Hansard: Debate on Budget Vote No 27 — Communications
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 21 May 2013
Summary
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Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
EPC – COMMITTEE ROOM E249
Tuesday, 21 May 2013 Take: 539
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,17 Jul 2013,"Take 539 [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,21 May 2013,"[Take-333333539] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
START OF DAY
tuesday, 21 May 2013
Proceedings of the extended public committee - committee room E249
____________
Members of the Extended Public Committee met in Committee Room E249 at 10:07.
Mr J D Thibedi, as Chairperson, took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D THIBEDI)
Start of day
CONDOLENCES ON PASSING AWAY OF VUYO MBULI
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D THIBEDI): Hon members, on Sunday morning, the country woke up to the news of the passing on of one of our sons of the soil, television, TV, and radio presenter, Vuyo Mbuli. On behalf of our Parliament, I want to convey our sincere message of condolence to the family of Mr Mbuli and to the entire staff at the SABC who worked closely with him. Our wish is that his soul will rest in peace. I want to request the House to rise for a moment of silence. May his soul rest in peace!
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS (Ms D D Pule)
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D THIBEDI
Appropriation bill
Debate on Budget Vote No 27 - Communications:
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS: Hon Chairperson, hon members of the House, hon Deputy Minister, Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, chairperson and members of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, chairperson and members of the Select and Labour Committee, chairpersons and CEOs of our state-owned enterprises or companies, information and communication technology, industry leaders, ladies and gentlemen, my fellow South Africans, good morning to everyone. It would be remiss of me to begin without paying tribute to a great South African. Let us take once more a moment of silence to honour the memory of the South African Broadcasting Corporation veteran presenter Vuyo Mbuli. There are few South Africans whose lives he has not touched with his positivity, professionalism and passion for his craft. His untimely passing is a reminder that we have many wonderful gems within our state institutions whose presence we take for granted. Let us remember him and many others who make our country the truly great nation it is. Thank you.
Over 200 years ago the industrial revolution changed the way people lived and worked. Today we find ourselves in the midst of an ICT revolution that is similarly changing the very fabric of our society. The way we work, communicate and live has radically changed in the last two decades. This transformation of our society, our economy and even our political life requires that we rise to these new challenges. I am pleased to say that the Department of Communications is leading the way and is geared for the future.
In May it is opportune that we account to our citizens and outline our developmental plans. This is the same month that saw South Africa's first democratic leader and former President Nelson Mandela take office. We wish Tata Madiba well during this time. During the month of May we also acknowledge the role that had been played by the workers in the struggle to achieve a better life for all in our country. I am glad to note that our union representatives have joined us in the gallery this morning.
We celebrated this year's World Telecommunications Day in collaboration with the Department of Transport at a successful event held in Richards Bay on 17 May 2013. This year's theme was: "ICT and improving road safety". My message to you is: "Don't text while driving and even women themselves must not multitask."
In his State of the Nation Address President Jacob Zuma stated that: "As South Africans, we should continue to have one primary goal - to make our country a truly great and prosperous nation." Our vision of building a South Africa in which all South Africans have access, and the skills to use ICT services are essential to achieving this goal of building a prosperous nation. The theme for this year's budget vote is: "Connecting South Africans." In line with this theme, we are focusing on improving the ICT skills base of South Africans, especially our youth.
Yesterday I launched the combined new institution which brings together the Institute for Satellite and Software Applications, the former e-Skills Institute and the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, Nemisa, as one body and I am happy with the progress made towards the establishment of this new ICT training institution. Our forward-thinking government policy has created an environment in which both business and people in the ICT sector have been able to thrive. However, the 21st century brings new challenges and we are entrusted with ensuring that our people are able to prosper through ICT in this modern and ever-changing era.
Over the past 19 years, this government has worked very hard to reverse the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality. Today, many South Africans have access to postal services within reasonable distances from their homes. In the 12 months to March 2013, the South African Post Office opened 50 new post offices. Most of these offices are in rural areas such as Kayedwa in Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, Nywarha in Idutywa in the Eastern Cape, Emoyeni in Dannhauser in KwaZulu-Natal, Spoegsrivier in Kammiesberg in the Northern Cape, Vahlavi in the Greater Giyani region in Limpopo and Ruitersbos in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.
These new postal branches have been complemented by rolling out mobile branches to ensure that many South Africans have access to these key services. Post offices have become key service delivery centres offering South Africans a convenient place to accept and deliver cash-on-delivery items, a very important service in rural communities where some people shop from catalogues. More than a million South Africans walk through the doors of post offices near where they live to access their social grants.
Post offices now also offer services that enable South Africans to renew their vehicle registrations and pay their municipal accounts and television licences. In the last financial year the SA Post Office was responsible for allocating 1,2 million addresses, mainly to those in rural areas.
After many years of living on the margins of society, over the past four years we have installed 104 low-power transmitters which ensured that 1,5 million more people enjoyed their basic human right of access to information. Of these transmitters, 18 were rolled out in the 2012-13 financial year. The SABC now reaches 94% of all South Africans in the country. [Applause.]
The department's Strategic Plan prioritises the ICT Policy Review, broadband and digital migration. In line with the National Development Plan, the department has embarked on a process of overhauling existing policies. We convened a successful policy colloquium that led to the establishment of the ICT Policy Review Panel. The composition of the ICT Policy Review Panel reflects the government's mantra of "working together, we can do more."
We plan to deliver the White Paper on ICT Policy next year. On 25 April 2013 we launched the ICT Policy Framing Paper. In December 2012, we launched the Strategic Integrated Project, SIP, 15, which is focused on increasing access to ICT services through the roll-out of broadband infrastructure and digital terrestrial television, DTT. There has been commendable progress in the work of SIP 15. As Chairperson of SIP 15, I am finalising a project action plan which indicates targets for the connectivity of public facilities such as schools, health centres, government offices, libraries and police stations. Whilst we acknowledge the investment of the private sector, we further urge the sector to continue working with us, within the SIP, in expanding broadband infrastructure throughout the country.
Telkom remains the integral part to the state's broadband ambitions of modernising and investing in its long distance backbone network.
Earlier this month, we closed the public consultation phase of the New Broadband Policy. We are preparing to take this policy to Cabinet in June 2013. The finalisation of this policy will pave the way for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, to license the much sought after 2.6 Gigahertz and 800 Megahertz spectrum, including the extended digital dividend. By doing this, we will be increasing network capacity, improving coverage, promoting competition and facilitating black economic empowerment.
Let me remind the house that our Radio Frequency Spectrum Policy, adopted in 2010, encourages an efficient use of spectrum resources by employing technologies that use spectrum more efficiently.
In the course of the year, we shall be introducing four legislative amendments. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Amendment Bill deals with the definition of broadband and empowers Icasa to enforce compliance and monitor radio frequency spectrum resources and postal regulation.
The Electronic Communications Amendment Bill seeks to enhance competition and private investment in the sector and ensure that there is effective regulation where market failure is apparent. On postal regulation, we shall conclude the South African Post Office Amendment Bill this year. The Postbank Bill will also be introduced in order to align it to the Banks Act.
On DTT, we are happy to announce that the digital broadcasting network currently reaches more than 80% of the population in South Africa. We have also finalised the subsidy plan for poor households supported by the qualifying criteria. We are ready to implement the Set-Top Box, STB, manufacturing strategy, which requires 30% local content as part of the electronic industry development.
Icasa has finalised the broadcasting regulations. I will shortly be releasing a notice in the Government Gazette setting the performance period for digital migration switch-on. In June 2013, we shall launch the STB compliance lab in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the SA Bureau of Standards, SABS.
We have taken a decision to review the policy on the set-top box control system as one way of fast-tracking the roll-out of digital terrestrial television to make this system nonmandatory. The DTT transmission network roll-out target of 84% population coverage via terrestrial transmitters will be reached by December 2013. Sensor Technology, Sentech, will also launch a direct-to-home satellite broadcasting service later this year. This service will provide TV and radio coverage to the Square Kilometre Array, SKA, and all other areas where there is no DTT signal. With regard to DTT awareness, we shall intensify the implementation of our communications campaigns to inform and educate the public about the need for DTT.
On cost to communicate, we want to remain firm to our commitment of lowering the cost to communicate in pursuance of affordable prices for mobile, fixed and broadband services. The lowering of the mobile termination rates, MTR, from R1,25 a minute in 2010 to R0,40 from March this year represents a significant milestone in reducing the cost to communicate. [Applause.]
I intend to issue a policy directive to Icasa shortly, on the transparent pricing of services such as short message service, SMS, voice, and data, to ensure market pricing transparency for the benefit of our consumers. This policy measure will also ensure that competition is strengthened in the telecommunications market. We want to make sure that we get rid of the anticompetitive behaviour and facilitate sustainable competition.
On broadcasting competition, as part of our efforts to increase competition in the broadcasting area, I intend issuing a policy directive in the second quarter of 2013-14, to Icasa to issue a regulation on market definition for wholesale access to premium TV content to address market competition. In the midst of redefining our broadcasting landscape, 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of community broadcasting. The department will embark on numerous activities to celebrate this milestone in bringing services to the people. The hon Deputy Minister will give more details on what we plan to do in order to enhance and strengthen community broadcasting.
Having a stable and capable leadership team that has integrity is crucial in our endeavour to improve the service delivery goals of our department and our portfolio of state-owned companies. A stable leadership is crucial to achieving good corporate governance and accountability. Guided by this desire to improve accountability, we have embarked on a partnership with the Auditor-General to achieve a clean audit by the department and its state-owned companies by 2014.
We have appointed critical skills that will improve our ability to deliver quality services to our fellow South Africans in order to strengthen the leadership capacity within the department. Our efforts are evidenced by the halving of the vacancy rate from 24% in 2012 to 12,5% this year.
Regarding state-owned companies, in 2013 we shall transfer R1,5 billion or 76% of our budget to them in our portfolio. The social return on the state-owned enterprises, and their investment has been largely positive. The stability of executive leadership that we introduced in our SOCs has helped to solidify the turnaround of these entities. Our proudest achievement in the oversight of SOCs is being able to ensure greater alignment of SOEs' strategic goals to the department's priorities.
Regarding the SABC, the public broadcaster has accelerated the repayment of its government-guaranteed loan while continuing to bring events of national importance to the homes of all South Africans. The SABC plans to pay the outstanding balance of R222 million within four months. The SABC can immediately migrate these three existing channels to the DTT platform and launch additional channels in due course. We are concerned about governance arrangements at the SABC. In this regard I will be consulting with the Portfolio Committee on Communications to explore an urgent review and amendments to the Broadcasting Act.
I am happy to report to this House that Sentech is in a healthy state, not only in terms of service delivery imperatives, but also financially. This can be attributed to the turnaround efforts that we have put in place since 2009.
The Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, USAASA, is back on its feet following a series of governance challenges that led to the appointment of a new board. We have brought about stability at the agency and it is now focused on delivering on its mandate. In the previous financial year, USAASA connected 55 ICT centres and revamped another 80 centres.
The illegal strike at the SAPO disrupted the lives of many South Africans. Many did not receive their letters and parcels for a long time. Others could not access their municipal bills, invoices and educational material. We take this opportunity unreservedly to apologise to all South Africans. Let me hasten to assure South Africans that we have learnt valuable lessons from this unfortunate experience. We are putting systems in place to ensure that we never go down this road again. Over the course of the year, the South African Post Office finalised the installation coupon distribution system that will ensure that deserving South Africans receive the state-sponsored set-top boxes. This financial year the South African Post Office has committed to building 20 new branches, 25 retail postal agencies and deploying 5 mobile post offices to serve rural and remote locations.
We are closely monitoring Icasa to ensure that it is able to perform its key role as a regulator. Part of this exercise will include strengthening governance measures and making sure that the regulator is able to efficiently collect and account for revenues that are due to them.
Regarding job creation, we continue to monitor sector-wide job creation in line with the National Development Plan. The ICT sector has created more than 37 000 jobs since 2010. It also contributes an estimated 8% to the national economy.
The international branch of the department continues to be the primary vehicle through which we pursue government's priority of contributing to a better South Africa and contributing to a better and safer Africa in a better world. Our leadership role has been well recognised internationally. For the first time South Africa was elected to the Council of Administration of the Universal Postal Union, UPU, and now chairs its Future Strategy Committee. [Applause.] We were also re-elected to the Postal Operations Council that deals with the operational, economic and commercial aspects of the postal business.
South Africa also made an important contribution to the Addressing the World Ministerial debate. This led to Ministers adopting the White Paper in support of the UPU's global declaration to prioritise the development of addressing infrastructure. South Africa has contributed significantly to the work of the Universal Postal Union on the development of national address systems. Our use, as South Africa, of the Global Positioning Systems, GPS, to allocate addresses to people in rural and undeveloped areas proved critical to this.
The department is fully focused on consolidating the transformation of the ICT sector while extending ICT services to all South Africans. We rely on the hard work of the department's executive leadership and the entire team of the Department of Communications to deliver on our mandate.
I want to convey my thanks to the Deputy Minister. My heartfelt appreciation goes to you, my sister; thanks for your support throughout the year. [Applause.] To the chairperson and members of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, thank you for your guidance and input. [Applause.] To the chairpersons and CEOs of the public entities reporting to the department and leaders of the ICT industry who have once again demonstrated their patriotism by tirelessly working with us, I thank you profusely for your time and efforts. [Applause.]
Allow me to thank Team Department of Communications for the work they had done. As I encourage you to pat yourselves on the back, be reminded that our task is not complete yet. We need to achieve the goals and targets that we set for ourselves, some of whom are outlined in this speech. I invite hon members to approve Budget Vote No 27 of the Department of Communications. I thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
Ms A F MUTHAMBI /Sam//JN-checked// END OF TAKE
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
Mr G D SCHNEEMANN: Chairperson, I would like to rise on a point of order. During the speech of the Minister of Communications, one of the members in the opposition benches was using his cellphone, and I think he wanted to take photographs. I would like it to be checked because it is against the Rules of the National Assembly for members to use their cellphones to take photographs in the House. Thank you.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Hon member, can you indicate which member you are referring to.
Mr J H VAN DER MERWE: Chairperson, I just want to place on record that it was not the IFP. [Laughter.][Applause.]
Mr G D SCHNEEMANN: Chairperson, it's certainly the member over there, who is standing now. Thank you.
Mr I M OLLIS: Chairperson, I would gladly delete the photographs if it would make the member happy. But it really does promote the career of the Minister if she is photographed. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Hon member, photographs are not allowed in the House. [Interjections.] The Whip of the party is attending to the matter. [Interjections.] Yes, no more photographs. Thank you very much for that.
Ms A F MUTHAMBI
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi)
Ms A F MUTHAMBI: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, Dina Pule, hon Deputy Minister, hon Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, hon members, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the ANC-led government has implemented quite a number of strategies and tactics to address various shortages of skills. These include, amongst others, the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition, Jipsa; Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme, Thrip; the Sector Education and Training Authority, Seta; and the Innovation Fund.
Technology is a moving aspect of innovation and it brings a lot of opportunities, especially when tapped in the minds of young people. The ANC 53rd conference re-affirmed the fact that there is a widespread agreement of the importance of information and communications technology, ICT, in building equitable prosperity and global competitive economy.
However, the effective use of this technology requires building new capacities and skills, referred to here as e-Skills, not only in the short supply all over the developing world, but also of particular concern in South Africa. The conference acknowledged that South Africa has characteristics of both an advanced and a developing economy. It has access to technology, sophisticated institutions, including research entities and universities, and a strong private sector and fiscal resources.
Locally, e-Skills are seen as vital in addressing poverty; achieving sustainable livelihood; assisting the fight against crime; building cohesive communities and international co-operation and building a developmental state. This general lack of e-Skills is seen by the Department of Communications as a serious impediment to the nation in meeting its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, the World Summit on Information Society Goals; New Partnership for Africa's Development; and the South African Medium-Term Strategic Framework.
Therefore, it is against this background that the ANC's 53rd national conference resolved to promote and support the development of new ICT research and development plans and strengthen existing strategies and policies to foster robust, well co-ordinated institutional arrangements that need the development of indigenous world class technology innovation in ICT through a directed national ICT research development and innovation programme. It is exciting to note that the department has identified e-Skills development and ICT research as one of its top key priorities. In as far as e-Skills are concerned, let me quote from the department's strategic plan 2013 to 2018:
In order to address the current e-Skills gaps in the country in the short-term, the department will prioritise the establishment of a single integrated entity for e-Skills through the collaboration of e-Skill institute, the National Electronic Media Institute of South, Nemisa, and Information Systems Security Association, Issa. Over the short to medium term, the newly established single integrated entity for e-Skills will focus on the development of the national e-Skills plan and will implement a range of e-Skills initiatives aimed at increasing the e-Skills capacity across government, business, education, civil society and organised labour.
This is in essence giving effect to the ANC's policy resolution that government must introduce a comprehensive e-Skills development plan that will include incentives for mobile industry co-operation for the benefit of the young people. The ANC acknowledges the roll-out of the skills connecting of the school connectivity project. This programme gives the kids tools to enhance their natural brightness through information technology.
On ICT research, I quote:
Programme 3 of the department's policy, research and capacity building will have a specific research focus which will entail the development and implementation of the focused research programme, aimed at supporting priority policies. Attention would be given to the World Summit on the Information Society, the WSIS; thematic areas aligned to government priorities; publishing of revised e-Barometer indicators; as well as, the International Telecommunication Union Development, the ITU-D, guidelines on the Green ICTs.
Good corporate governance remains a very critical area, which continuously requires attention in order to ensure that the department and its entities conduct business in compliance with the various legislative prescripts and regulations.
The key areas at the centre of governance include, but are not limited to the following: Leadership that means fully constituted votes and executive management; compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and other relevant legislative prescripts; effective governance structures, that is audit and risk committees' management; effective internal controls and organisational policies.
In the past two years, the Department of Communications and its entities have performed as follows: The department received an unqualified audit report; the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, has obtained a qualified audit report. Nemisa obtained an unqualified audit report; Sentech obtained an unqualified audit report; Icasa obtained a qualified audit report; SA Post Office, Sapo, an unqualified audit report and the .za domain received, unqualified audit report. [Applause.]
Key issues that have recurred and led to qualifications and emphasis of matters across the portfolio, are mainly: A high vacancy rate at the leadership level; inadequacy of proper procedures and systems; noncompliance; irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure; weak internal controls; management not doing adequate first level of assurance; and weak internal audit units.
As the Minister has said, the SABC has had its ups and downs, as we are all well aware that we currently have an interim board. [Interjections.] However, let me take this opportunity to commend the members of staff in the organisation at large. Under these difficult circumstances, they remained committed to maintaining the public broadcaster's status as a broadcaster of choice.
We note the following progress, for instance. There were fires at the studios that caused major disruptions to operations but scheduling was managed to avoid programme disruptions. During Madiba Month, a number of activities were managed and executed; Heritage Month activities were successfully executed; impairments have been managed downwards and the current forecast is R5 million. Content policy has been incorporated into the broader SABC procurement policy. The Digital Terrestrial Television, the DTT, business plan is complete and ready for submission.
On governance matters, according to the ICT Africa analysis, studies conducted by Dr Alison Gilward and various literature reviews, the South African Telecoms sector has been in flux over the last decade from a policy and regulatory perspective. Suboptimal outcomes after the first phase of reform saw partial privatisation of the incumbent and the entry of a third mobile operator.
Historically, the focus by government on the high cost of communications has failed to acknowledge this as an outcome of its policies, instead highlighting the excesses of network operators, and the need to bring political and moral pressure to bear on them. What the sector performance review does is to reveal the links between policy, regulation and market outcomes.
South Africa has had no major policy review of telecommunications since the 90s when it embarked on a major consultative process that resulted in a White Paper on Telecommunications and the subsequent Telecommunications Act. This resulted in the partial privatisation of the incumbent, Telkom, in 1997, and the introduction of a third mobile operator after a protracted and highly contested license processing in 2002.
Therefore, the Minister of Communications must be complimented on the appointment of the ICT review panel. The appointment of the ICT review panel is the beginning of a brand new future. The key issues that will be looked into will range from constitutional rights to institutional rearrangement. We commend you, Minister, for this initiative. [Applause.]
On competition, despite the attempt at creating a horizontal licensing market framework without a fundamental shift in policy, the market remains structured around vertically integrated incumbent operators, with effective duopolies in both the fixed and mobile markets, and despite the entrance of a very marginal third mobile operator in 2002.
Policy and regulation influence the nature of competition and the ability of companies to compete. Minister, it is commendable that you are issuing a policy directive instructing Icasa to take action on this matter. We cannot afford any market failure in this country. We cannot allow the failure experienced by the underserved areas licensees to happen again. I am quoting our former President Nelson Mandela, when he said "never again".
The regulatory framework is currently uncertain in a number of respects. Many of the regulations and other secondary legislation required to fulfil the implementation of the Electronic Communications Act are still pending or not yet opposed. In line with the provision of the act, Icasa has instituted a number of processes that has either stalled or not reached conclusion within a statutory period prescribed due to complexity, contradictions with the law or the absence of technical or administrative capabilities. We urge Icasa to take action and move. This cannot be allowed. The ANC is not happy about the delays.
South African consumers have long been subjected to some of the highest mobile interconnection rates in the world. Despite having already been in the business for over a decade, with the entry of the third mobile competitor in sight, the incumbent mobile operators increased their asymmetrical mobile termination rates from 20 cents to R1,25, an increase of over 500%, while the fixed termination rate was set at 27 cents. This must change. Both the Minister and the ANC have spoken about this. We cannot allow high costs to hamstring communications in this country. [Applause.]
As a result of the parliamentary portfolio committee's intervention to bring down the costs of interconnections, Icasa laid out a schedule to issue interconnection regulations by June through the Electronic Communications Act, chapter 10, "market definitions" and the dominance assessment process. Its failure to issue any regulations in over 18 months and the continued reduction of qualified competition staff suggests that this is going to be a tough deadline to meet.
Recommendations for resolving the following key issues in order to foster the competition are as follows: We need to develop a common vision for the sector through the development of a clear policy framework to promote competition in the market; and co-ordination of state enterprises and the targeted universal service strategy to deal, not only with the gaps in the market, but also to demand side stimulation of the market that is in line with the ANC's Mangaung resolution.
We need to create a strong and autonomous institutional arrangement with adequate resources and capacity that will enable effective regulation of dominant players in the market and anticompetitive behaviour; streamline a policy and regulatory processes to prevent regulatory bottlenecks and attract internal investors; examine the equitability of licence costs and their rights; complete the competitive entry regulation such as carrier pre-select, essential facilities regulation and local loop unbundling; and to revise wholesale regulations, including clarifying interconnect glide path regulation.
We in the ANC, the majority party in this House, regard communication as a strategic tool to speed-up service delivery.
It is our considered view that the Department of Communications needs a management that is prudent and understands good corporate governance for it to fully achieve its mandate. The successful implementation of all these will result in the department meeting its objectives. The ANC supports this Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs M R SHINN / LMM/.../TM / END OF TAKE
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Ms A F MUTHAMBI
Ms M R SHINN: Chairperson, hon colleagues, if the Department of Communications was closed down, would South Africa's information and communications technology sector miss it? [Interjections.] What difference would its disappearance make to the way South Africa functions? These questions were asked of the department's leadership during the Communications Portfolio Committee's recent interactions with it. The questions were unanswered.
One of the tragedies of South Africa's fledgling democracy is that it has been so thoroughly undermined by government departments that are critical to the liberation of our people. Education and Communications are two of these. The Department of Communications has, during the past 20 years, failed to grasp that its core role should be to develop policy and regulate an information and communications ecosystem. This ecosystem would enable citizens to use technology to overcome generations of oppression and disadvantage so they can prosper.
The department has taken a few tentative steps to liberalise the market and bring in competition. The half-hearted liberalisation of fixed-line infrastructure through the privatisation of Telkom was a start, but then government hobbled this by holding the majority of its shares. The folly of this was proved last year when the hon Minister pulled the plug on Telkom's turnaround deal with Korea Telecom Corporation. This was then compounded by her naïve interference in the company's annual general meeting, a move that jeopardised its corporate governance. It has yet to recover and produce a coherent strategy that is better than the one the Minister destroyed.
Government must sell its stake in Telkom. Telkom must become a willing collaborator in a wholesale infrastructure consortium that forms the backbone of a ubiquitous, high-speed, affordable, robust communications ecosystem.
The department lacks the appropriate skills to be the custodian of the ICT environment that sparks opportunities for economic growth and global competitiveness. Who can take seriously the strategists who place broadband as their top priority of the year, and then ranked the availability of radio spectrum at number 8? You cannot have the one without the other. This indicates a serious lack of appropriate skills and understanding at the very top of the department.
Its finances have been a mess for years and it fails to achieve most of its targets. The programmes and entities it oversees also fail to meet their targets. Few deadlines are ever met. A few pointers from Parliament's research unit for the finance and Public Accounts Cluster that landed on our desks last week state this, and I quote:
Over the five-year period until the fiscal year 2011, the Department of Communications and the Department of Public Works were two of the lowest-spending departments. The worst perpetrators of fiscal dumping include the Department of International Relations and Co-operation and the Department of Communications. The Department of Communications emerged as the worst-spending department, at only 66,8%.
This negligence to do the job properly starts at the top. The hon Minister neglects her obligations to parliamentary oversight. At the end of last year, she left 28 parliamentary questions unanswered – the second highest tally of all the Ministries, and so far, this year's performance does not look much better.
Now, there are those who will say the hon Minister has been in this post for only one and a half years and that she needs to be given time to turn around the damage of her predecessors. Perhaps that is true, but let us look at what the Minister has achieved so far.
She initiated an ICT policy review process that was long overdue. However, it took a year to be assembled and, with acknowledgement to the panel that met for the first time at the end of January, produced its policy framing paper for comment. I am concerned that, instead of instigating a positive disruption that would release creativity about the ICT ecosystem the panel is split into conventional silos that could steer them in a direction that serves political rather than national needs.
The department has rushed out six new pieces of legislation, four of whom the Minister mentioned. Of particular concern is the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Amendment Bill that emasculates this Chapter 9 regulator by vesting much of its powers in a proposed Spectrum Management Agency. This promises to be another bureaucracy for cronies in search of inflated salaries and tenders to manipulate.
Do the hard stuff, hon Minister. Fix Icasa. Give it the money and skilled resources it needs to do its job properly, and resolve the policy development conflicts. Put nontechnical legislative changes on hold until the policy review is completed.
Then there is the ICT Indaba, famous for all the wrong reasons. The outcome of this Indaba is one of my many unanswered parliamentary questions loitering in the Minister's in-tray. In March, I asked for details of the progress of the task team formed to implement the Indaba's resolutions. The Minister is silent only on these matters of substance.
Next, there is the matter of the Minister's unlawful action to unilaterally switch the responsibility for the set-top box control system from free-to-air broadcasters to Sentech, clearing the way for the Minister's preferred supplier, Nagravision, to implement the control system. E.tv's rightful legal challenge took eight months and stalled the digital migration process. Now, the hon Minister bewails e.tv's legal challenge as the cause of the delay in rolling out digital terrestrial television, DTT. How delusional is this? You may believe your spin, hon Minister, but the rest of the nation does not. You cannot duck your negative impact on this process.
Another question not yet answered by the Minister is, what was the legal cost to defend itself against e.tv? The portfolio committee was told by Sentech and departmental officials that the legal bill for this ministerial whim is about R1,4 million. Sentech's bill alone was R798 000 and the department's is R579 000, and rising. Why is the Minister too embarrassed to answer the question herself?
This brings us on to the SABC, whose legacy of inappropriate and possibly illegal appointments to executive management will cripple this organisation for many more years to come. One of the reasons the ANC deployees on the previous board were told to resign may well be because they were far too diligent in evaluating the bids for the set-top box access control system.
At one of her last meetings with the previous board, the Minister instructed it to accept the Nagravision bid. Why? Is it because Nagravision and its local agents, African Union Communications, submitted a bid that was R47 million more expensive than the two other bids on the table? Who, Minister, stand to profit from your influence? [Interjections.]
By the way, whatever happened to broadband, local loop unbundling and spectrum allocation? These are the critical issues that South Africa needs unlocked so it can become a globally competitive economic powerhouse – and the department shows no urgency in driving them. National Treasury has put a hold on funding broadband until the department comes up with a coherent, acceptable policy and plan to implement it. Another draft broadband policy was recently put out for public comment – but it was a lukewarm effort, and is overshadowed by the National Development Plan's chapter on ICT, which, incidentally, had little input from the department.
This brings me to the issue of the allocation of much sought-after spectrum. An audit of what spectrum is available and is being used has been done, and is being kept under wraps. Why? There must be transparency on what is a national resource so we can see what is being used and how much is available before it is priced and released to market. If there is secrecy, we stand a real risk of paying too much for access to a resource that may not be scarce at all. As for local loop unbundling, which would bring down the cost of fixed-line access and increase demand for fixed broadband services, there are regulations being drafted for comment, but again, urgency is lacking, and the deadline for these is set for next March.
While all this prevarication is going on, South Africa slips further and further down the rankings of ICT-empowered nations. In 2003, the World Economic Forum's Networked Readiness Index ranked South Africa at 37. Now, we are down at 72.
The GSM Association, a body that represents mobile telephony operators worldwide, has opened its Africa office in Nairobi, because that has become the African hub of mobile communications. This is a pity, because our mobile application developers keep winning international accolades. Of 30 top brilliant African technology start-ups, as determined last year by Ventureburn, 13 were from South Africa – the highest number from any nation. Many of these are based in Cape Town, which is rapidly becoming the location of choice for high-powered creative talent. They are coming to this city and the Western Cape, because, where it governs, the DA delivers on technology's opportunities for interactive service delivery for all the people who want to live and work here. [Interjections.]
By 2020, every resident of Cape Town will have access to broadband infrastructure in excess of 100mB per second. [Interjections.] This critical nervous system will turn Cape Town into an opportunity city, a city that attracts investors and innovators to establish growing, globally competitive enterprises that work and offer work opportunities to small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, and individuals with a passion to excel and contribute to our nation's growth. [Interjections.] A globally competitive infrastructure is what the rest of South Africa can expect from the DA when it wins the national government in 2019. That is six years away. [Applause.]
So, will we miss the Department of Communications if it is closed down? I think the nation would prosper without it.
HON MEMBERS: Hear! Hear! [Applause.]
Mrs J D KILIAN /Robyn/ END OF TAKE
Ms M R SHINN
Mrs J D KILIAN: Chairperson, compared to service delivery departments the R2 billion budget allocated to the Department of Communications, DOC, seems to be very small. Yet through its strategic partnership with the private sector and state-owned enterprises, SOEs, it could direct the investment of billions of rands more in information and communications technology, ICT, infrastructure and services to the people through timeous and correct policy interventions and incentives.
Technical industry jargon and political jargon should not be allowed to obscure the fact that this is a very simple matter before us today. It is about our people and giving them access - wherever they live – equal access to the knowledge economy and to job opportunities. That is essentially what communications is about. The roll-out of broadband to schools and communities in informal and rural areas coupled with intensive ICT skills development has become a national priority. Indeed, ICT is the highway to development and prosperity. It is the ultimate key to empowering the disadvantaged people residing in remote areas. Without that our people will remain marginalised for generations to come.
The National Development Plan is setting a goal of 100% access to reliable broadband by 2020. Today, we stand at about only 13% of South Africans who have access to broadband. This calls for drastic intervention by government, including the provision of electricity to schools to bridge the gap.
Communication is about much more than controlling the news and spinning the President and Ministers out of trouble. It is not to appoint three Ministers in four years that the President is giving us an understanding that he understands the key role of this portfolio in a developmental state, even though the National Planning Commission recognises its strategic role to leverage job creation and the knowledge economy.
The fact is, unfortunately the DOC has become the single largest stumbling block for the delay in the roll-out of cheaper and faster broadband in South Africa. It has effectively imploded. It is tied up in legal battles, turnover of disciplinary committees and internal strife. In fact, the Minister is at war with her own director-general. Apart from policy revision workshops, colloquiums, indabas and other talk-shops, also participation in international conferences, it has no measurable output. We now hear about Bills coming in the very last term of this Parliament.
Its impact as an enabler of Telkom's roll-out is zero. In fact, the industry has to either fight it or to work around it to roll out infrastructure, to offer services and to introduce the latest technologies in our country. Equally state-owned entities, those reporting to this department, are in shambles mostly as a result of the Minister's political meddling in their functions.
The constitutionally enshrined Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, is a weak lapdog of the Minister. Instead of optimising and managing spectrum and licensing fees effectively and independently, it fumbles and is embroiled in protracted legal action. These inefficiencies present the best excuse for the Minister to usurp their functions. Read the newspapers. Icasa should free up spectrum for broadband roll-out, but it is paralysed by the Minister's failure to conclude the spectrum policy.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, has its third board of directors in as many years and why? It is because of the political meddling and the remote control of news content from Luthuli House.
The Minister promised a forensic investigation into the serious corporate governance failures under the Ngubane board, but nothing is forthcoming. The turnaround strategy has failed. We wish the interim board all the best. Staff morale remains low. The top structure continues to consume the largest slice of the salary cake. Professional news reporters carry ANC membership cards for protection against witch-hunts and unfair disciplinary hearings. Ask them; that is a fact. Staff salaries are adjusted at the whim of the acting chief operating officer.
It seems that the Zuptas did not only invade our air space, they will soon also control sections of our cyber space through the launch of their 24-hour news channel, courtesy of the SABC, who has given them free airtime to air The New Age, breakfast sessions and give propaganda hours to the Ministers and the ANC government. This is not a public broadcaster.
The Minister staged a crippling upset at Telkom. My colleague referred to that. There is an undisputable direct correlation between affordable telecoms and economic and job growth, also between ICT skills and economic activity. My colleague referred to the World Economic Forums' Global Information Technology Report of 2013, which does not give us a good picture of where we have gone; we have slipped down the ladder.
Countrywide broadband access, digital migration and cheaper rates to communicate have been identified by the DOC as their strategic goals, but what have they done? By their own assessment they have failed dismally in the previous financial year. What will make this year different? Key interventions need to be followed now.
First of all, spectrum policy should be finalised by no later than October this year, and Icasa must move swiftly to release spectrum. Secondly, government must take urgent steps to ensure that South Africa's digital migration takes place, and it must be done before June 2015, which is the international deadline. There is no excuse for not adhering to that deadline. Thirdly, government should stop acting as a referee and player in the ICT industry. It should get out of telecoms – in more ways than one. It should sell its shares in Telkom and other SOEs. It cannot direct ICT policy that dictates to Icasa, yet through Telkom and Sentech, and Broadband Infraco, compete directly in the ICT space.
It appears that political and commercial interests of the ANC government direct the Minister's meddling in the affairs of Telkom, Sentech, Icasa and the SABC. The digital terrestrial television, DTT, roll-out and set-top box manufacturing delay is a direct result of this political meddling and interests of cronies and those political collected business people.
Cope recommends that the Minister cannot drive the important processes that this department should drive at present. We would like to recommend that the Minister should resign with immediate effect and the entire department should then be placed under the administration of the National Treasury. We cannot ... [Interjections.] [Time expired] [Applause.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Order, members! Hon members, please take your seat, madam. Hon members, please let us not make a lot of noise. Let us allow the proceedings to proceed without, or with fewer, disturbances at least. I hope that we will be together on this one.
Ms L L VAN DER MERWE
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D THIBEDI)
Ms L L VAN DER MERWE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, Members of Parliament and guests, hon Minister, my Chief Whip, hon J H van der Merwe, has just asked that I tell you that you look very smart today.
During this year's state of the nation address, President Zuma made a fleeting reference to our ICT sector. He mentioned fibre optic cables and the plan to achieve full broadband by 2020. But that was all. Gone was the kind of bold statement our President made in 2009, when he promised that government would reduce the cost of communication.
This new found reticence is not surprising. This department has become, as one newspaper recently put it "a poisoned chalice". The department is now under scrutiny by Parliament and others. Serious damage is being done by the persistent allegations of corruption, nepotism and cadre deployment, which allegedly saw politically connected individuals land jobs within DOC's entities.
The now infamous ICT Indaba, which cost the DOC just over R100 million, has left us with more questions than answers. To put this in context, with R100 million we could have provided some one thousand schools with the necessary equipment for at least 20 computer laboratories. That would have been a fitting use for taxpayers' money. Instead, R100 million was spent on an indaba looking at ways to develop the ICT sector.
With this noble goal the IFP has no qualms. But did the indaba amount to anything more than an expensive talk-shop, aimed at benefiting a few politically connected individuals? We might never know. It is the IFP's view that nothing less than a full commission of inquiry will help us get to the bottom of these alleged scandals. South Africans deserve answers.
Instability remains the DOC's Achilles' heel. We have had five Ministers in five years. This has stalled progress on critical projects such as DTT and the broadcasting and ICT review process. With each change of Minister, there seems to have been insignificant cognisance of the need for stability in the Ministry.
Instability within the department has permeated all its entities. We have seen the decline of the SABC and Telkom. The SA Post Office, as the Minister has mentioned, has been crippled by strikes, and while the SABC remains in the intensive care unit, it is unclear why the cash-strapped broadcaster continues to provide free airtime worth millions of rands to the Gupta-owned The New Age newspaper.
The taxpayer already funds such a service in the form of the Government Communication and Information System, GCIS. Surely, if our public broadcaster has to double up on this service, it should be to the benefit of all South Africans, showcasing all views and all political parties. This arrangement cannot be to the benefit of a few. Tomorrow this House will debate Guptagate, but Guptagate is much wider than just Waterkloof Air Force Base. It extends to other institutions and entities.
The IFP agrees that steering the SABC back to health is our priority. We need to restore the credibility of the SABC. For that to happen, cadre deployment must stop. Let me pause here, though, and pay tribute, as the hon Muthambi has done, to all the dedicated staff, especially the journalists, who work under extremely difficult circumstances, yet keep the lights in the SABC running, and quality news programmes on our TVs. They are doing a remarkable job. Let me also take this opportunity to pay tribute on behalf of the IFP to the SABC icon, Mr Vuyo Mbuli. We mourn the loss of the great journalist and a great South African.
The challenges that I have highlighted are by no means all the challenges facing this department. But they are critical challenges. In the Face of all this, the department's rhetoric is unchanged. It remains confident that nothing will stop it from ensuring that all South Africans have access to world class ICT services. How much of this has materialised?
The stark reality is that to date not a lot has been done to deliver on these promises. The IFP is astonished that the President can still speak so confidently about meeting the target of 100% broadband when this department has yet to deliver on their current targets.
When one considers that an increase in broadband penetration is linked to an increase in the gross domestic product, GDP, it is astonishing that we are not putting more effort into reaching these targets now. A failure to do so will not only jeopardise South Africa's economic growth, but also the National Development Plan, NDP.
There can be little doubt that the ICT development in our country has not yet prospered, as it should have, or as it has elsewhere in the world and here on the African continent. South Africa deserves better. Moreover, business is becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of governance and delivery in the DOC, as the Cape Chamber of Commerce recently stated.
It is time that we address these challenges in all earnest. To do so, we need to radically and rapidly shift focus. We need a shift to accountability, to passion and commitment. We need to prioritise the skills of audit within this department and its entities. We need the very best talent and appropriately skilled talent. Crony deployment can no longer be tolerated. And we are calling on the Minister to ensure that under no circumstances will bonuses be paid in the absence of performance and clean audits. I'm also happy to hear that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that we reduce the cost to communicate.
Bold and stable leadership is required to harness this department's development potential and put it back on the right track - bold leadership that will focus on priorities, policy and strategy. Without this, the department will drift further from its potential of bringing real and meaningful change in the lives of ordinary South Africans. I thank you. [Applause.]
Ms M R MORUTOA / NN / GC / END OF TAKE
Ms L L VAN DER MERWE
Ms M R MORUTOA: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister Dina Pule, hon Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams, hon members, distinguished guests and the public at large, my speech will be based on digital migration, broadband roll-out and the importance of discussing the cyber crime. Let me join my colleagues in paying tribute to our son Vuyo Mbuli in his passing away on Sunday. "Akuhlanga lingehliyo."
I also want to say I am so surprised by the pretence demonstrated here by hon Killian that she is speaking on behalf of the people when she has never even gone on oversight visits with this committee. [Applause.]
The importance of this Budget Vote must be analysed and debated in the context of the fundamental and deep-seated advances made by the ANC government in transforming the South African IT landscape. Any other analysis or politically expedient positioning in the short term will not serve the purpose of what the Extended Public Committee debates are called upon to do.
It has made great strides to communicate with citizens in a transparent and accountable manner through a whole range of mechanisms, including quarterly and annual reports, parliamentary programmes, regular Cabinet briefings, online publications, etc. Its ability to communicate with citizens is critical in the delivery of services as it deepens democracy and allows citizens to interact with government. The ANC identified the need for a coherent framework and an institutional arrangement that enhances collaboration, effective planning and oversight within government communication.
The need to strengthen other effective communication methods to reach targeted communities like community broadcasting and public broadcasting services, to highlight government service delivery in the battle of ideas, is critical. Weaknesses in the area of government communications is one of the factors behind the ideological onslaught, misinformation and the general lack of awareness on the progress achieved since the advent of democracy.
The media continues to have the tendency to publish mainly negative news on the ANC government disregarding the good service delivery record of government. The media continues to distort and ignore information provided by the ANC government in a transparent and accountable manner. The phase of globalisation especially over the past three decades, has been driven by economics and ICT. It has at the same time sharpened inequalities between and within communities.
Since the advent of democracy in 1994, South Africa has made significant strides to facilitate the transformation of the ICT industry. However, in recent years we have lagged behind in a number of key global ICT indicators, especially on universal access to the Internet, broadcasting and e-governance.
Although the ANC government has made advancements through codes and the reform of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, PPPFA, and black economic empowerment, BEE, policy, the transformation of the ICT sector remains weak due to some contradictions in underlying statutes. Despite the consistent growth of the ICT market, patterns of ownership and participation by black-owned and emerging companies is minimal and requires support from the government to speed up the pace of transformation.
There should be local manufacturing of ICT products for domestic and exports and government ICT procurement should benefit South African companies, including small, medium and micro-enterprises, SMMEs. ICT is a critical enabler of economic activity in an increasingly networked world. It is critical for South Africa to remain globally competitive. The sector needs long-term policy certainty to be in a position to take the country into the next trajectory. This applies to entities in which the state owns shares such as Telkom. As we argued in the policy discussion document to the 53rd National Conference on state-owned entities, SOEs, we need to ensure that we derive maximum value from the competencies that lie within these entities.
The third National General Council of the ANC in September 2010 pronounced that e-skills should become a compulsory subject in all public schools to promote an e-literate society. It recommended that the curriculum should focus on end–user computing as well as encouraging young people to pursue careers in the ICT sector. We can proudly say that good progress on this has been made with the assistance of the department, targeting identified schools in need both with infrastructure and equipment.
The Mangaung conference of the ANC in 2012 resolved that further education and training, FET, colleges should be used as schools of excellence to create opportunities for out-of-school and unemployed youth. A dedicated funding plan is needed to ensure that rural universities and FET colleges can contribute to the new e-skills revolution. The National Skills Fund must prioritise the ICT skills development. Media and ICT studies should also be made available in all provinces using existing tertiary institutions and further education and training institutions.
Hon Chairperson, regarding digital migration, the international policy discourse plays an important role in shaping how we interact with a converged global environment while maintaining the sovereignty of our country. We acknowledge that the international affairs branch of the department has positioned the country in the ICT space. Contributing to global technological advancement is important for the ANC and South Africa. Hence we undertake on certain commitments with the rest of the world to ensure that the country and its citizens stay relevant.
The digital migration process is influenced by a global agenda specifically the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, to which South Africa is a signatory. As a member of Southern African Development Community, SADC, the ANC government was a signatory to a roadmap for a regional digital switchover. The reasons for such an approach are mainly to provide a framework for the political support and industry co-operation as the basis for policy harmonisation and technical standards. The migration is necessitated by, among others things, the need to strategically embrace technological developments, efficient utilisation of national resources such as energy and spectrum, and empowering governments to interactively engage with citizens.
More importantly, digital migration will widen the number of radio and television broadcasting programmes offered to citizens. It will further improve quality, accessibility and localised services delivered to citizens. To the ANC government the important matter is to ensure that the policy and regulatory environments are well positioned to deal with this necessary migration in a manner that positively responds to local challenges and regional commitments.
The production of innovative solutions to produce local content should be underpinned by the need to protect, promote and preserve our cultural diversity, heritage and indigenous knowledge; and the role of the public broadcaster will become even more important in this respect. Despite the recent delays in the implementation of this programme, the ANC believes that the timelines are still achievable and as members of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, we are committed to ensuring that the department responds timeously to Parliament on all developments in the Digital Terrestrial Television, DTT, programme.
The regulator of the sector requires strengthening in order to guarantee benefits to the citizens to regulate in the public interest. The NDP identifies the regulator as a key organ geared for reform in order to ensure it adapts to change and the PCC will provide the necessary support so the regulator achieves its mandate. The NDP further sees the creative sector as a key to both growth and job creation and critical for facilitating dialogue and nation-building. Benefits of digital migration mean more frequency spectrum will be free, resulting in the licensing of further communications services such as mobile television, high definition TV, public emergency services and additional standard definition TV.
Regarding broadband, Chairperson, Internet access has evolved from just being an accessory to being a necessity driven by the knowledge economy ideology. The use of the Internet is critical to resolving some of the key challenges faced by the ruling party, such as the education system, distance education, health backlogs, telemedicine, egovernment challenges, service delivery, e-commerce and poverty alleviation and improving the quality of life. Information demand necessitates a robust network infrastructure to be able to handle the demand. It is the intricate manner in which ICTs are harnessed in order to yield positive results and the National Development Plan, NDP, is explicit on this matter.
Educational material can be delivered electronically to remote villagers. However, successful ICT-based health and educational programmes of an ANC-led government will demand.... The ANC supports Budget Vote No 27. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS / GG / END OF TAKE
Ms M R MORUTOA"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,05 Jun 2013,"Take 144 [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
"Committee Room E249 Main", Unrevised Hansard,21 May 2013,"[Take-333333544] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS: Hon Chairperson, hon members of the House, members of Cabinet present here, chairperson and members of the Portfolio Committee, Minister of Communications, my sister hon Dina Pule, distinguished guests from the Information and Communication Technology sector, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
Timeless wisdom tells us that the past explains the present and the present determines the future. The essence of this colourful day therefore lies in the story of our past, and it was shaped by our past. The total disregard of democratic values, as well as the suppression of popular participation of the black majority in areas of ICT is the basis of our meeting today as we try to correct the past divide and find amicable solutions which will lead us to achieving our vision of ensuring broadband access for all.
We have invited industry players and all ICT patriots to descend to the Cape of Good Hope today, not to revel in just another annual pastime, but to remind them that we don't take our freedom and democracy for granted. On the contrary, we demand of them to work with government as we foster this paradigm shift and make our country a friendlier nation to ICT. [Applause.]
Twenty years ago, the journey of empowering our communities through ICT started. Although this journey may predate 1993, it was only 20 years ago that a firm road map was agreed and committed to by all South Africans in a participatory and transparent manner. This commitment was premised on a firm understanding that the hard-won freedom of all South Africans cannot be realized without the right to information, which is a basic human right.
As we have noted in the last 20 years, this fundamental human right cannot be fully exercised without ICTs that are secure, robust, reliable and universally accessible. The ICTs are the medium through which information travels. In our submission to a 20-year review undertaken by government through the Presidency earlier this year, we have chronicled how we, as the Department of Communications, have contributed to this journey.
I now stand before you this morning to give a clear synopsis, in addition to the Minister's input, wherein I will not only share with you our progress in respect of the commitments we made before this esteemed House during the previous financial year, but also our plans for this financial year. Instead, I want to draw your attention and highlight our contribution to the 20-year journey in the following: empowering communities through community radio, supporting learning through school connectivity, ensuring information security by vigorously combating the high, spiralling, scourge of cyber crime, continually reskilling our youth for the knowledge economy and addressing the challenges for people with disabilities through ICT.
As Minister Pule has mentioned in her speech, the year 2013 is important for it marks 20 years since the first independent regulator, the then Independent Broadcasting Authority, IBA, and current Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, ICASA, was established to regulate broadcasting in the public interest in line with the Constitution. The first community radio station was licensed here in South Africa.
The licensing of community radio in South Africa has been a long struggle waged in collaboration with the international world. Today there are over 133 community radio stations licensed in South Africa and over 75% of them have received support from the Department of Communications.
We commend other departments and state-owned entities, SOEs, across the three spheres of government that continue to offer various kinds of support to the sector. This is a sector that is synonymous with our selfless struggle for democracy that people like Chris Hani sacrificed their lives for and it therefore needs to be supported.
Notwithstanding the perennial challenges that continue to bedevil the sector, such as governance, this is a major achievement worth celebrating as a country for it has provided access to the means of communication by communities, particularly those in rural and remote areas, in their individual languages. As we celebrate these achievements, the critical question is: How do we sustain the sector for more years to come?
As a department, we have already committed ourselves to building a thriving community broadcasting sector, of which radio is but one part, as evidenced by the following: We have invested over R400 million in the sector since 1998 and implemented the new signal distribution subsidy scheme, through the public signal distributor, Sentech, which took effect on 1 September 2012.
This new subsidy will see signal distribution costs for community radio located in rural and nodal areas being covered in full by the department for the next four years. Costs relating to urban-based stations will only be covered up to 70%. Over R6 million has been set aside for this scheme over the next four years.
During 2012, we further ring-fenced 40 rural-based stations for guided capacity-building programmes in content production through the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, Nemisa, to improve their programme offering. We hope that the dramas and documentaries, to be produced through this special programme, will be broadcast across all the community stations by October this year.
To empower communities, one must say that we are making sure that rural communities are not marginalised. Together with our entities and some private companies we have established ICT centres throughout the country, including some traditional authorities. My esteemed guests – one of them could not make it here because he is sick - the king of amaXhosa, King Zwelonke Sigcawu - and the Chairperson of the House Traditional Leaders, Kgosi Maubane, bear testimony to this. [Applause.] This programme will over time be rolled out to other traditional authorities throughout the country.
Working together with the Department of Correctional Services and Microsoft on the youth e-literacy programme, we have supported over 100 beneficiaries that obtained International Computer Driving Licence, ICDL, certificates in correctional service centres in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape.[Applause.]
For this financial year, our major focus will be on the following:
The roll-out of broadcasting equipment to 15 stations that are new, those requiring upgrade and those with single studios; the finalisation of the new community broadcasting support policy that will not only outline how community broadcasting will be supported, but how to extend such support to community television.
Linked to this policy, we will further finalise a model for implementing community TV in South Africa. This model is important in consideration of the capital intensive nature of community TV.
We therefore have to implement it in a way that is financially prudent and offer huge economic benefit to the country in terms of job creation and local content development. We see community TV as a major strategic window to showcase and promote provincial development.
In consideration of the upcoming national elections in 2014, we will partner with the Independent Electoral Commission, IEC, to train community radio stations on how to cover national elections. This will be a sequel to the successful training programming that we undertook in preparation for the 2011 local government elections. The strength of community radio in national election coverage lies in its accessibility and ability to speak the language of the communities.
On the issue of supporting learning through school connectivity, ICT, particularly new technologies, is a critical vehicle to facilitate learning at our schools. It is on this basis that during the previous financial year, we engaged aggressively in rolling out broadband to connecting schools and community centres in partnership with the Department of Basic Education.
During the past financial year, we committed to connecting 1 650 schools to the Internet as part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup legacy project. I am pleased to inform this House that to date 854 schools have been connected. [Applause.] This number excludes those commendable initiatives by the private sector as part of their license conditions and their community social investment programmes.
We will be connecting 2 000 schools this year and further engagements are taking place with various operators to increase this number. We are going to establish a forum comprising the Department of Communications, the Department of Basic Education, Icasa, other state-owned companies and the private sector to develop a school connectivity model and implementation framework. The impact of this approach will ensure that the school connectivity programme is co-ordinated seamlessly in the country, whilst optimally utilising resources. It is through this framework that we will be able to monitor and evaluate the impact of the school connectivity programme.
The next issue is ensuring information security and combating cyber crime. Cyber crime has become an inevitable reality that confronts all the online communities across the world. Identity theft, stalking, online child pornography and terrorism have become daily occurrences that threaten our communities' enjoyment of the benefits of new technologies. As we expand access to the Internet, we also need a strong measure to ensure basic trust and security to the public as the users.
This requires collaboration between departments, civil society and business to build institutional mechanisms to investigate cyber crimes and anticipate threats. Following the approval of the Cyber Security Policy in 2012, we will during this financial year prioritise the functionality of a cyber security hub to pool public and private sector threat information.
The hub will be responsible for processing and disseminating information to relevant stakeholders in the industry and civil society. All computer users have a role in securing cyber space and ensuring that the digital environment is secure and utilised reasonably to profit the socioeconomic wellbeing of the nation.
Our journey of building an information society cannot be complete without addressing the challenges facing people with disabilities. This is a commitment that runs across our policy formulation. Our country is already a signatory to numerous international agreements that mainstream access to technology for people with disabilities. Icasa is playing a crucial role in helping the country to fulfil this mandate. A code of practice for people with disabilities in line with section 70 of the amended Electronic and Communications Act, has been developed.
The e-Skills Institute, e-SI, continued on its progressive path to e-skilling South Africa for equitable prosperity and global competitiveness. The completion of the integration plan for e-Skills Institute, the Institute for Satellite and Software Applications and the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, Nemisa, was launched yesterday by the Minister.
The new institute is positioning South Africa well to harness existing resources and develop new approaches to the co-ordination of appropriate capacity development, using its multistakeholder platform to contribute to the massification of e-skills delivery at all levels. This year the institute increased its visibility at a provincial and a national level and impacted more than 30 000 South Africans at various levels, decision-makers, consumers of technology, practitioners in the ICT and broadcasting sectors, as well as communities.
The ZA Domain Name Authority, Zadna, is celebrating 10 years since it was established in 2003. A legal framework to support the establishment of the ZA Central Registry, ZACR, which is intended to uplift the operational standards in dot-za , is being finalised. The ZACR, through Zadna's guidance and the African Union Commission, has made significant progress in its application for a right to establish and operate a dot-Africa: Internet namespace for the benefit of Africa.
Zadna has also ensured that our cities of Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg are not left behind in the Internet revolution that we will see in some of the leading world cities, such as London, Paris and Sydney, that have their own exclusive Internet spaces. As a result, ladies and gentlemen, expect to see in the near future, new website addresses such as hotels.capetown, tourism.durban and business.johannesburg. [Applause.]
The successes we are presenting here this morning speak to the battles we have successfully won and the zeal displayed by both our officials and all role-players in the ICT space. Once again, we give this House and the country at large the assurance that we have what it takes to achieve universal access by ensuring that robust information and communication technologies are accessible, usable and affordable to all.
We will continue to make strategic interventions in providing the necessary support to this sector, working with our entities and the private sector. Despite the financial constraints which might have a direct bearing on the roll-out of universal service and access for all, we will not dare to renege on the commitment we have made to our people because we come from a glorious tradition of struggle and self-reliance. No price can be too much for us to pay.
Hon Chairperson, allow me, with all humility, to thank my caring and supportive husband, Mr Abrahams, and our beautiful children for their continued support and understanding that, in more instances than not, they have to share me with the nation. To Minister Dina Pule, thank you for the team effort that you continue to demonstrate as we are taking the lead into the future ICT South Africa.
Let me thank my Cabinet colleagues, as well as my hardworking staff and the entire Department of Communication team for their commitment and dedication, particularly during this time as we conclude our five-year mandate of President Zuma's administration. A special thanks to the Portfolio Committee on Communications for their sound oversight over our work. We dare not fail our people.
Setswana
Ke a leboga. [Legofi.] [I thank you. [Applause.]]
Ms R M M LESOMA / EKS/LIM CHECKED// END OF TAKE
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,21 May 2013,"[Take-333333545] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
Ms R M M LESOMA: Hon chairperson, hon Minister Pule, hon Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams, fellow hon members, Department of Communication, DOC, family and its entities, fellow South Africans and distinguished guests ...
IsiZulu:
...make ngisho ngokuzindlulela ukuthi okhokho bethu bebengavuka lapho balele khona uma sizovuma ukuthi siziphathe sengathi akwenzanga lutho ngomhlaka-27 kuMbasa 1994. Savumelana ngokuthi sizokwenza izimpilo zabantu zibengcono, sizoqhubeka sikwenze lokho singabi namahloni. Ngeke sibenamahloni ngoba siyazi ukuthi indlela ngeke ibelula, kodwa asingabavumeli nakancane labo abangazi ukuthi bameleni la eNingizimu Afrika nakule Ndlu esikuyo. [Ihlombe.]
Ngivumele ngisho ukuthi...
English:
...our theme for this year's budget is "Connecting South Africans", as the Minister has said.
IsiZulu:
Sengikushilo lokhu bengikusho ngizindlulela. Ingxoxo yami iyogxila ekutheni senza kanjani ukuthi izinguquko [transformation] esizenza emiphakathini yethu ibambeke.
English:
The Budget Vote debate of the Department of Communications must be understood in a manner that sees communication as central to the battle of ideas, therefore, and the information and communication technology, ICT, sector must reflect the interests and aspirations of the majority who have placed their trust and hope in the ANC-led government. [Interjections.]
IsiZulu:
Hhayi, bayekeni labo ngoba abazi ukuthi bameleni la kufanele ngabe basezinkantolo. [Ihlombe.]
English:
For far too long it has been an open market for all interested parties who in theory agree with transformation ... laba abangasesandleni sami sokungxele [those on my left] ... of the sector, but in practice they reflect a very different posture. My input to this debate seeks to place the transformation of the ICT sector as central and material to the socioeconomic advancement of our society.
While embracing globalisation intensification by ICT, it has also sharpened inequalities between and within communities, in particular for rural and poor communities as well as workers in general. Despite the constant growth of the ICT market pattern the ownership of the ICT sector and participation by black-owned and emerging companies is minimal and requires support from government. The only government that can provide support is the ANC government. [Applause.]
Speeding up the pace of transformation is exactly what we intend to do; is actually exactly what we are doing and we intend to ensure that no one distracts us. Hon Minister, be focused as you are focused. There should be a local manufacturing of ICT products for domestic and export purposes. Government ICT procurement should benefit South African companies, including small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, without compromising quality and efficiency.
As one hon member has said, further education and training colleges should be used as schools of excellence to create opportunities for out-of-school and unemployed youth. Media and ICT studies should also be made available in all provinces. Government should introduce a comprehensive e-skilling development plan that would include incentives to mobile industry to co-operate for the benefit of young people investing in our future.
It is very important for us to say that whatever building blocks we are making today are not for us, but for our kids and the future generations. That is why we applaud, welcome, show appreciation for and ensure that the emerging of National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa, Nemisa, walks the talk.
IsiZulu:
Ukuze ingane iqoqeke iphinde ibenehlonipho kuthiwa igotshwa isemanzi.
English:
Basic computer literacy should be introduced in all primary schools and focus be put on advanced e-skills, including software programming and end-user computing for tertiary institutions and FETs. I must also emphasise that it is critical that we cannot only just know how to use IT gadgets, but that we must also know who to install programmes, how to fix them and also how to manufacture them. That is critical; in fact it is the real economic transformation we are speaking about.
In order to realise our goals we must continue to ensure that we implement a comprehensive programme that focuses on the war on poverty which addresses the challenges of poverty in the rural areas, in equality and underdevelopment, and is based on advancing and defending human rights as articulated in Chapter 2 of our Constitution. Having considered the National Development Plan, NDP, we have agreed as the ANC that it forms an important basis for the development of a long-term plan to build a national democratic society that is nonracial, nonsexist, democratic, united and prosperous and seeks to advance the national democratic revolution.
Over the next five years, the ANC is convinced that fellow South Africans are going to give us another mandate to rule and lead this country. [Applause.] The ANC will take decisive and resolute action to overcome the triple challenge of poverty, inequality and unemployment which are at the heart of South Africa's socioeconomic challenges. We intend to transform - and we continue to do so - the structure of the economy through industrialisation, broad-based black economic empowerment, addressing the basic needs of our people, including rural women in particular and the youth, strengthening and expanding the role of the state and the role of state-owned enterprises.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyamangala uma ngabe bethi uhulumeni wethu kufanele unikeze abantu abazimele noma izinkanpani ezizimele [privatisation] ukuthi zihole le lizwe. Ngeke sikuvumele lokho. Abantu abasithume lapha abashongo ukuthi sihambe siyoshaya imithetho bese sima eceleni komgwaqo sicele ama-lift. Akusoze kwalunga uma kuzoba kanjalo. [Ihlombe.]
English:
We need a political and socioeconomic system which places the needs of the poor and social issues such as health care, education, basic services and a social security floor at the top of the national agenda, in which ICT has a major role, as hon Morutoa has alluded to earlier on. Accelerated growth and development in a mixed economy, which includes state and private capital as well as co-operatives, worker-based, community and other forms of social ownership of the means of production – it is very critical that we control the means of production - an active developmental and leadership role of the state in the economy and the pursuit of full employment and decent work.
The interventions required to speed up change, especially with regard to economic and social transformation, can be understood as marking a second phase in the transition to a national democratic society. This second phase of the transition should be characterised by decisive action to effect thorough economic transformation and democratic consolidation.
The ongoing problem that faces the South African society is that the media and information and communication technology reflect patterns of ownership, control and distribution of the past. That is the reality which the hon Minister is trying to deal with and you call it interference. I wonder what interference is. This is the objective reality that faces the ICT sector today and what needs to be confronted head-on.
There has been a focus on redressing and correcting past discriminatory practices in terms of race, class and gender as well as providing a firm foundation in policy for a communications sector that embraces all South Africans and treats them equitably. I am sure that our media partners will endeavour to do that without being biased to anyone.
The National Development Plan in respect to ICT should be underpinned by a policy focus and desire to ensure universal access to affordable and quality high-speed infrastructure and services throughout the country. There is therefore the need to provide a detailed...
IsiZulu:
...lalela lungu elihloniphekile.
English:
There is therefore the need to provide a detailed sectoral plan to strengthen the implementation of the National Development Plan which is embraced by all of us in this House. The creation of a coherent and co-ordinated national policy framework and strategy on ICT should include promoting the provision of universal access - which was alluded to - quality and affordable networks and services to ensure that government, communities and business and all our people become part of the information super-highway and the knowledge economy.
Further, it must outline the different roles of the state, the private and community sectors in achieving this goal and aligning uptake and usage of the development of indigenous knowledge systems and the revival of the local content industry, which the SABC is part of and endeavours to do in their daily programming. The transformation of the ICT sector needs institutional practical measures to drive transformation with milestones and measurable outcomes. As part of the national ICT policy vision, the ANC-led government should target completing the ICT sector transformation process by 2030. The ANC supports the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mme S R TSEBE / JN / END OF TAKE
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,27 May 2013,"Take 546 [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,21 May 2013,"[Take-333333546] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
Ms R M M LESOMA
Setswana:
Mme S R TSEBE: Ke a leboga Modulasetilo le Maloko a a tlotlegang a Palamente, motswana wa lekgorokgoro o kile a bua a re sa ntlha ke sa ntlha, sa bobedi ke dithuthuntshwane. Ka go rialo Modulasetilo, ke rata go simolola kwa tshimologong ka gore mokgatlho wa ANC o ikamanya e bile o dumalana le ya Tekanyetsokabo ya lefapha jaaka e abilwe ke Tona Dina Pule, gompieno. Jaaka ke rile, sa pele ke sa pele ...
English:
... I would like to deal with issues raised by some of my colleagues on my left side. Hon Kilian, it is an insult for you as a woman to portray a "pull-her-down syndrome". The hon Minister is a woman, like you.
Setswana:
Ka Setswana re a re, mmangwana o tshwara thipa ka fa bogaleng. Fa ngwana a rotela dikobo, ga o palame kwa godimo ga ntlo o be o goeletsa, o re o batla thuso.
English:
You must help her to improve where you see that there is a need for improvement. Hon Shinn, I am disappointed in you, umshini wami [my machine gun] about all the questions that you have raised today because they were responded to in the same boardroom by the Department of Communications, DOC. You raised all those questions and they were responded to in detail. You are repeating those questions simply because elections will be held next year and you just want to score cheap political points. People will vote for the ANC come 2014. [Applause.]
Setswana:
Motlotlegi Modulasetilo, go ne go le botlhokwa gore ke fete ka bagwebi pele ke tsena mo dikgannyeng. Phitlhelelo ya tsa tshedimosetso, kgolagano le setegeniki e tswelela go nna setlapele mo Aforika Borwa, morago ga kgorogo ya temokerasi. Go fitlhelela go nna teng le go neelana ka ditirelo tse di tlhotlhwa tlase tsa Information Communication Technology, ICT, ke selo se se tsweletseng go nna selo sa ntlha mo pusong, e bile ke mokgwa o ka ona re ka tokafatsang le go tlhabolola naga ya rona. Se, se godisa le go tsweletsa ekonomi le go kitlanya setšhaba. Le fa gontse jalo, phitlhelelo ya ditirelo tsa ICT go botlhe e tswelela go nna kgwetlho go bontsi jwa Maaforikaborwa, bogolosegolo, basadi le bahumanegi ba ba nnang kwa metsemagaeng.
Maloko a a tlotlegang, go neelana ka ditirelo tsa ICT go botlhe go laolwa ke molao go netefatsa phitlhelelo e e feletseng ya thekenoloji ya sešweng; go ntshetsa pele kgolo ya ikonomi; go tlisa bokhutlong go sa lekalekaneng gareng ga batho ba ba kwa magaeng le kwa metsesetoropong; le go tlisa kwa bokhutlong go sa lekalekaneng ka mmala. Ka jalo, go botlhokwa gore maloko a a ka fa molemeng ba lemoge gore – ga ke itse gore a ba nkutlwa – maitemogelo a Maaforikaborwa ga a tlholwe ke dingwaga tsa taolo ya neeletsanokgakala, mme bogolo e tlholwa ke taolo ya ga jaana e e tlisiwang ke puso e e eteletsweng pele ke ANC, morago ga tshenyo e e tlhodilweng ke dipholisi kgetololo tsa mebuso e e fetileng ya tlhaolele, borre De Klerk le ba bangwe - boBrutus.
English:
It is therefore crucial, hon members, to note that the philosophy that informed apartheid and the ideology behind the promotion of universal service and access are mutually exclusive. Quoting from Maitland's theory:
Within South Africa, the missing link exists not only along national lines, but also along race and class lines.
In 1994, the new ANC-led government inherited the highest average teledensity: low by middle-income people, racially skewed teledensity; 89% of white households; 77% of Asian households; 43% of coloured households; and only 11% of black households, hon Shinn.
Privileged white areas in urban centres were better serviced by fixed telephone exchanges, whereas the rural needy were deprived the sophisticated infrastructure. South Africans must not be fooled and forget where we come from.
Setswana:
Modulasetilo, ke rata go akgola puso e e eteletsweng pele ke ANC, gonne go simolola ka ngwaga wa 1994 re busa, seemo sa thebolelo ya tsa tlhaeletsano se fetogile e le ruri, ebile re dumela gore go le gontsi go sa ntse go tla dirwa. Tona Pule, ke ikgantsha thata ka motsana wa Mantserre kwa Masepaleng wa Selegae wa Moses Kotane, moo re boneng puso mmogo le mmaene wa Anglo American ba kopanya ditlhogo go agela baagi poso ya maemo a a kwa godimo e e neng ya bulwa semmuso ke Rre Padayachie – a mowa wa gagwe o robale ka kagiso.
English:
For the first time in their lives, this community had access to a post office in 2010. It will also cater for nearby villages.
Setswana:
Re ne ra bona gape Universal Service and Access Agency of SA, Usaasa, e abela baagi ba metsemagae, mo diporofenseng tse di farologaneng jaaka Free State le Eastern Cape, dikhomputa le laeborari ya inthanete mo dikolong di feta some le boraro.
Kwa Ramokokastad, re bone Motlatsatona, Mme Abrahams, mmogo le Sentech ba abela sekolo se segolo sa Kwenatlase dikhomputa di le 20 le kgokaganyo ya inthanete. Re ne ra bona gape baagi ba kwa Dry Harts, kwa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, ba itumelela puso fa Sentech e thankgolola transmitara ya maatla a a kwa tlase, eo ka yona baagi ba tla nnang le tšhono ya go bona thelebišhene e e senang dinaledi, le go utlwelela seyalemowa se se sa gweretlheng. Go feta foo - di dintsi – Usaasa e abetse baagi ba kwa Muzekhaya Community Development Centre kwa Siyabuswa, ka go ba abela dikhomputara di le 22. Seteišene sa baagi sa Moutse sona se neilwe dikhomputara di le 15, kgokaganyo ya inthanete le diphorintara tse di dirisetswang mabaka a a farologaneng. Modulasetilo, tsotlhe tse, ke diphitlhelelo. A re lebogeng puso ya ANC. [Legofi.]
English:
This is universal service access in totality.
Setswana:
Ke fela gore nnete e a baba kwa malokong a a tlotlegang a a ka fa molemeng wa me. Mme, ke ne ke re a re ikgomotseng ka mafoko a moswi Rre Chinua Achebe – le ena a mowa wa gagwe o robale ka kagiso – fa a ne a re, ke a nopola ... "If you don't like someone's story, write your own."
So, this is my story. If you don't like it, write your own. I will never allow South Africans to be misled. I'm here with a mandate to inform them, and that is what I am doing now. [Applause.][Interjections.] You can howl and do everything, I'm focused. Hon Chairperson, community radio stations were established to ensure that the rural poor ... [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mrs N J Ngele): Hon Tsebe, will you please wait for just a minute. Hon member, please, if you want to say something, lower you voice, because you are disturbing everybody. Thank you.
Ms S R TSEBE: Hon Chairperson, community radio stations were established to ensure that the rural poor that were neglected by the apartheid government are able to understand and participate in government processes in their own languages. Community radio broadcasting gives ownership of the media to ordinary South Africans. It is about empowerment of marginalised communities and was a deliberate action by the ANC government to ensure universal access.
It is through this sector that media skills have been developed in some of the most rural areas. The ANC continues to support this platform as digital terrestrial television, DTT, yields digital dividends. We will do everything in our power to ensure that this sector does not die, but is further strengthened to bring democracy close to the people.
Hon members, over 100 community radio stations broadcast – ke rile di dintsi! [I told you they are many!] – broadcast in almost all official languages. One hundred and sixty-five nonprofit community and low-power service licensees have benefited from the ANC's decision to effect a three-tier broadcasting system. Over 8,3 million active listeners have been aggregated by the Government Communication and Information System, GCIS, to form a strong business case for the community media segment.
Setswana:
Tona, Mme Pule, gore toro e e diragale le gore puso e kgone go neelana ka ditirelo tse di tlhotlwa tlase go botlhe, ke kopa o lebisise kabo ya Usaasa. Lekala le le tlhoka madi a a kana ka R1,6 milione go ba kgontsha go diragatsa maitlhomo a DTT. Fa ke gopola sentle, le SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, e tlhoka tshegetso ya matlole.
English:
During the ANC's January 8 Statement address by the ANC, South African President, His Excellency Mr Jacob Zuma, made a call:
Government should hasten the implementation of all 18 strategic infrastructure projects, especially those directed at the 23 poorest districts.
Setswana:
Se se raya gore seabe sa gago, Tona Mme Pule, mo boemong jwa lefapha, ke go bona gore Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, e goletsa dikausu: lefoko la kgosi le agelwa mosako. Fa kgosi e buile, sa rona balala ke go diragatsa.
English:
I am saying this, hon Minister, due to Icasa's slow pace of regulating that affects other entities and the sector as a whole to provide universal service and access to our people.
Hon Minister, the costs to communicate, as has been highlighted by hon Muthambi, are very high in South Africa. Affordability, due to unemployment and the rural poor, is my main concern in this regard, and this was part of the discussions that took place in Mangaung. The ineffective regulation of contributor elements to this has resulted in very high prices and come back on the back of a highly exclusionist history of South Africa, where the majority and the poorest of the poor are marginalised and unable to become part of the knowledge economy.
Hon Chairperson, according to the Icasa indicators database of 2013, improvement in Internet penetration is minimal, where in 2007 household Internet use was at 4,8%. In 2012, it has risen to 19%.
Setswana:
Se se raya gore bontsi bo ka nna kana ka 81% jwa setšhaba sa rona ga bo na inthanete.
English:
The message, therefore, hon Chairperson, Comrade Eric Kholwane, to 8ta, MTN, Vodacom and Cell C in this regard is that there is money at the bottom of the pyramid – I know you are sitting somewhere there. Why are you not coming forward with ways and means to leverage this market to ensure access and service, Comrade Peter? Icasa, why are you not enforcing regulations to ensure that this market is catered for? Usaasa, why are you not developing an approach to assist Icasa? SABC, what is your role in generating awareness? Department of Communications, as the mother body ... Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr A C STEYN / KC/ LMM//Setsw / A N N/Eng(ed)/ END OF TAKE
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,22 May 2013,"Take 547 [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
Ms S R TSEBE
Mr A C STEYN: Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members and distinguished guests, I have two speeches here. The one in my left hand is a copy of the speech I delivered during the budget debate last year, and the other is the speech I prepared for this debate. I was tempted, and I still am, to deliver the exact speech I did last year.
Mr I M OLLIS: Because nothing has changed!
Mr A C STEYN: The reason for that, Chairperson, is that everything I said last year is still applicable right now – nothing has changed. No, in fact, correction, hon Minister, something has changed. Things have gotten worse.
In his 2013 state of the nation address, President Jacob Zuma pronounced that to prepare for the advanced economy we needed to develop, we would expand the broadband network. According to the National Development Plan, broadband has a significant role to play across the African society. I cannot overemphasise this enough, and my speech today is focused on this. If I could have gotten a show of hands from the gallery about whether they would want to hear about all the negatives of last year, I would have asked them, but I know that they are not supposed to participate in a debate.
It is well documented that flourishing entrepreneurial cultures can play a leading role in creating jobs and oiling the wheels of the economy through the creation of continual economic and social innovations. Booming entrepreneurship in emerging markets such as Brazil, Turkey, China and Thailand has provided a key stimulus to the rapid increase in material living standards across these nations in recent decades. In comparison, South Africa has a low rate of entrepreneurial activity for an emerging economy.
Although much emphasis has been placed on the need to rectify issues like the punitive regulatory burden and lack of financial capital, limited attention has been paid to the role technological inefficiencies play in stifling entrepreneurship. These inefficiencies are primarily the result of a monopolistic telecommunications sector which has been ineffectually regulated. Consequences of such systematic inefficiencies include exorbitant telecommunications costs, frustratingly slow download speeds and generalised poor service, which reduce the overall use of Internet services.
Data from Net Index, an independent Internet monitoring service, currently ranks South Africa 124th out of 182 countries for overall Internet download speeds, with a speed of 3,82 megabites per second. This compares unfavourably to other emerging markets such as Brazil with 7,20 megabites per second, Turkey with 7,9, China with 10,1 and Thailand's 11,59 megabits per second. Even countries with far lower rates of economic development experience greater download speeds, such as Rwanda, with 5,2, and Ethiopia, with 5,42 megabites per second. Additionally, data on the costs of Internet services is equally discouraging, with South Africa failing fundamentally in the provision of globally competitive prices.
These increased prices and slower download speeds, caused by a lack of competition, elevate costs for businesses, which subsequently reduce their overall profitability, small businesses being particularly vulnerable to such costs. In an increasingly technologically dependent world, the ability to effectively conduct business and communicate online is an imperative for the success and growth of many businesses. This is truer still for small businesses – try and operate a small business, and you will find out. This facilitates a substantial balancing of the corporate playing field, allowing small businesses to compete with much larger organisations in ways inconceivable in decades gone by.
Current initiatives to promote increased entrepreneurship through skills development programmes and increased access to financial capital, although welcome, are likely to prove insubstantial unless equal efforts are made to improve the overall efficiency of the national telecommunications framework. The livelihoods of the majority of the poor people in South Africa depend on micro and small-scale enterprises. Regular and easy access to the Internet is an increasingly important tool to assist students to seek information and learn to write and do research. An analysis of findings from the 2011 Census found disturbing evidence that the overwhelming majority of black African students are highly disadvantaged in this regard. Without access to the Internet, students will have fewer knowledge resources at their disposal and will be less experienced in how to deal with an oversupply of information. They will also be underprepared for making the move from the education system to the workplace.
The current broadband announcement, to achieve 100% broadband Internet penetration by 2020, in my opinion, will be too little, too late. The success of this distant target, however, is dependent on both the public and private sectors, with the state-owned enterprises, SOEs, within the department playing a significant role. Unfortunately, they still appear to be lurching from one crisis to another. We are all aware, and it has been mentioned by the Minister and others, that state-owned enterprises are the delivery arms of government. Therefore, stabilising SOE boards and monitoring and compliance are crucial to ensure that they deliver on their mandates.
Minister Pule, you know as well as I that not much has changed over the last 12 months to make the SOEs efficient, and I want to tell the hon Minister today that her goal should not be about achieving clean audits and greater alignment of strategic objectives. It should, and must be, about delivering those services that they are responsible for efficiently to the communities of our country. I thank you.
Mr I M OLLIS: Chairperson, on a point of order, may I address you?
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Order! Continue, sir.
Mr I M OLLIS: Chairperson, I didn't want to interrupt the speaker but, during his speech, the hon Schneemann of the ANC over there referred to the speaker as "Butch." According to the Rules of Parliament, which he knows very well, that is unparliamentary. You need to refer to a member as the "hon member" and according to his surname. Please, would you ask the hon Schneemann to withdraw his comment? [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Order, members! I will revert to you on this one. I will come back to you on this one.
Mr S E KHOLWANE /Mia /END OF TAKE
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,27 May 2013,"Take 548 [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
Mr A C STEYN "Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,21 May 2013,"[Take-333333548] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
12.05.51
Mr A C STEYN.
Mr S E KHOLWANE: Hon Chair, hon members and members of Cabinet who might be present, hon Minister and Deputy Minister of the Department of Communications, members of the portfolio committee, chairperson and the chief executive officers of the state-owned companies, captains of the ICT industry, senior government officials, members of the media, allow me to commence by observing a moment for Mr Luthando Namzi, a senior communications officer who is usually assigned to the Portfolio Committee on Communications. Mr Namzi passed away in a car accident on Friday, 17 May 2013. He served the committee with diligence, passion and the utmost commitment.
In the same vein, I must also join millions of South Africans who have always made sure that, together with the broadcasting fraternity, they will continue to send their messages of condolences for the loss of Vuyo Mbuli. I also have the same problem as you, hon Steyn, I do not know which one I must read or present. I do not know whether to read this one or this one, or whether to go for you or to read my speech. [Laughter.] I am in a dilemma; I do not know what to do.
However, I thought that today, as we deal with the Budget Vote, it will be an opportunity for those who criticise the ANC's policies to provide alternatives, but I have not heard any alternatives. [Applause.] I think it is very dangerous when you deal with people who indicate to the right, but they turn left and we do not have to encourage that.
If your policies differ from the ANC's policies, you must provide alternatives. It is always dangerous to deal with people who claim they will win the 2019 general elections. Why are they here? Next year, 2014, we are going to have the provincial and national elections, but they are already talking about 2019. It is a problem because you have accepted that you are a nonfactor in the South African political environment. The ANC will continue to lead and lead you and also on your behalf. [Interjections.]
The collaboration between the DA and the Sunday Times, confirmed by the editor, as it appeared in the City Press newspaper, is unfortunate and unethical. The confession that she admitted to authorising the submission of unsubstantiated information to the DA Member of Parliament is a sham and an attempt to try and hide their source behind the issue of public interest. Now the truth is becoming clear; why the people have been calling for the public interest issue. It is because they want to abuse that particular clause. It has become apparent that the Sunday Times has disgraced South African journalism. The Press Ombudsman must investigate this matter, in particular the serious breach of the South African Press Code.
This confirms our assertion that indeed some of the media houses have taken a decision to be the opposition of this government. [Applause.] This further explains why the DA took it upon them to take up the plight of the big four in relation to government, why government is spending on or advertising in The New Age. That indeed confirms their concern ... [Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
... Hayi inyani yona iyakrakra bawo.[The truth makes people uneasy.]
English:
It is either the DA that is the subsidiary of Sunday Times or Sunday Times that is a subsidiary of DA. [Applause.] The way you are running out of options, you even tried to steal the South African Post Office programme of rolling out addresses. The DA claims that they are rolling out addresses in Ekurhuleni, a programme which is run by the South African Post Office. The ANC-led government came up with the programme.
The problem is that you do not have ideas. You do not know what to do and now you claim that the DA is rolling out addresses. Since when do you have that mandate? Who gave you that mandate? Since when are you the South African Post Office? You have really run out of ideas. Leave the Post Office to do what this ANC-led government mandated it to do, that is, to roll out addresses. [Applause.]
The problem we have here is that you think you are beyond reproach. That is the problem. When you talk, you think that you are beyond reproach.
Mr K S MUBU: Let us talk about The New Age.
Mr S E KHOLWANE: I am going there, I am going there; do not rush me. The allegation that a DA councillor is a presenter at a community radio in Gauteng must be investigated and dealt with properly. You cannot abuse the platform of community media ... [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Order, members! Order!
Mr S E KHOLWANE: ... the policy of the ANC to give communities a voice to speak about their issues and you hijack it for your political ends. You need to be investigated by the regulator. We will be waiting for the report regarding that particular matter. [Interjections.] You can shout and do whatever you want.
I must continue to congratulate the SABC for a job well done. [Applause.] A job well done! The concept of coming up with the breakfast show in collaboration with The New Age was a good move. What a good show, where an average of four million South Africans listen to their leadership of the ANC-led government. Anyway, we also accommodated the Premier of the Western Cape because she was part of the programme. [Interjections.] It is not a discriminatory programme. It is an opportunity to ensure that South Africans get the message directly from the government which they have elected and not from the Sunday Times, which seems to be in partnership with the DA or a subsidiary of the DA.
The fact of the matter is that you must not be ashamed because all the government departments and state-owned entities must advertise in The New Age. Advertise in The New Age, because when we ask... [Interjections.]
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Order, members! Hon member, hon member, just hold on for a while. Hon members, I am appealing to you once more. [Interjections.] Hon members, order! Let us give the speaker an opportunity to speak. All those who were on the speakers' list had an opportunity to speak. Let us allow him to make his points. If he is out of order, say so, but if he is in order, allow him to speak. Proceed, hon member.
Mr S E KHOLWANE: The breakfast show programme presented by the SABC in collaboration with The New Age is a good show. [Applause.] The problem is that, when you ask what is wrong with advertising in The New Age, you are always told that they are not in compliance with the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The problem with that is, we must ask ourselves the following questions. Who dominates the print media industry? It is the big four. Who dominates the printing industry? It is the big four. [Interjections.] Who dominates the distribution? It is the big four. Who has the majority representation in the advertising industry board? It is the big four. Who controls the SABC and funds it? It is the big four. [Interjections.]
You cannot take The New Age to the guillotine. The fact of the matter is that we have a problem in the country, where the big four, some of them in partnership with the DA, controls almost everything about this particular matter. [Interjections.] I am coming to you. What is different about the Department of Communications? Unless you cannot see or cannot read, and you read the report and the presentation before the committee, then you will see what is different. If people decide to sleep during the committee meetings, that is their problem.
In the committee meetings which I chair, we have noted a substantive progress in terms of improvement within the Department of Communications. The Minister, the Deputy Minister and the other speakers from the ANC have outlined the achievements by the ANC. Unfortunately there is nothing we can say about you. You are talking about Cape Town 2020. Whose brainchild is that? It is the ANC's. [Applause.] What exactly is it that you have? Just put it on the table.
The 2020 broadband penetration of the Internet is the brainchild of the ANC, not yours. So you cannot come and claim the glory. You are not Kaiser Chiefs; you cannot claim the glory. [Laughter.] This glory belongs to the ANC, which from time to time is elected by South Africans to rule or to lead on their behalf because they understand it is the only party which understands the aspirations and needs of South Africans. [Interjections.]
Let me help you about the local loop unbundling. The regulator respects the rule of law. It is unlike the people who go to the police and lay criminal charges and go to the Public Protector and institute an investigation, but they cannot wait for the outcome of those processes. [Interjections.] You went and laid a criminal charge, and you also went to the Public Protector and instituted an investigation. The Minister has been co-operating with all those structures and at no point has she disrespected the Public Protector or even the other processes. She respects due process because she is a member of the ANC and the ANC respects the rule of law. [Interjections.]
Let me help you with local loop unbundling. This regulator, you may think that you faulter it, but they know that in South Africa there is a rule of law. This regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, went through a process of developing a framework of local loop unbundling. When they finished that, they wanted to implement it. You have a structure called the Complaints and Compliance Committee which ruled on the issue of the local loop unbundling. The decision of the Complaints and Compliance Committee is binding to the regulator. The matter is in the courts of this country. What do you expect the regulator to do? The regulator understands the rule of law, that the court processes must proceed until they are finished. After that, they will proceed to do whatever they can do because they observe the rule of law. [Interjections.]
I just wanted to help you, because you are confused and they clarified these issues in the portfolio committee. Where were you? Were you busy exchanging views with the Sunday Times or posting stories to the Sunday Times, leaking information? Is that what you were busy doing? The regulator explained in the portfolio committee what they are doing about that particular matter.
And keep it up, Dr Mncube. Keep respecting the rule of law. [Applause.] I am done with The New Age. Do you want me to go back to that? What a show, between the SABC and The New Age, where plus or minus 4 million South Africans interact directly with their elected representatives. [Applause.] Because we are democratic, even the Premier of the Western Cape participated in the programme; that is how these things work. If you want me to go back again, I will go back. [Laughter.]
IsiXhosa:
Uyabona ungakhe uwubase umlilo ungazi kuwotha. Awuzi kuwotha lo mlilo. [Do not punch above your weight.]
English:
On the issue of digital terrestrial television, DTT, digital migration, you must read the policies from the department. Hon Minister, as the ANC, we will urge you to put a timeframe for the SABC and e.tv to the issue of standard control. If they are not doing so, you must review your policy. They do not have a political mandate. We cannot fail South Africans. Come June 2015 we should have reached our target.
About the issue you are talking about, the problem is that you do not read these policies and that is a problem. You just talk, you think as you talk or you talk as you think. [Laughter.] The broadcasting standard issue lies squarely with the free-to-air broadcasters and not the Minister. The Minister was helping because for a year there was no movement between the SABC and e.tv. She tried to help. Now she finds herself in court for trying to help. That's why the Minister was saying, again, because you are a member of the ANC, you respect the rule of law; you respect the court decision.
Charlotte Mampane, thank you very much for your leadership in Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, Usaasa, and you are doing very well. Continue to do us proud. [Applause.] You will see it if you do not see change and progress. I do not know where she comes from. Maybe she comes from First National Bank, FNB; I do not know. You cannot see changes and progress? Where does she come from, where does the chief executive officer of Usaasa come from? Is that not progress? What do you want to know about progress or do you want progress between the Sunday Times and DA? To you, that is the only progress and any other progress you do not understand. [Interjections.]
Hon Minister, this selective quoting of this Global Information and Communication Technology report of 2013 is a problem. If you read that report, it is comfortable with the political and business environment. The political environment is our responsibility and that report is comfortable with the political environment. In fact the report is saying the only problem we have in the country, amongst other things, is the cost to communicate and not the political environment.
Why then do you raise all these things? Why are you not true to the report? It is because you like to spin things around. The report, in terms of the political environment, clears us and says the political environment in South Africa, the business environment, is "sharp sharp" like the late Vuyo Mbuli always said. The report is saying it is "sharp sharp". But you come and stand here and want to create an impression that the ANC is politically unsound, whereas the same report says political and business environments are okay, except the cost to communicate, which causes us, amongst other things, to be where we are. Which report have you read exactly? Which report have you read, unless you have read a report by the Sunday Times, which you had written yourself and given to them, as you normally do. [Interjections.] Unless you have done that.
I must take this opportunity, despite everything else, to commend the members of the portfolio committee. The members of the Portfolio Committee on Communications are good members and indeed they contribute, but the problem happens when they are here. [Laughter.] I do not know why, but at the committee level they are doing very well. I must thank all members of the portfolio committee, including the members from the opposition. [Applause.] I must also thank the support staff of the committee, my personal assistant, Wandile Mguga; Thembi Mngoma, the committee secretary who is overworked. We have got one secretary instead of two and the newly appointed content adviser who has joined us. The ANC supports Budget Vote No 27: Communications. Thank you. [Time expired.]
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS / LN/Checked by Nobuntu / END OF TAKE
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,23 May 2013,"Take 549 [Committee Room E249 Main].doc"
"Committee Room E249 Main",Unrevised Hansard,21 May 2013,"[Take-333333549] [Committee Room E249 Main][NW-2-49][ct].doc"
Mr S E KHOLWANE
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS: Hon Chairperson, I once more thank you for the opportunity to respond.
Xitsonga:
Xosungula, ndzi rhandza ku vula leswaku loko vanhu va nga ri na mahlo yo vona, loko Xikwembu xi nga va nyikanga, a va swi koti ku vona. Mina ndzi nga ka ndzi nga swi koti va nyika mahlo.
Xavumbirhi, loko ndzi yima laha mahlweni na loko ndzi pfuka masiku hinkwawo ndzi ya eka Ndzawulo ya Vuhlanganisi, DOC, ku ya tirha, ndzi tirha ni ku simeka pholisi ya ANC. A ndzi tirhisi pholisi ya munhu un'wana. Xosungula, va hava pholisi. Hambiloko va nga swi rhandza ku ndzi lomba a va na yona. Ndzi ta tirhisa yihi ya vona?
Siswati:
Sihlalo wekomidi yesigungu, mhlon Kholwane, ngitsandza kusho loku: Ngiyabonga kakhulu kutsi sewucacise tindzaba letinyenti kakhulu lapha ngembili, ngobe labanye bantfu abafundzi. Kwesibili-ke kungenteka kutsi abafundzi nje ngulokutsi letinganekwane tibhalwa ngibo, ngako-ke ngeke batifundze ngobe batati kahle. Kube bebafundza ngabe sebafundzile kutsi letinchubomgomo tetfu titsini, kuze bati kutsi kahle kahle yini umsebenti Welitiko Letekutsintsana.
Lokunye nje, bebatakwati kutsi Litiko Letekutsintsana lisebenta kuphela inchubomgomo. Ngabe bayati kutsi Litiko Letekutsintsana lite budlelwane nemaprovinsi kanye nabomasipala. Ngabe sebayati kutsi Litiko Letekutsintsana linebasebenti labangema-366 kuphela, kantsi labasebenti basitwa nguletinhlangano letitimele letibika kulo Lelitiko Letekutsintsana. [Kuhlaba Lulwimi.] Ngiseta lapho; ungagijimi wena mfati waka-DA ngobe awukwati nekufundza.
English:
Chairperson, let me quickly help the DA member, hon Shinn. She quotes things that she didn't read correctly and she is even rushing now. She thinks that I don't read. I read, and I do research every day. I also do my work every day.
I'm coming to the digital migration, because you don't even understand what it is. You don't even know what digital is, and I want to tell you what it is. Let me help this member first.
Siswati:
Sihlalo lohlon, angibasite ngengete lapho ugcine khona.
English:
Let me read the report that you are quoting. Maybe you read Afrikaans and you can't read English. It's written in English and it says:
In comparison with our peers, we are well ahead in the political and regulatory environment, business and innovation environment, infrastructure and digital content and in business usage. However, we are about equal with our peers in economic impacts...
Siswati:
Ngako-ke, angati kutsi ukhuluma ngani!
English:
Let me go to the digital migration, because you don't understand what it is. When I stood here in front you earlier this morning, I explained to you where we are in terms of digital terrestrial television, DTT.
First, I said to you that we have now achieved 80% of the roll-out of the digital broadcasting signal.[Interjections.] Oh my God! Why don't you read or listen? I said here this morning that for digital migration to happen, you need two things, namely, the digital signal and the set-top boxes. I said to you in the morning that we were in the process of making sure that the manufacturing of the set-top boxes happens in this country.
Indeed, chairperson, you are right we respect the law as the Department of Communications and as members of the ANC. That is why we did not go and oppose the outcome of the court. Let me remind you what I said here this morning.
Siswati:
Futsi-ke kuncono ngikusho ngeSiswati loku ngobe lomfati lo akevisisi nekuvisisa, ngako ncono ngitjele bantfu bakitsi labatakuva kutsi ngitsini. Ekuseni ngitsite, sesitsetse sincumo njengelitiko sekutsi sitawugucula inchubomgomo yetfu khona sitekwati kusheshisa sente lomkhankhaso we-Dramatic Dream Team, DDT, ngobe ngeke sime la silitjatiswe bantfu labangafuni kusebenta. Ngishito njalo-ke, sihlalo.
English:
We are continuing with the implementation of the DTT.
Siswati:
Sihlalo ngeke ngibe ngisakhuluma lokunyenti ngobe besengishito kutsi sewungisitile watichaza kahle tonkhe tintfo. Lengifuna kukusho nje kutsi ngibonga kakhulu ekomidini ngelusito lesiniketa lona onkhe emalanga. Uyati kutsini, kunemuntfu losukuma la atesitjela ngaboma-Telkom langabati nekubati, ngitivela shangatsi ngingatsi kulomkhandlu awusukume batewubona ngobe ...
English:
Telkom has a very capable and able board. Do you want me to ask them to stand up? They are here, and they are doing their job as we speak now. Actually, they are leading us in the roll-out of broadband. I don't know what you are talking about. Please, you must read and listen when we speak.
Chairperson, there is a lot that you have said. You have covered me on everything. We can't fight people who don't see. We have told them and we have shown them what we have done. We can't fight people who can't hear. We have told them what we do. If they choose not to look or not to listen, there is nothing that we can do.
Let me say this to you, I want to thank the portfolio committee for their support. Chairperson, we want to make the following request. We will need money to roll out the DTT. The money will be for the DTT awareness, the SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC and the DOC. The SA Post Office will also need budget to make sure that they roll out those set-top boxes once we have manufactured them. We would also need the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, Usaasa, to have a budget. What we are asking you from this podium is please, do support us so that we have that budget. I want to thank you very much. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi)
The MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS
The TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON (Mr J D Thibedi): Hon members, earlier on the hon member raised the point of order against hon Schneemann alleging that hon Schneemann referred to another hon member as "bush". Now hon Schneemann is not here to confirm or deny the allegation. [Laughter.] But nevertheless, let me say the following.
All hon members in this House must address each other as hon members so as to preserve the decorum of this House. I think that this message will also be communicated to hon Schneemann, that all the members of this House must refer to each other as hon members.
Members are reminded that the Extended Public Committees on National Treasury and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs will meet at 14h00 in the Old Assembly Chamber and E249 respectively. [Applause.]
The Committee rose at 12:36.
/Arnold\\\tfm///Sis / GC(Eng and Xits)/ END OF TAKE
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