Report: Oversight visit to Limpopo 5 - 8 February 2012

REPORT ON THE OVERSIGHT VISIT BY THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS TO LlMPOPO 5 - 8 FEBRUARY 2012.

COMMUNICATIONS TO LlMPOPO 5 - 8 FEBRUARY 2012.

1. Purpose

To provide feedback to the Portfolio Committee on Communications (PCC) on matters identified during the oversight visit to Limpopo province as per request of the Honourable Chairperson.

2. Background

The PCC undertook an Oversight visit to state entities/institutions which fall within their mandate in Limpopo province between the 5 - 8 February 2012 . The state entities which were present during the visit are the following; GCIS, Post Office SA, USAASA, SENTENCH, ICASA, SABC and MDDA. During the visit the following sites were visited:

1. Lulekani Post Office

2. Selwane Thusong Service Center (still in establishment phase)

3. Bulamahlo Thusong Service Center and Telecenter

4. Tzaneen Community Radio Station

5. Moletsi Community Radio Station

6. Nhluvuko News

7. Sentech Regional Office

8. SABC

9. Ngulu News

10 ,Sekhukhune Community Radio Station.

During the oversight visit at Bulamahlo Thusong Service Centre, the Committee felt that GClS should compile a report on the functionality of the center, challenges as presented by the Acting Centre Manager and what GClS has done to address the challenges. Furthermore, a plan on how the challenges will be resolved should also be provided

3. Legislative mandate

The PCC is a Parliamentary Committee constituted by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa to conduct oversight on behalf of Parliament. The Constitution further states that Parliament has the power to conduct oversight of all organs of state, including those at provincial and local government level.

Parliament and its committees have powers to summon any person or institution to give evidence or produce documents, and to report them which includes Government Communications (GCIS).

Similarly, the Thusong Service Centers Business Plan 2006-2014 as approved by Cabinet in 2006 describes Thusong Service Centres as one-stop centres providing integrated services and information from government, to communities close to where they live as part of a comprehensive strategy to better their lives.

GClS Strategic Plan for 2011-2014 indicates that the Government and Stakeholder Engagement Branch is responsible for the coordination of the roll-out of the Thusong Service Centre programme as part of the overall government-wide access strategy and also for the overall implementation and monitoring of the communication strategy.

Furthermore, GClS is also responsible for the coordination of oversight role to the MDDA to ensure that the transfer payment made to the public entity enables it to carry out operations in promoting local media development and diversity. It enables historically disadvantaged communities and individuals to gain access to the media, and create an enabling environment for media development and diversity.

Here are the tables: www.pmg.org.za/files/doc/2012/comreports/120629pccomreport2.pdf

GClS has five programmes where Greater Tzaneen Community Radio has not submitted their invoices, these are:

• Phone in Program on Military Veterans database for Department of Military Veterans (29 November 2011)
• Adverts on Green paper for Department of Rural Development (06- 32st December)
• Adverts on Safer festive season campaign for SAPS (December 201 1)
• Adverts on Protected trees for Department of Agriculture (25 - 30 January 2012).

It should be noted that as long as invoices are not submitted with proof of flighting to the GCIS, the organization will not be able to make the necessary payments, which is the case with Tzaneen Community Radio Station.

5.2. Sekhukhune Community Radio Station

There was a great concern from members of Parliament that the MDDA refers Community Radio Stations to Sound Fusion.

The MDDA has never referred any beneficiaries or potential beneficiaries to Sound Fusion or any other private sector signal distribution service provider. Given the challenges MDDA has experienced in the past with stations inability to provide their own signal distribution, the MDDA has entered into an agreement with Sentech wherein the MDDA makes budgetary provisions for stations signal distribution costs which are done through Sentech. The MDDA grant funding cycle and policy states that for any procurement by beneficiaries of R2 000 and above, such must be accompanied by three quotations. In the Sekhukhune FM case, the station requested support for transmission equipment which they purchased from Sound Fusion.

6. Recommendations

It is recommended that the PCC

1. Notes the report as presented

2. Notes the proposed intewentions in dealing with issues and challenges at the Bulamahlo Thusong Sewice Centre (as covered in 4)

3. Notes responses on the delayed payments at the Tzaneen Community Radio Station (as covered in 5.1)

4. Notes responses on the use of Sound Fusion by MDDA at Sekhukhune Community Radio Station (as covered in 5.2)

5. Notes that an update report will be provided at the end of May 2012.

Compiled by Thanyani Ravhura

Provincial Director GClS Limpopo

Date: 28 February 2012