we need to indicate as the committee that the department need to do more around the issue of corporatisation of Postbank. To be honest, we are not satisfied as the committee that more work has been done around this particular area. I am raising that as the member of the ANC, the party that advocated that Postbank, we must establish this bank. We are not happy with the progress we hope that the department will put more effort and make sure that next time when they come and report there will be some progress which has been done to this effect.
In conclusion, I take this opportunity to thank the Minister, Deputy Minister, the Director-General and the entire department for taking the lead in the sector, state-owned enterprises for their continued effort as the implementing arm of government and the industry for its robust contribution. We are also encouraged that the Budget, as requested, is sufficient to address the ICT requirements and will support the state of the nation address imperatives in terms of infrastructure development, e-learning and job creation.
I would also take this opportunity to thank the Parliament support staff assigned to the Committee on Communications and also my Personal Assistant, PA, Ms Beverly Walters, who is currently on sick leave.
Before I can conclude, I also want to reflect that today we do not have three of our members here, hon Morutoa, and hon Schneemann, who are sick, and hon Muthambi, who is abroad due to work engagement.
I would like to take this opportunity again to conclude with the following words borrowed from an American industrialist, the founder of Ford Motor Company and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production, Henry Ford:
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.
Working together we have and will indeed continue to do more. The ANC supports the Budget. [Applause.]
Ms M R SHINN / Nb & KC / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Takes: 365 & 366
Mr S E KHOLWANE
Ms M R SHINN: Hon colleagues, I would like to begin with a tribute to the late former Minister of Communications, Roy Padayachie, who died this past weekend. While I did not know him, my colleagues who previously served on the Communications Portfolio Committee remember him with affection and respect. Our sympathies go to his family and colleagues who have lost a man of warmth, vision and dedication. The industry saw in him a man who recognised the importance of technology but he worked for a government that has no clue about the critical role communication plays in economic growth, job creation and the delivery of services in South Africa. If it did, the President would have given it weight in his state of the nation address and ensured it was a key player in infrastructure development plan. It was barely mentioned.
In the Budget, the Department of Communications has been given R290 million less than last year. This is at a time when we need to pour at least R90 billion into installing a broadband communications backbone that reaches at the very least into every region and urban hub and village in the country. We have to understand that without widespread high speed accessible communication infrastructure, we cannot educate, produce, trade, govern, and deliver services. Communications technology is not a luxury or an after thought; it is a utility, like water, electricity and roads. South Africa's communications industry is in desperate need of transformation it needs to break loose from the stranglehold of a fixed line monopoly and mobile duopoly and the lethargic regulatory process. These forces have warped the communications landscape to their own advantage. Bold swift action is necessary, to make the sector more accessible and affordable to new and nimble entrepreneurs. They are keen to build on the opportunities technology offers them. Without their fresh energy, South Africa will fail to fully exploit its full economic and developmental potential.
Communication and information technology should be a liberating force but this government is too inward looking to allow that. It has harnessed taxpayer funds to serve the electoral needs of the governing party rather than the nation. The business sector, the critical wealth generating engine of our nation, comes a poor second to government's social re-engineering agenda.
Government controls too much of the ICT sector. It is the legislator, regulator, wholesaler, retailer and nursemaid to start up businesses. The idea of liberating the sector from excessive regulation so that business can prosper and create jobs is too abstract a concept. Government wants to be seen to be handing over the pay cheque.
This is in stark contrast to the DA-run Western Cape government. It knows that to be an internationally competitive ecosystem, it must have a leading edge communications technology infrastructure. It plans within the next two years to implement the largest wireless mesh network in the world, connecting homes and businesses in the industrial development zone on the West Coast, Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain. This will drive economic growth and jobs for all.
The Western Cape plans by 2014 to have all the schools in the province connected to broadband infrastructure. By 2016, every municipality in the province will be connected to a broadband communications backbone.
By working better together, with vision, purpose and energy, the Western Cape government and business sectors will make this province a destination for internationally competitive enterprises to grow and prosper in a connected world. It will be a destination of opportunity.
The Western Cape's target for widely accessible broadband, pips to the post by four years as that of the national government. If we are lucky, the nation might have 100% broadband infrastructure coverage in place by 2020 but no one is holding their breath. This issue has been tossed back and forth for years. Cabinet approved its Broadband Policy in 2010.
It took another year before a compact on this issue was signed with 30 major players in the ICT industry. Now the department is exploring what broadband infrastructure exists in South Africa and will spend some time finalising the broadband strategy before it is released for further public comment. So the cycle of endless consultation and consensus seeking goes on and on. Meanwhile, economic opportunities pass this country by and South Africa slips further and further down the global rankings of ICT empowered nations.
In 2009, the SA National Broadband Forum called on government to make the development of a comprehensive National Broadband Strategy a high priority. If government had acted on its plan, every town and village in South Africa would have broadband access by 2014, that's 2 years away. We would have the cheapest broadband access in Africa and lead the continent in terms of broadband penetration but we are eating the dust of other African countries.
The reasons for our Department of Communications' inertia are many. There has been a succession of disinterested and incapable leadership in both cabinet and the department. The relevant skills and experience to grapple with complex technical issues are not there so they busy themselves with easy options. These include ICT skills development, nurturing small and medium enterprises, SMEs, expanding infrastructure to rural government facilities, regional cooperation, digitising cultural heritage, and running emergency call lines. All these may be worthwhile endeavours for nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, or private enterprises but they are not critical to the department's focus.
This must be to urgently give life to the vision that this nation needs fast, accessible, affordable communications infrastructure to help redress the economic and social exclusion that deeply wounded our people in the past.
The hon Minister is new in her job and the sector is giving her time to settle in and get into grips with the enormity and complexity of the sector. She is the third Minister of communications in as many years but I hope she has quickly picked up the anger and cynicism among the ICT market players towards her department's inability to shake the sector free of vested interests.
The sector needs to encourage new, dynamic and nimble players who welcome competition to sharpen their game and win new markets. However, government is not listening to them. It was clear that the department's recent ICT Colloquium that the event was held to tick the box of public participation as one of the necessary steps in drafting legislation.
Participants were given scant warning about the event and little time to become familiar with the necessary documentation to inform the discussions on streamlining South Africa's ICT policy.
Cynicism was there from the start when the assembled panel at the opening session comprised entrenched incumbents who have shaped the current communications environment to their own advantage. I doubt many of those who took part, except for the inner circle, expect much that is new and necessary to come from the colloquium. It is likely to be business as usual as the department plays it safe.
Another headache the department has to manage is the SABC. This is a high profile distraction because of the endemic corruption that festered for years through the ranks of the corporation and the board. I have no doubt that the new management is determined to turn this behemoth around. Its radical surgery and disruption of comfort zones means that this will be a bumpy ride. I wish them well.
However, SABC's ambitions need to be cut according to its cloth. Treasury has not allocated the SABC all the money it needs to complete its envisioned transformation to digital terrestrial television. So, it must sideline its ambitions to launch 12 new TV channels because the resources are not available. It must focus on getting right its existing commercial channels so that it can regain lost viewers and attract advertising.
These commercial channels must then be sold to help pay off its debts and enable the SABC to focus on its public broadcasting mandate that will mainly be funded by licence fees. Privatising its commercial channels will also help support the diversification of media ownership.
Another drain on the government's resources and its ability to rapidly liberate the communications sector is Telkom. Government is the major shareholder of this entity that has a hefty R3,5 billion fine hanging over its head because of the anticompetitive behaviour that crippled our communications landscape.
Whatever the details of Telkom's negotiations with KT Corporation, the net result should be that government relinquishes its shareholding and the deal be structured in such a way that South African investors and ICT industry players has a greater stake in what should become a communications infrastructure wholesaler.
It should absorb Broadband Infraco and Sentech, which have done little to deliver affordable communications infrastructure to the nation. The department should also part company with the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, which should move to the Department of Higher Education and Training. The Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, should be closed down entirely. It has achieved little except enrich its management many of whom are being investigated by the Special Investigations Unit. The Presidential National Commission serves no purpose and should be closed immediately. The .za Domain Name Authority should revert to the private sector and; Independent Communications Authority of South Africa should be an independent, self-funding body.
This should free up the department to concentrate on its key mandate of developing policies that open up the market to a diversity of players, large and small; ensure easily accessible and affordable communications infrastructure nationwide; regulate for a dynamic and flexible environment that is technology independent, and; safeguard the industry for monopolistic tendencies.
South African ICT entrepreneurs are desperate for the opportunity to exploit the potential of communications technology. It needs bold, driven leadership to open up these opportunities for all and let the nation prosper. I challenge you, hon Minister, to break with the past failed record of this department and open up this sector to effective competition. [Applause.]
Mrs J D KILIAN / /KC & JN///tfm/// END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Takes: 366 & 367
Ms M R SHINN
Mrs J D KILIAN: Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister, colleagues, the director-general and all other state entities and their leaders, on behalf of Cope, I firstly want to express our deepest sympathy to the family of the former Minister of Communications, the late Mr. Roy Padayache. May his soul rest in peace. May his family find solace in the thought that he served his country with dedication and passion. Our condolences are also conveyed to the ANC.
With an approved new departmental structure which, according to the strategic plan was developed to underpin departmental priorities, Cope hopes to see that the department together with the regulator and state-owned entities reporting to it, will in the coming year have a meaningful impact on the ICT industry in South Africa.
Chairperson, Cope supports the five overarching strategic goals of the Department of Communication. In order to fulfil this strategic role in our country successfully it is necessary for the department to engage the communication sector in a complete policy review.
South Africa has had no major policy review of telecommunications since the mid-ninties, when it embarked on a major consultative process that resulted in a White Paper on Telecommunications and the consequent Telecommunications Act of 1996. Therefore, Cope supports the intention of the department and the Minister to work towards the development of a White Paper on Communications and only to do minor and technical adjustments to legislation in the interim period.
We have to look at reality in South Africa today. The exponential growth of ICTs and the impact thereof globally has over the past 15 years created an information revolution. Our country has unfortunately for a variety of reasons lost its competitive edge on the African continent as well as amongst middle income countries globally. Whereas mobile penetration, the Minister has referred to that, in South Africa is estimated to be at more than 100%, we still face serious challenges with regards to universal access and the costs of mobile equipment. This leaves communities underserviced and rural areas still socially and economically marginalised.
One of the most critical areas that require immediate and focused attention, and some of my colleagues have already referred to it, is affordable broadband connectivity. In this regard, it is a matter of concern that the department has not been able to finalise the National Broadband Implementation Plan which has, amongst others made it impossible for Sentech to roll out the National Broadband Network.
The most recent South African ICT sector performance review indicates that South Africa, in terms of broadband access continues to compare poorly against other lower-middle-income countries and on our continent, against North African countries such as Tunisia, Egypt and even Mauritius and the Seychelles. Notwithstanding the interconnect price reductions during the past two years, the costs for private subscribers remain far too high, I have to agree with my colleagues. As a result of the premium prices charged for these services, broadband, ADSL and 3G penetration remains very low compared to other middle-income countries.
We will clearly not regain our international ranking as continental leader with the current interconnect arrangement. We will need further regulatory intervention to push down broadband costs. This matter requires priority attention of the Minister, the department and the regulator.
Affordable broadband access holds the key to economic growth, social inclusion and improved education outcomes that our country sorely needs. This is the highway to an information and knowledge society. Successful digital migration is and remains one of the key departmental priorities for the year ahead. However, according to the department's strategic plan it identifies it as a potential risk area.
It seems that there is an uncertainty as to whether or not the Department of Communications will have the capacity to meet national and international expectations. We need confirmation from the Minister, today, that this matter will receive her focused attention.
Valuable time was lost during former Minister Nyanda's tenure, with his brief flirtation with the Brazilian and Japanese standards. South Africa cannot default on international agreements and must demonstration the capacity to manage this process successfully.
As far as expenditure trends in the department are concerned, we have to raise our concern about some of them, with some key strategic programmes, such as information and communication technology, ICT, policy development only spending 44% of its allocated budget and ICT infrastructure development, as the chairperson has already mentioned, spending only 11,55%.
The only programme that achieved more than 70% expenditure is Programme 1 – Governance and Administration, which does not all go well because with the new organisational structure having been approved by the Department of Public Service and Administration, the head count will increase to 439, from 270 in 2008-09. The fact that the growing bureaucracy will lead to an annual increase in the expenditure on compensation of employees, does not mean that there is necessarily success in this sector. Growing expenditure on salaries will not determine the success of the department. Only effective management of certain key strategic programmes will have the desired impact.
Cope is carefully optimistic that the SABC Board has resolved the internal squabbles which have plagued the public broadcaster since 2008. The internal politics, no doubt, had a negative impact on sound governance, as well as the financial management of the public broadcaster. Our advice to the SABC Board leadership is that they must not allow the governing party's elective conference in Mangaung, this year, to again destabilise the broadcaster... [Interjections.] ... and to spill over in board and management differences and squabbles.
No interference...
The CHAIRPERSON: Order! Hon members, order, please!
Mrs J D KILIAN: No interference in the editorial policy of the SABC can be allowed – not commercial or political ...
The CHAIRPERSON: Hon member, your time has expired.
Mrs J D KILIAN: I beg your pardon, Chairperson?
The CHAIRPERSON: Your time has expired.
Mrs J D KILIAN: We will not allow any political interference. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr M A MNCWANGO / JN///tfm// & END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Take: 367
Ms J D KILIAN
Mr M A MNCWANGO: Hon Chairperson, I also share the sentiments of sympathy with all other colleagues, regarding the untimely passing on of Minister Padayachie. Our prayers are with members of his family and friends as they go through this difficult time.
The government continues to grapple with communication challenges. We are citizens of an information age, an era in which access to knowledge and information is power, and where successful citizens are those who understand this currency and are able to use it to advance their interests. Like business and civil society, the knowledge economy is one that government, too, must engage in.
At the most basic level, government must do this through good communication with citizens. This should mark a break from the past practice, and the recognition that government is able to improve the lives of the people it serves in a number of ways, including through the free flow of information.
In the not-too-distant past government communication was synonymous with propaganda. This ranged from expensive marketing exercises to legitimise minority elections and impose constitutions. At its most insidious, it included infiltrating the news rooms of some of the country's top newspapers. Good government communication had no precedence in pre-1994 South Africa, and achieving it remains a work in progress in the new South Africa.
In acknowledging the diversity of this country, with its 11 official languages, different levels of literacy and access to mainstream sources of information make good and accessible communication even more of a challenge; particularly since new laws and policies, which should be shared with the broadest segment of the population as much of them have the potential to change and improve lives are constantly being enacted. Government communication is just beginning to tackle these challenges with mixed success.
Some examples of government communication illustrate an inability to successfully define the audience it is trying to reach and then speak directly to it. A recent publication, for instance, placed in KwaZulu-Natal newspapers on "social and economic development in KwaZulu-Natal" looked like it was trying to lure investment and enterprise into the province.
In the opposite of the spin, the publication began with a peculiar section describing the province as one "plagued by social needs, few of which seem to be receiving any attention". It went on to talk about "constant fall outs between communities, business and government" and noted that "more that anywhere else in the country, groups are clannish and insular, with constant bickering between political players". The rambling narrative painted a picture of a province in chaos, and one that no right-minded investor would like go be anywhere near.
This extreme and expensive example of poor government communication is probably the exception, but points to an area that requires development. Many government departments have sizeable budgets for communication, but tend to pour these into expensive and often uninspired newspaper advertisements and supplements that reach an elite few.
It is also debatable whether or not verbatim extracts from ministerial speeches make any real impact. Good governance requires good communication from all spheres of government. Many relatively privileged citizens suffer when trying to reach the right bureaucrats to solve their problems, particularly at municipal level. The problem is compounded for the poor who do not have the resources to spend long periods on the telephone when trying to remedy an electricity or water problem.
All too often good government communication falls at the point where government interacts with most people, through accessible one-stop-shop call centres.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON: Hon member, your time has expired.
Mr M A MNCWANGO: The IFP supports the budget. [Applause.]
Mrs W S NEWHOUDT-DRUCHEN
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Takes: 367 & 368
Mr M A MNCWANGO
Mrs W S NEWHOUDT-DRUCHEN: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and hon members, and visitors in the gallery, I too would like to convey my condolences to the family members of the Minister of Public Service and Administration, the late Minister Padayachie, as well as to those of former Minister Shiceka, and also remember our comrade, the hon Magazi.
Today in this Communication Vote, my focus will be on the Universal Service and Access Agency of SA, Usaasa, and the National Electronic Media Institute of SA, Nemisa, as well as the role of both agencies in provision of skills in South Africa, in order for us to meet the goals of job creation as requested by our President in his 2012 state of the nation address speech.
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,13 May 2012,"[Take - 368] [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
For, Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, Usaasa I would like to quote a statement found in its strategic plan where they stated that:
By 2020 everyman, woman and child whether living in the remote areas of the Kalahari or in the urban areas of Gauteng can connect, speak, explore and study usingInformation and Communications Technology, ICT.
This is the work of Usaasa whose vision is to be the leading organisation in the promotion of the goals of the universal service and access to information, communication, technology services and social economic development. Its mission is to facilitate the establishment of access to ICT services in partnerships with all stakeholders towards achievement of an information society.
Therefore, it is with concern that I read in Usaasa's report, when they reported to the portfolio committee that South Africa is ranked 86 on the digital opportunity index out of 207 countries. This ranking is alarming for a developmental country such as us and in the spirit of the Millennium Development Goals and the World Summit on the Information Society. Implementation seeks to connect religious, schools, hospitals and libraries and to ensure that over half of the world population has access to International Corporate Communications, ICC, by 2015.
Both Usaasa and the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, Nemisa, need to be able to assist South Africa and its residents in achieving access and connection for all our people.
When Usaasa came before us as a portfolio committee they mentioned that there were four projects that they aligned with the national outcomes as well as the Minister's performance outputs and the objectives of the Department of Communication. I will only focus on one of these outputs linking to job skills. Usaasa will deploy 200 community access centres through an entrepreneurship model involving public and private partnership. They will claim 400 personnel on e-skilling and they will also work within these centres.
The committee also requested that Usaasa re-train their own employees; redeploy personnel to position in line with their skills; the current vacancy positions in Usaasa be filled; and also requested that the skills capacity challenges be addressed. The committee also urged the Minister to speed up the process of appointing board members to ensure the smooth functioning of Usaasa peace. We were informed as a committee that this will be finalised this month.
The current work in Usaasa is being done by staff of the Department of Communications, DOC - they are currently the caretakers of Usaasa. The committee urged that suitable people be appointed on this board
Nemisa's vision is to become a transformed national leader in the training and development of the world class ICC electronic media skills in pursuit of knowledge and innovation in South Africa and in the Africa continent.
The mission of the Nemisa seeks to accelerate ICT and electronic media training research and development for the advancement and empowerment of South Africans through harnessing strategic partnership in a sustainable manner. The mandate for Nemisa's establishment was that it provides the much needed skills training at an advanced level for the broadcasting industry. It also offers diploma courses, short courses and internships in three subjects, namely TV production, radio production and creative multimedia.
The emphasis is on equipping students to be market related in a wide range of broadcasting disciplines and to have the ability to work effectively in constantly changing conditions.
When Nemisa appear before the portfolio committee it mentioned that market conditions and the changing ICT environment demanded skills in multimedia technology and the training courses originally offered by Nemisa had to be adjusted accordingly.
With digital pedestal television programmes also demand skills in digital broadcasting, the installation as well as the maintenance of the setup boxes, a valued change study which indicate business and job opportunities and to see what skills will be required.
Some of Nemisa's 2011-12 achievements include the accreditation from the media, Information And Communication TechnologiesSector Education Training Authority, Mictseta, which enabled them to finalise the certification of students as well as developing a training programme for lecturers receiving Microsoft accreditation and having students production accepted by e-tv.
However, one concern from Nemisa is that South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, is not employing Nemisa graduates to the desired extent.
The portfolio committee is also concerned with a limited number of students enrolled at Nemisa. Due to the limited space available it is only able to register 130 students. A model is now being developed where they can allow the training programme to be offered in six other universities situated in different provinces. Nemisa is also developing a network with other training institutions to provide e-skills to the entire country.
As a result of the huge Digital Terrestrial Television, DTT, programme coming up technical skills will be required for the manufacturing, repairing and maintenance of setup boxes. This project will enable small businesses to be established especially in the rural areas of South Africa. With the necessity skills many unemployed people can benefit from this project. Nemisa must please, encourage people with disabilities to be aware and to be part of this project as to enable disable people to be employed and skilled in this sector, please.
Nemisa also informed the committee that they are now collaborating with Telkom and they are aware of Telkom's training facilities where there is a bigger venue for the possibility of accommodating more students for future jobs. There are also vacant positions, especially the position of thechief executive officer, CEO, which the committee hope to be filled soon.
Nemisa's budget for the year 2012-13 is R34,1 million but the committee would like to see the report and presentation about the possible merge of Nemisa with Institute For Satellite And Software Application, ISA, and Meraka e-Skills Institute to form one integrated ICT institution.
During my first term of Parliament I had an opportunity to visit ISA with the portfolio committee and we were very impressed with the training and the resources that we saw at this facility. Nemisa and theDOC can consider ISA's venue as a possible training location for Nemisa. The new universities are both to fill the skills gap in the communication sector and it is recommended that at least one university specialise in the ICT sector.
DOC needs to look into how the department can work with the industry to fast-track the skills gap in the ICC sector and provide the necessary employment in this sector.
Chairperson, the ANC supports the DOC budget for Usaasa and Nemisa for the year 2012-13. Thank you, Chair. [Appaluse.]
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS //UNH & NN / GC/ END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Take: 369
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,09 May 2012,"Take 369 [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,08 May 2012,"[Take-333333369] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
Mrs W S NEWHOUDT-DRUCHEN
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS: Chairperson, hon Minister of Communications Ms Dina Pule, hon members of the House and members of the executive, Chairperson and members of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, distinguished guests from the Information and Communication Technology, ICT sector, ladies and gentlemen, and, lastly, my sisters in school uniforms over there, allow me to greet you in the name of the Lord, our Saviour, as we celebrate May as the workers' month and, historically, we commemorate the fifth president of the ANC, Comrade Pixley Ka Seme. May the centenary flame of the ANC provide light and the spirit of Ubuntu to all of us.
In 10 days' time, on 17 May 2012, we will be celebrating the World Telecommunications on Information Society Day under the theme "Women and Girls in ICT". Together with the industry and in collaboration with the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, we have planned a festival of activities from 17 to 20 May 2012 to encourage and acknowledge the role of women in ICT.
This year's Budget speech theme is "Building ICT infrastructure for South Africa's advancement in the knowledge and digital economy". It is a living theme and is consistent with the elective mandate of the ANC-led administration. In building information highways, we will indeed be able to: connect rural and urban, rich and poor in all corners of the Republic, thereby enhancing the quality of education and health; reduce poverty and inequality by increasing access to services; create jobs; ensure our people transact and communicate safely when they use cyberspace; and, most importantly, work together as a nation to combat child pornography and human trafficking.
In rolling out ICT infrastructure, network operators must be encouraged to share infrastructure which, I believe, will enable them to make savings and maximise broadband deployment to the home and business, as well as reduce the cost to communicate. It is my view that there are no limits in technology innovation. As a result, we will construct univocal policies to further enhance market liberalisation, encourage investment in the economy, level the playing field by encouraging new entrants in the market, and this will be done in the public interest. We are committed to support research, development and innovation initiatives in the Information and Communication Technologies, ICT sector, which aim to develop a strong base for an information society and knowledge economy.
Chairperson, in her address, the Minister spoke about the three flagship projects of the department – the comprehensive ICT policy review, broadband and the broadcasting digital migration. Without going into the details of these projects, the availability of broadband and digital terrestrial television will encourage businesses and individuals to access a variety of these services online. It is therefore critical that a conducive policy environment exists to build confidence and trust in the use of the cyberspace including the protection of critical ICT infrastructure.
In this regard, in March 2012, Cabinet approved the National Cyber Security Policy Framework, which provides for, amongst others, measures to build confidence and trust in the secure use of ICT; measures to address national security in terms of cyberspace; measures to combat cyber threats including, cyberwarfare, cybercrime, cyberterrorism, cyberespionage and others.
This framework was developed on the understanding that ensuring a safer cyberspace is critical if South Africa is to take full advantage of the information economy and society. Cybersecurity is non–negotiable, as government needs to assure citizens that they are safe and secure when in cyberspace. This will ensure that there is uptake and usage of online services, which will bring about more efficiency in the way business is conducted and in the way people interact, be it socially and otherwise.
The protection of children and vulnerable groups is important. It is imperative that people begin to understand what constitutes some of the online ills that might be perceived to be harmless, as these might have detrimental results. In addressing this, the department has commenced the process of developing a cybersecurity awareness programme in conjunction with relevant stakeholders. During this financial year, we will focus on establish a cybersecurity hub to pool public and private sector threat information for the purposes of processing and disseminating such information to relevant stakeholders, including the cybersecurity centre. As we are dealing with the issue of cybersecurity, we are also faced with the high rate of cable theft, which is a cause for concern, as this directly impacts on critical ICT infrastructure, which adversely affects individuals, business and government. The department, together with the Justice and Crime Prevention Cluster, is addressing this issue. The impact of copper theft is that one day we might not be able to access our money from the banks, including those that are beneficiaries of the social grants, nor will we be able to utilise certain equipment in hospitals due to systems breakdown. Thus cable theft amounts to terrorism, as it could lead to a loss of innocent lives.
With regards to our contribution to the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme, which is led by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, the department has developed the ICT Rural Development Strategy which will be implemented in this financial year. The strategy focuses on establishing new access centres in the 161 priority areas across the country, as identified by the relevant department. The strategy also affirms our commitment to connect all schools and health centres in the country. Due to the cross-cutting nature of this project, we have established a dedicated task team comprising the Departments of Communications, Basic Education, Public Service and Administration, Rural Development and Land Reform, Health and Science and Technology.
In this financial year, we have prioritised the provision of broadband connectivity to 1 650 schools in all provinces as the initial phase of the implementation of the national connectivity plan for schools. This project is a result of a legacy project of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup. The broadband connectivity will enable schools to have access to the internet, emails and hosting services. It will also strengthen learning and teaching processes, enable sharing of educational resources in schools and improve administrative processes.
The department, in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education, is also facilitating the development of the business case, which will ensure that every school across the country is connected as part of the broadband strategy. Providing connectivity to our impoverished areas is a key priority because communication facilitates socioeconomic development, especially access to government services. In addition, we have partnered with the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs in our quest to provide small enterprises and co-operatives with connectivity as part of the department's small business development programme.
Hon members, you will all note that I have not said anything about Further Education and Training, FET, colleges and the universities. It is mainly because we are still engaging with the Department of Higher Education and Training on the approach, as we also identify them as critical stakeholders.
We are committed to increase the footprint of community radio stations across the country. Our vision is to ensure that there are community radio stations in every municipality. We have begun a process to look at the impact of the community radio support programme since its inception in 1998. This will assist us to develop and implement a comprehensive community radio station support programme that will focus on content, capacity-building, signal distribution and infrastructure. Providing support to the community television sector is a new focus area that will be addressed during this financial year. Furthermore, the comprehensive policy review process will consider, amongst others, the best mechanisms for the growth and development of community television.
In a world where ICT reaches every corner of the human life, the competitiveness of an economy and social cohesion have increasingly become dependent on ICT–related skills and competencies and digital literacy of the workforce. The latest Global Information Technology Report 2012, published by the World Economic Forum, highlighted that South Africa ranks at 72 out of 104 countries based on availability of infrastructure, affordability and skills. In addition, a report published in 2008 by the International Data Corporation emphasised that more than 90% of jobs available in 2014 will require ICT-skilled workers. The integration process will allow the department to improve skills initiatives at tertiary institutions including one of the two proposed universities that are envisaged to be established in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
We will do this by capitalising on increasing our provincial presence through establishing provincial e-skills knowledge production and co-ordination hubs, from the current five to nine, aimed at impacting e-skills capacity development at a provincial and local level. We will increase our national research network for knowledge production and innovation to ensure that the e-skills interventions are based on sound evaluative principles.
This year we will host the second e-Skills Summit that will bring a collaborative action-orientated approach across all stakeholder groups in government... Thank you, Chairperson. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr I S MFUNDISI /Mia / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Take: 370
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,11 May 2012,"[Take 370] Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,08 May 2012,"[Take-333333370] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
Mr I S MFUNDISI: Chairperson and hon members, we in the UCDP align ourselves with the sentiment in regard to the late Minister Padayache. The value of ICT in modern life cannot be underplayed. Effective, efficient communication or Information and Communication Technology, ICT, use has a direct impact on the quality of life that people lead. It is therefore no surprise that the international bodies have proclaimed access to internet as a human right.
Effective exploration of ICT also has a potential of creating jobs and creating creative thinking and productivity of the people. Attention to the protection of human rights through the use of new communication technologies is an area of growing interest, not only from the point of view of technology and communication sectors but from the vintage point of those working hard towards the betterment of government mechanisms and continued development of an equitable global civil society.
We are aware of the ongoing saga regarding editorial powers and content at the SABC. We hope that it will be concluded with no blood on the floor, yet to the satisfaction of the public. Editorial policy has to be improved and consistent unlike at present where there are clearly favoured political parties whose events are covered 100% whilst events or speakers of other parties are not covered or beamed.
The majoritarian principle applied by the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC is scary and reminds the public of the Suid-Afrikaanse Uitsaaikorporasie, SAUK days. In this country there is no policy of winner takes all. We have to share the same time, air and screen. It is well and good that most public libraries in urban settings have free access to internet; however, the flipside of that coin is that it mostly serves those who have afforded internet in the first place, whilst the vast majority of our people still do not know the internet and are far from having access to it.
The roll out of ICT services to schools which in theory would have been a groundbreaking achievement has not made any significant strides worth writing home about. A couple of years ago Sentech undertook to roll out wireless broadband to 250 schools, and this would signify that telecommunication companies take their social responsibility seriously. However, that undertaking is still a dream in the pipeline. More than anybody, schools should have the best of ICT services and it is the department's responsibility to ensure that. After all, these are young minds that must be kept abreast with ICT developments and other technological developments as they are the future. The post office is...
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mdakane): Hon member please conclude now. [Applause.]
Mr I S MFUNDISI: But we are entitled to time, [Laughter.] thank you. The post office is gradually growing extinct because even with the past pace of the mailing system, the post office does not wake up to the efficient customer service. Rates for letter boxes rise by the year, queues grow longer and longer, staff members are lethargic while postal stamps are unaffordable to the poorest of the poor in the countryside and who depend on services rendered by this office. The UCDP supports the Budget Vote. [Applause.]
Mr C D KEKANA
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Take: 370
Mr I S MFUNDISI
Mr C D KEKANA: Chairperson, hon Minister Dina Pule, hon Deputy Minister Comrade Stella Ndabeni, all the distinguished guests from the sector, ladies and gentlemen, communication is one of the infrastructure that we were told is necessary for us to grow the economy further than the four and a half per cent that rose before in order to create needed jobs in the country. I am saying this because it was emphasised that all economies of the world including the South African economy flourished and strived faced on the pillar stones of a strong infrastructure.
That infrastructure in our country was said to be Information and Communication Technology, ICT; road and rail; ports which are seaports and airports and we know that the FIFA World Cup boosted our ports development and roads; water and; electricity. We were told that if we developed those five infrastructural facilities our economy will grow further than it has grown.
In fact I must mention that while we are criticising, and which is good because it develops the shortcomings that are there. We should not forget that since the invent of our new democracy led by our father Nelson Mandela, we have done very well in the economy as a country. We were told that whilst we are doing well developing the country's economy up to four and a half per cent, in order to create the necessary jobs that are needed by the country we need to develop it further than six per cent. This is what we are battling with in this country.
We were further told that communication and ICT facilities are one of the infrastructural facilities that are very important including those which I have already mentioned. Development is obviously important in any economy and nation but we do not see how we can use all these technologies if they do not benefit the people. The people are the most important. We should not forget that, whilst technologies are important to develop our economy, we should not leave people behind. We can never be happy in a situation where 65% of our youth is unemployed in the country, including those who have completed matric.
Ten percent of those who finish tertiary education are unemployed because it is said that their skills should be in line with the needs of the economy. The Deputy Minister just mentioned that they are having talks with the education sector in order to see how best this matter can be handled. I want to mention that we were highly impressed by the German model which we were told by our education department which deed oversight in Germany, that 60% of Germans are actually doing vocational. They do not go to tertiary, 60% are doing vocational and that vocational industry participates in assisting with the training of vocational skills because you are trained on the job and you are paid. Something similar to what nursing is doing, whereby nurses are trained and paid. Today we have proud sisters who say, though at home there was no money to take me to tertiary school but ultimately I trained as a nurse because I could, at the same time earn something that assisted my family, today I am a qualified sister.
We think that that module of development is very good. The Germans should actually be a model for us in South Africa. I hear that the Deputy President is presently going to Germany. I hope that he will bring us good news about their talks with the Germans. We think that the communications sector and ICT should actually start at home because indeed charity starts at home. We have many entities, the SABC, Sentech, Universal Service Agency of South Africa, USASA, the Post Office and others.
We went on an oversight and between Limpopo and Mpumalanga there are 200 vacancies that needs to be filled. In this day and era where people are unemployed, why should we have 200 vacancies that are funded but still needs to be filled [Applause.] especially in a sector like the post office? This has actually been a call from our President who said that all the unoccupied posts in government should be filled. We know that in the communication sector vacant posts still needs to be filled. We are calling upon the leadership in the sector, I mentioned Sentech, USASA, SABC, Post Office and others to fill these posts, remember that I said development is about people. We can have cellular phones, computers and all these technologies, but if people are unemployed and impoverished then we are really not developing. We shall really develop when there is a better life for all of our people.
The 65 youth - 65 million youth - I am sorry, I meant to say 65%. Can I drink water, copying from our former President Mandela ... [Interjections.] [Applause.] The 65% youth that is unemployed and the 10% graduates who have finished university but cannot be employed should be employed. Until we can communicate that message and practice it within communication entities and beyond. Communication as a facility is very important. This is the only way that our President and government can talk to the nation. We are saying to the nation that we are embarking on a big campaign as the ANC government to make sure that we create all the jobs needed in the country. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr A C STEYN / JN / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Take: 371
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,08 May 2012,"[Take-333333371] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
Mr C D KEKANA
Mr A C STEYN: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members, distinguished guests and the public at large. I too wish to take this opportunity to convey my sincerest sympathy to the family of the late hon Minister Padayacee on his unexpected passing. May his soul rest in peace.
When the department presented their strategic plan, it contained five strategic goals, supported by 17 objectives and a total of 72 targets.
The Committee was of the opinion that the strategic plan lacked focus and that, quite honestly, everything they wanted or needed to achieve, was thrown into a pot and dished out as a strategic plan. The outcome were not measureable, and considering past performance, we believe that the objectives and targets, particularly with regard to the current financial year, needed to be more focused and to comply with theSelf-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology, SMART, principles as identified by the Auditor-General.
As a result of our comments, the department agreed to withdraw their strategic plan as tabled, to review in particular, their objectives and targets, and to re-submit a new strategic plan, which they subsequently did. This revised plan now consisted of the same five strategic goals, but now supported by 12 objectives and a manageable 34 targets, less than half the previous number.
Unfortunately two entities of the department had to do the same, not only because targets could not be measured, but because information in their presentations did not correspond with the information in the tabled strategic plans submitted, coupled with the discrepancies in the budgeted amounts.
This created a dilemma for us–do we consider and vote on the information in the document tabled in parliament, or do we consider the revised information in a presentation which is meant to summarise the information in the strategic plan?
Sixty six percent of the department's budget is allocated to Program Four, Information and Communications Technology, ICT, Enterprise Development, which consists of two subprogrammes, Public Entity Oversight and Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise, SMME, development. As we are all aware, having been mentioned by the Minister and others, State Owned Entities, SOE's, are delivery arms of government, therefore stabilising and monitoring SOE Boards is crucial to ensure that SOE Boards deliver on their mandates.
The late Min Padayachee in his budget speech last year said:
"In our efforts to strengthen corporate governance within our public entities, work is underway to review and strengthen our capacity to conduct oversight." Judging by the current status of the SOE's, that report to this department, the hon minister should have indicated that with few exceptions, mostly the smaller ones, they all qualified to be admitted, not to an ICT but to an Intensive Care Unit, ICU, unit last year.
The result is that these SOEs are in a state of transition with new board members and Chief Executive Officers, CEOs, having been appointed or in the process of being appointed, all are busy with so called turn around strategies. In fact, hon Kekana made the comment and said that, if they are not careful with all these turn around strategies, they will find themselves at the point where they have started.
I wish to comment briefly on some of the entities, starting with South African Post Office, SAPO, which has again been left rudderless following the sudden resignation of an acting group CEO. This was confirmed yesterday, just days after the post was advertised. It also comes when SAPO is battling a strike by scores of contract workers, with very little if any communication to their clients who have not received post for the last four weeks or so, in Gauteng.
Then there is Post Bank, the chairperson of our committee spoke about it as well, that its intention was to allow SAPO through the Post Bank to prioritise the banking needs of the unbanked majority, thereby facilitating their inclusion into the economic mainstream, which was signed into law in December 2010. This noble idea is meant to bring about reconciliation and redress to those that were denied economic participation in the past.
The licence application should be submitted by next month; however, this is unlikely to happen, as the application is sure to fail due to deficiencies in the current IT systems and processes. Even if it was to happen, the Post Bank is doomed to failure because of lack of funding. In July last year, it was estimated that R1, 5 billion would be required over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period.
In January this year, the former chairperson of the board presented a revised estimate to the Minister of R2, 15 billion, none of which can be funded by the SAPO, either through their own balance sheet or through loans. The SAPO is therefore looking to their sole shareholder, the government, for the capital injection, which is not budgeted for over the current MTEF period.
The second SOE I wish to comment on Chairperson; is the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, ICASA. The successful attainment of ICASA's strategic goals will have far reaching consequences for the Information and Communications Technology, ICT, sector as a whole, and in particular to redress once again the results of marginalisation of sections of our societies in the past. While the decision by ICASA to slash the costs of Telkom's Inter-process Communication, IPC, product by 30% effective 1 April is most welcome, much work remains to achieve the unbundling of the Local Loop.
The cost of the IPC product is the single largest cost component faced by internet service providers in providing choice to the end user for fixed line Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, ADSL, services, and is expected to stimulate innovation and increase investment, thereby making it possible for a diverse section of our population to access this service. The next step is to ensure implementation of a Bit stream product by end of November this year.
The confusion surrounding the migration of Digital Terrestrial TV is reason for concern. While the Minister is on record stating that the migration process is on track, and putting out full page advertisements to inform the public about DTTV, the various entities responsible appear to be in the dark about this.
Earlier in my speech I quoted the late hon Minister Padayachee who said, "Work is underway to review and strengthen our capacity to conduct oversight".
The Minister's opening remarks to the committee, she said, "I have begun the process of ensuring that there is capacity within the department in policy development and in exercising oversight role on the entities under our reporting line". This Chairperson is one year later, which just about sums up the current status, I thank you. [Applause]
Ms S R TSEBE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Takes: 371 & 372
Mr A C STEYN
Ms S R TSEBE: Ke a leboga Monnasetilo wa sebaka, le nna ke kopa o ntetle ke tseye tšhono e go fitlhisa molaetsa wa matshediso go borraPadayache le go Lefapha gore Modimo o ne o re adimile e bile o tshotse tsotlhe di mo go ene, ke ene Ramasedi. Mo tshimologong fela . . .
English
...Let me start with hon Shinn, I think hon Shinn you are my friend, you know that, but the truth must be told, that you must familiarise yourself with Sentech andIndependent CommunicationsAuthorityof South Africa, Icasa, Act, so that you have a better understanding regarding their role, what you have just said today is just confusion, and again you cannot compare a lion or an elephant to a mouse. This ANC-led government is an elephant. ANC, is an elephant, you cannot compare us with the Western Cape. Western Cape is not an island in South Africa; Jacob Zuma is the President … [Laughter]
The Chairperson: No; Member. Let us allow the member to be heard.
Ms SR TSEBE: Zille is the President,and she will never be the President, not in South Africa. [Applause.] And always when you speak from that bench, you must try by all means to divorce yourselves because you mislead the people in the gallery. They think what you are saying is true, you are always distorting information, it is not correct. Yourself and us, you have the responsibility of building this South Africa
The CHAIRPERSON: Hon member, just take your seat.
Mr S B FARROW: The speaker has now accused hon Shinn of misleading this House. Now I would like her to factually explain where exactly that happened, because I was listening carefully to her speech and all the other speeches, and there was no misleading there. Thank you.
Hon Chair, I don't have time for that. I have time to inform and educate our people. [interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): No hon members, let us allow her to be heard, and of course, it was not a point of order. But also you will also take care of the fact that Parliament is a political body; therefore, from time to time, political matters will be raised. You may not be comfortable with them, but they will be raised. Therefore, the point that was not a point of order was very correct. We must allow the hon member to proceed. Hon member, also mind your time as you proceed. [Laughter.]
Ms S R TSEBE: Chair, as South Africans we must divorce ourselves from the DA mindset that the solutions to African problems or South African problems is the Western Cape. It's not, not at all. The solution to our problems is the ANC. We have the tried and tested solution there. Hon Kilian ... [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Hon member ...
Ms S R TSEBE: I am happy that now you know when and where the ANC congress conference is. When is the Cope conference? [Applause.] [Laughter.] For how long are you going to remain being the entity? You are an entity, Cope.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Hon member, take your seat [Laughter.]
Mrs J D KILIAN: Chairperson, may I please enlighten the hon member because it seems that she has not heard it when I told the National Assembly in the past. Our national congress will be in October. Thank you.
Ms T B SUNDUZA: Chairperson, on a point of order.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): No. Hon members, we would not mind to be here until midnight. We can allow you really to do what you are doing, and then we can do it until midnight. I wouldn't mind really to be here until midnight. Hon Tsebe, proceed with your speech. [Laughter.]
Ms S R TSEBE: Thank you, Chair. No, I was saying, hon Kilian, that in the ANC, we have the national executive Committee but in Cope, you have the entity for life. Again, hon Kilian, you missed a lot during the SABC strategic plan presentation. The group chief executive officer elaborated too much on the issue of editorial independence. She took the committee further on the systems going forward. You were not there and so it's not our fault. Maybe you were busy nursing your president after he fell from the bicycle or you were chasing Shilowa. I don't know. [Laughter.] Where's Shilowa? So, that's not our problem. [Laughter.]
Hon Mncwango from IFP, I think all that you have said today...
Mrs J D KILIAN: Chairperson...
Ms S R TSEBE: Will I ever finish, Chairperson?
Mrs J D KILIAN: Chairperson, will the hon member take a question? [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Hon Sunduza... Hon member, just hold on a little bit. Hon members on this side also, you are provoking a lot of anger. Now, only the hon member can take a decision on whether she will take a question or not. We must allow that to happen in the House. The question is put. Hon Tsebe, are you prepared to take a question or not? Hon Sunduza, listen again! Hon Tsebe, are you prepared to take a question or not?
Ms S R TSEBE: No, I cannot take a question because we have portfolio committee meetings where we engage. We do that in our portfolio committees; cannot do that today. I don't have time for that. Hon Mncwango from the IFP, what you have said here, my brother, is not relevant. You must wait for Thursday for the Government Communication and Information System, GCIS, Budget debate. I don't think our poor hon Minister will be able to deal with that. It's relevant to hon Chabane. I don't blame you, because you have not attended even a single meeting of the committee; that's why you don't know. [Laughter.]
Hon Mfundisi, my brother from the same rural village in Seolong, North West Province...
Isizulu:
Hhayi uyilahlile baba.
I don't know where you got that. You have lost it. I don't know where you got it. [Laughter.] Now, you are saying we must share. Why didn't you share with Ntate Mangope? You removed him; you didn't want to share. You want us to share today. I'll also make an appeal to you that you must start attending portfolio committee meetings. I've not seen you, not even once. It's a shame to the people who have elected you to be here. [Interjections.]
Hon Steyn, I think you have said a lot. The truth must be told. That means your mind really was on the portfolio committee during the strategic plan presentation. All that you have said is honestly nothing else. What you have forgotten to inform everybody was that at the end, after the engagement between the entities, the Department of Communications and the committee, some of the entities withdrew their strategic plans and submitted the correct ones. It's important to know that also. [Applause.]
Setswana:
Monnasetilo wa sebaka, ANC e amogela tekanyetsokabo e jaaka Letona Mme Pula Dinah a setse a e tlhagisitse. E fela re rata fa Lefapha le ka tiisa seatla ka go fokotsa bommadinalanyana le borradinalanyana. A Lefapha le tseye tsia pegelo ya Morunikakaretso rre Terrence Nombembe. Go fitlhelela ga jaana, Lefapha le makala a lona le dirile go senene mabapi le ditshitshinyo tsa gagwe thata jang mo tshenyong e e senang bokao ya matlole le go sa diriseng matlole. Mo maabanyaneng, Morunikakaretso o bontshitse gore ya gagwe tema o a e diragatsa ngwaga le ngwaga. E fela go tlhokagala keteledipele ya sepolotiki. Letona le Motlatsatona gore maitlhomo a Lefapha a dirafale go ya ka fa dikgatlhegong tsa baagi jaaka re fetisa tekanyetsokabo e, go tlhokega boineelo le boikokobetso mo badireding ba lefapha. Ke bua jaana ka gonne go totobetse fa lefapha le makala le rebola maitlhomo fa pele ga komiti gonne go bontsha tota gore gongwe go na le mo go se nang tirisanommogo teng. Nnete ke gore mo bofelong, lefapha le tshwanetse le tsee maikarabelo go bona gore ka nako ...
English:
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Mind your time; mind your time. [Laughter.]
Setswana:
Ms S R TSEBE: Monnasetilo wa sebaka, kitso le tlhaeletsano tsa seteginiki ke mokgwa o o botlhokwa thata go tlhabolola matshelo a bagaaborona segolothata jang kwa metsemagaeng. Katlanegiso le palello ya go tlhabolola matshelo a batho di ikaegile thata mo tirisanommogong ya puso ya bosetšhaba, puso ya bogareng, puso ya selegae le ditlamo tsa puso. Mmogo re ka dira go le gontsi. A letsogo la moja le itse se la molema le se dirang.
English:
Chair, the ANC believes that there is a need to harness information communication technology, ICT, for socioeconomic development. This will, of course, improve the quality of life for a better life for all.
We have also acknowledged in our coming policy conference document on communication that, "Over the last three decades, the world has been undergoing and continues to undergo an information and communication technology revolution, which has fundamentally transformed the way people live and relate."
ICT touches every aspect of our individual and collective lives, both social and economic activities. Those who use digital network ICTs are part of the digital economy and will be advantaged. Those who are left behind in an analogue environment will face hardship to compete in every aspect of life, including the educational sphere, employment opportunities, democratic inclusion and service delivery. Therefore, hon Minister, this Budget must speak and be biased towards the rural poor so that they become part and parcel of this digital economy from the beginning.
The primary obstacle in making use of ICT for economic growth and poverty reduction is the absence and limited scope of the existing ITC infrastructure particularly in rural areas.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr M R Mdakane): Conclude, hon member. [Interjections.]
Ms S R TSEBE: In conclusion, hon Chairperson, the ANC supports the Budget Vote. [Applause.]
THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS / E.K.S. & Mohau (Eng)//Mia /KC (Setswana) / END OF TAKE
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 8 May 2012 Take: 373
Ms S R TSEBE"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,08 May 2012,"[Take-333333373] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
Starts at 15:56:13.01
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS: Thank you very much, hon Chairperson. I am tempted to start off by thanking my sister here, hon Tsebe, for having assisted me a lot in responding to so many other issues that I did not know how to handle. For example, Ntate Mfundisi, you talked about schools and I was totally confused when you spoke about 250 schools whilst all I remembered was that we had 500 Dinaledi schools. And all those schools have been connected except for 125.
IsiZulu:
Bab' uMncwango, bengingasazi ukuthi ngizothini mina ngoMnyango wezoLwazi neziNhlelo zokuXhumana kuHulumeni ngoba angisebenzi khona. Mina ngikhuluma ngoMnyango wezobuChwepheshe bezokuXhumana, ngikhuluma ngamakhompyutha, ezobuchwepheshe njalonjalo. Yingakho ngivele ngadideka nje, ngaleyo ndlela ngifuna ukubonga udadewethu umhlonishwa Tsebe.
Siswati:
Angibuyele kuwe-ke Sihlalo ngibonge kutsi usisekele kakhulu emsebentini wetfu njengelitiko ngesikhatsi uhola likomiti lesigungu savelonkhe. Sibonga kutsi uphawule tindzawo lekufanele kutsi ngabe siyatishukumisa, sitisebenta ngendlela lengiyo. Kwekucala nje, tindleko tekutsintsana tisabita kakhulu kantsi netindleko tekuchumanisa kwangekhatsi nome imitselo ema-rates, kusabita.
Angibuyele lapha ka-SABC, ngisho kutsi lamuhla Bosihlalo kanye Nesikhulu Sebaphatsi Betikhundla, CEO, bevile kutsi kufanele bayewubuka sicephu 10 nesicephu 11, natsi sitabakhutsata sisebente kanye nabo kuze behlukanise. Inkinga nje kutsi babe netinkinga tetimali, njengobe sisengakakhoni kufika esivumelwaneni sekwati kutsi bona basekelwa ngesamba lesingakanani. Ngicabanga kutsi ngiko nje betibadzidza letintfo - kodvwa-ke sitabasita kutsi bakwati kugucula simo. Angetsembise-ke, sihlalo kutsi sitalibeka libodi lekwengamela tekusakata kungakabi sikhatsi lesidze kusukela lamuhla.
Sakhiwonchanti semsebenti webhizinisi lesingakayisebentisi imali yaso ngalokufanelekile, sivile sihlalo kutsi kubaluleke kakhulu kutfutfukisa kusebentisa sabelo setfu setimali. Loko sitakwati kukwenta masinyane nje nasisuka lapha lamuhla. Lokunye lesikhuluma ngako kutsi le-broadband kufanele kutsi icale kusetjentiswa. Kantsi lokunye, sikhuluma nangekuhamba kwebantfu, lokusho kutsi-ke lemali itabe iyasebenta.
English:
Regarding the access to information, we agree with the chairperson on the fact that everybody in the country should receive broadband services. We also must assure the chairperson that we have spoken to both the SABC and Sentech to make sure that when we talk about coverage we don't mean population coverage, from now onwards we mean the geographical coverage. I think we will be able to do that.
I must also assure you that on the strategy of Digital Terrestrial Transmission, DTT, we have already appointed the team that deals with the issues of DTT, as I said in my speech. Therefore, I believe that the integrated strategy will come out of the department very soon. That will include what the other State-Owned Enterprises, SOEs, are supposed to be doing. Lagging behind, in terms of the broadband processes, as I said, is the fact that we don't have a national broadband strategy and we are in the process of handling it.
Regarding the SA Post Office and the decline on mail - as Sapo is here, we are going to encourage them as we have done before to actually adopt the e-skills programme which is going to help them in terms of the challenges that you have raised.
With regard to Postbank, indeed we agree with the chairperson that the progress is not enough. However, we were waiting for the two policies that were supposed to have been finalised between us and the Treasury, which is the lending policy and the borrowing policy. We want to report to Parliament today that we have finalised it and the Minister of Finance supported us.
I don't know what to say to the hon Shinn, because as I stand here I have a responsibility to roll out broadband for the country and make sure that every South African has access to broadband. So, I don't know whether I should be talking about the Western Cape; I mean I have nine provinces to look out for and you are talking about one province. Now, I am asking myself as to whether I should be responding to you or not and, I have chosen not to and you know why.
Pertaining to the colloquium, hon Shin, you must understand that even at the colloquium we did say that, that colloquium was actually the beginning of the policy review. We know where we should be going and we know the processes of Parliament as well as our responsibility. So, if you have missed what I said in the opening, I don't know what to say now. Because I did indicate that, that was a process of allowing everybody else to participate and that in the process of all the processes other people will still be able to participate; and maybe you can also participate then.
Resources at the SABC versus the wishes of many channels, I think I will leave that for another day when I comeback to the Portfolio Committee on Communications, PCC, and try to explain to you what it means. Of course, you spoke about Telkom andKorea Telecom, KT. I don't know what that is because I never spoke about it, and I am not going to respond to it, hon Shinn.
I also want to say that the Presidential National Commission, PNC, has been included in one of our programmes and therefore we are not going to be closing it – we want to assure you that it is still going on.
I actually want to say thank you, hon Kilian for supporting us. I was listening to you and you were supporting us except that there were these issues that hon Tsebe addressed and I am not going to go back on that. All the issues around your concern about migration – I don't think there is any confusion on the migration.
I want to reaffirm here in this Parliament that we are actually in the right direction with this programme. If you looked at our awareness campaign you would see that it actually explains even to the person who might not necessarily understand what ICT is. We made it so simple, asked and answered question so that everybody in the country understand. We have done our best and we will continue doing our best. So, if there is anywhere where there seem to be confusion, we will try and clarify it.
I have already spoken about the expenditure on the infrastructure enterprises – the squabbles in the SABC. You know, I thought once in a while, hon Kilian you would appreciate that we have done a good job at the SABC. There are no squabbles at SABC. I don't know why we thrive on wanting to go back to the negative on a daily basis, even when there is a positive.
By the way, I must say this. You know there is a self-help author, Brian Tracy. In his book named: Losers make excuses, winners make progress, he says, "on the shoulders of all of us as individuals we have two wolves. The one wolf is white and the other wolf is black. You have to choose which one to feed." On the SABC matters, I choose to feed the white wolf which is positive.
I think, I have to appreciate that hon Newhoudt-Druchen raised all the matters around the role of SOEs, Universal Service and Access Agency of SA, USAASA, and the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, NEMISA. The Deputy Minister spoke about these things around training and vacancies. We want to assure this House again that we are on track in filling in the positions in all the SOEs, as I said on the speech.
We have already advertised posts and even in the department we have advertised posts. The infrastructure did not have the deputy director-general, DDG, for a long time. As I speak, we have advertised and we are going to be interviewing – and spending will definitely happen.
Concerning the set-top box manufacturing skills and the set-top box connectivity, I think that the Deputy Minister could have raised it if her time was not up before finalising it. However, we are now training young people, at Nemisa, on technical skills to do the job. The other thing is that as a department we have a training programme with Telkom for the unemployed youth, where young people are going to benefit that they are now trained.
The other part is that we have already engaged the unemployed graduate organisation. We spoke to them and told them that we are willing to retrain or re-skill and up-skill all those young people who are sitting there unemployed. Because, I believe that at the SABC they will need more young people when we add those channels and that is creation of jobs. When we talk about content development we will need those young people to create their own jobs. I think that is positive for me.
I am happy that the CEOs and the chairpersons of the SOEs are sitting here, including the director-general of the department, as well as the industry. You have heard for yourselves when hon Newhoudt-Druchen requested that we should try and increase the appointment and the training of disabled people. So, I believe that you heard and you are going to assist me and the department going towards that direction. I have already responded to the issues raised by the hon Mfundisi.
I also want to appreciate, hon Kekana in that her comments were very positive. We agree with you on the importance of infrastructure for economic development, as well as the fact that we should learn from other countries. Actually, when we talk about infrastructure, especially on broadband, I must say that we have actually visited other countries. Just last week, we were in Malaysia and we found that for those who don't believe that one can double ones efforts once one has a national broadband, I mean, Malaysia was at about 31% in 2009, and today they have doubled that number because they put their efforts. I want to assure you that standing here on a daily basis doing work in that department, we can do that and we will do it.
Chairperson, I think, I am done here except for the fact that I want to thank my family, which is here today and has been very supportive on a daily basis. I know that it has not been easy but you always have been there for me. Thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The Committee rose at 16:10.
///tfm/// LIM…ZLU / END OF TAKE
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