Communications minister Yunus Carrim has presented a draft strategy for action to be taken by the department between now and the elections next year.
The Draft Strategy and Programme for the Department of Communications was delivered to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications.
Stressing that the draft is incomplete and a work in progress, the minister nevertheless lays out a fairly detailed plan of action.
He stresses that the Communications team has gone through a challenging time and is relatively weak and divided. However, the department does have skills and experience and Carrim is confident that it is capable of doing better.
Importantly, the department has been consulting with a wide range of stakeholders in the communications sector over the past five weeks to consider what should be prioritised in the limited period until the 2014 elections, and over the 2014 to 2019 term.
These exchanges have included the SOCs, Telkom, ICASA, mobile operators, broadcasters, SANEF (South African Editors Forum) trade unions, business, NGOs, technical experts, and individual commentators.
The broad strategy, according to the document has six key aspects:
* A more effective DoC – they are working on greater unity and coherence of the Department of Communication (DoC), filling in the critical vacant posts, and ensuring the Department functions in a more consensual way with ICT stakeholders and is more sensitive to the needs of consumers.
Where there are genuine cases of corruption, and not smears and false accusations used to settle conflicts of power and hegemony within the department, we will act decisively within the law. Clearly, DoC can and must perform better. A major aim is to put DoC on a firmer foundation to perform better during the 2014-2019 term.
* Less fragmented and fractious ICT Sector – the ICT sector is too fragmented and fractious. Of course, there are the inevitable differences and fierce competition, but there is still space, despite the huge challenges, for a more consensual and cooperative terrain to be forged over time, and we can make some progress in this regard in the period up till the elections.
* Realistic and realisable goals in programme for period until 2014 Elections – with the 2014 elections looming, we have about 8 months left before the end of our term. We are reviewing the Annual Performance Plan (APP) of the Department and setting realistic and realisable targets for the next eight months.
* Firmer foundation for more effective service delivery in 2014-2019 term – but, importantly, we have to be strategic about what targets we choose for the 8 months ahead. They cannot just be ad hoc. They need to be linked to both creating a much firmer foundation for the next five-year term for faster ICT delivery and providing key elements of a 2014-2019 strategic framework.
* Finalising the ICT Policy Review – the National Integrated ICT Policy Review has to be finalized as soon as possible.
* NDP and NGP provide the framework – the ICT Policy Review and the strategy, programmes, projects and activities of DoC must be located within the framework provided by the NDP and NGP.
Key aspects of the programme will be prioritised and where possible fast-tracked wherever possible. These include:
* Broadband Policy, Strategy and Plan – there has to be significant and realistic progress in broadband becoming more extensive, affordable and speedier. DoC completed a Draft Broadband Policy yesterday and the Draft Broadband Strategy and Plan will be completed by the end of September.
However we will still have to discuss the Policy, Strategy and Plan with other relevant government departments before we take it to Cabinet. We intend to finalise the process by the end of November.
* Develop an Effective Spectrum Policy – a Spectrum Policy to facilitate the deployment of wireless technologies in support of universal access and economic development will be developed by March 2014. Consistent with rolling-out Broadband, we will finalise our policy including high demand spectrum for Broadband.
* Furthering Reducing the Costs to Communicate – we have to sensibly and sensitively set a firm foundation for a further reduction in the costs of communication. The needs of the users and the service providers will both be taken into account.
A new policy directive on transparent pricing policy will be finalized by the end of September. By the end of September we will be convening a pricing workshop as part of a consultative process on the cost-to-communicate. We are also engaging ICASA on their reviewing of Mobile Termination Rates.
* Beginning the Roll-Out of Digital Migration – we have had several meetings with the broadcasters and other stakeholders in this regard. SENTECH has already provided about 80% of the country with the network for Digital Terrestrial Television and intends to reach 84% by March 2014.
The remaining 16% of the country that cannot be accessed by the terrestrial network because of their geographic character will be serviced by satellite. The major stumbling block to progress is the disputes about whether the Set Top Boxes (STBs) should have “Control” or not. We have met the contending parties separately and have encouraged them to meet together, but there has not been much progress.
We have therefore decided to bring the contending parties together by mid-September with a consensually agreed facilitator who combines technical expertise and negotiating skills to, under the broad supervision of the Ministry, work towards consensus on STB issues.
Yes, as government we accept our share of responsibility for the delays in digital migration, but unless we get a measure of consensus among the broadcasters and other contending parties we are not going to be able to move swiftly forward. Provided we get consensus among the contending parties, we will be able to begin the roll-out digital migration within the next few months.
However, if we fail to get consensus, we will of course go ahead after having considered all views.
* Greater focus on the rural and other underserviced areas – the digital divide between the haves and have-nots needs to be reduced, and we are going to place much greater stress on delivering in rural and underserviced areas. We intend to connect 788 schools by the end of the financial year.
This figure will be higher if our current negotiations with some of the operators on implementing their universal service obligations go well. SAPO has also committed to building 50 new post offices by the end of the financial year. The project on the National Address System will also be taken significantly forward. Discussions have already begun with the DoC, Statistician-General, CoGTA and SALGA on this matter.
* Towards Greater Stability in the SOCs – the SABC and other SOCs and public entities in the ICT sector need to be made far more stable and effective. They need to be properly resourced, bearing in mind major budgetary and other constraints, but related to this, they have to use their available resources more productively.
They also have to be more skilled. Joint Task Teams (JTTs) have been established with most of them including representatives of the SOCs, DoCs and other relevant structures.
Without interfering with their operational autonomy, and consistent with corporate governance rules and norms, we will, as the shareholder, be providing clearer shareholder compacts and exercising more stringent oversight of the SOCs.
* Corporatisation of Postbank – among the key issues to be addressed are: the Postbank Amendments Bill and South African Post Office Amendment Bill that are before Parliament; and the finalisation of the licence issues and the Board members.
* ICT Policy Review – aNational Integrated ICT Policy Green Paper will be ready within three months. Public hearings will follow and a White Paper will be finalised either shortly before the 2014 elections or soon thereafter. Our programmes and activities will, to the extent possible, feed into and take into account the emerging Integrated ICT Policy.
* National ICT Forum – a National ICT Forum bringing together government, the industry, trade unions, and other civil society role-players will be held in late November or early in 2014.
* Community Media – there are about 133 licenced community radio stations which account for about 25% of the total radio listenership in the country. More needs to be done to support community media and the department will finalise a new Community Broadcasting Support Policy by the end of the financial year.
* Legislation – it is hoped that the four Bills before Parliament will be processed before the 2014 elections. These are the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill, ICASA Amend
