Chairperson, Minister & Deputy Minister, Colleagues,

On behalf of COPE, again, our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Vuyo Mbuli, who will always be remembered for his professionalism, modesty and warm, upbeat personality. He was a true patriot. May he rest in peace.

Chairperson, compared to service delivery departments, the R2 b budget allocated to the DoC seems very small. Yet through its strategic partnership with the private sector and SOE’s, it could direct the investment of billions Rand more in ICT infrastructure and services to the people though timeous and correct policy interventions.

Technical industry jargon should not be allowed obscure the fact that this about giving our people – wherever they live - equal access to the knowledge economy and job opportunities.  The rollout of broadband to schools and communities in informal and rural areas coupled with intensive ICT skills development programmes should be central.

ICT is the highway to development and prosperity, it is the ultimate key to empowering the disadvantaged – 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 only about 13% of South Africans have access to broadband. This calls for drastic intervention, including the provision of electricity to all schools, to bridge this gap.

Communication is about much more than controlling the news and spinning the president and minsters out of trouble. It should be central to government’s developmental goals and remains a Cinderella portfolio.  By giving us three minsters in four years the President clearly does not understand 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 a knowledge economy?

Fact is that the DoC has become the single largest stumbling block for the delay in the roll-out of cheaper, faster broadband in South Africa.  It has imploded – it is tied up in legal battles, turnover of DC’s and internal strife. Apart from policy revision workshops, consultative indabas and other talkshops and participation in international conferences – it has no measurable output.

Its impact as an enabler of telecoms rollout is zero – in fact, the industry has to either fight with or work around this and other departments to roll out infrastructure, offer services, and introduce the latest technologies in South Africa.

State owned entities reporting to the DoC are equally in shambles, mostly as a result of the Minister’s political meddling in their functions.

The Constitutionally enshrined ICASA is weak, a 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. ICASA should free up spectrum for broadband roll out, but it is paralyses by the Minister’s failure to conclude the spectrum policy.  

The SABC has its third Board of Directors in as many years. Why? Because of political meddling and 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.  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 DC’s. Staff salaries are adjusted at the whim of the Chief Operating Officer.

It seems the Zupta’s did not only invade our air space, they will soon also  control sections of our cyber space through the launch their 24 hour news channel, by courtesy of the SABC who also give broadcast their TNA  breakfast sessions from which the public broadcaster derives NO benefit.

The Minister staged a crippling upset at Telkom by blocking the KT Corp business deal and vetoed the appointment of 4 directors. Shortly after this, the CEO and the Head of Telkom Business Mobile resigned.

Chairperson, there is an undisputable direct correlation between affordable information and communication technology and economic and job growth. Also between ICT skills and economic activity.  The World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Information Technology Report 2013 reveals that South Africa’s ICT skills ranks among the lowest in the world and that our cost to communicate ranks amongst the highest in the world.  This year’s coverage includes a record number of 144 economies, accounting for over 98 percent of global GDP.  We cannot continue to deny these very harsh realities.

Countrywide broadband access, digital migration and cheaper rates to communicate have been identified as key strategic goals of the DoC, together with well-functioning state entities to extend services to communities. But by their own assessment they have failed dismally in the previous financial year.  What will make this year different?


Key interventions required include the following:

 

1.      The spectrum policy should be finalized by no later than October so that ICASA can migrate everyone out of the 800 Mhz band to release spectrum for broadband usage in rural areas.

 

    2.     Government must take urgent steps to ensure that South

         Africa’s migration from analogue to digital terrestrial

television takes place in line with the June 2015 international deadline.  This will free up more space for broadband rollout.  It is embarrassing that our country – once leading DTT migration in SADEC and elsewhere - is now trailing behind other African countries.

 

3.Government should stop acting as 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 SOE’s. It cannot direct ICT policy that dictates to ICASA, yet through Telkom and Sentech, and Broadband Infraco, competes directly in the ICT space.

 

It appears that political and commercial interests of government direct the Minister’s meddling in the affairs of Telkom, Sentech, ICASA and the SABC. The DTT rollout and set-top box manufacturing delay is a direct result of this political meddling.

 

The highly controversial Minister cannot drive these processes and should resign with immediate effect.

 

COPE recommends that the entire Department should then be placed under the administration of National Treasury and the Minister of Planning in the office of the President.

Let us for once give this sector center stage to make sure the full potential of all our people is realized.