Next week, the Portfolio Committee on Communications will embark on a series of public hearings on the general cost to communicate in South Africa.
The public participation initiative is the second phase of public hearings following the first engagement held last year. During the first round, the Committee targeted the Department of Communications (as the policy maker), the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (as the regulator), and dominant mobile and fixed-line operators in the telecommunications sector (Cell C, Vodacom, 8ta and MTN).
The second round of the hearings will see the Committee undertaking the similar process by further probing the general cost to communicate in the country. Stakeholders that will participate include role-players in the telecommunications sector value chain such as Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs).
The Chairperson for the Committee, Mr Skhumbuzo Kholwane, said the hearings would not be limited to the call termination rate but will include the cost to communicate in the entire communication sector.
The hearings will be held from 23rd - 26th July in Gauteng. The second round will be held in the Eastern Cape from the 29th to 30th July. The third round of public hearings will be held in KwaZulu-Natal from 31st July to 2nd August.
Mr Kholwane said the Committee was fully aware of arguments relating to affordability to communicate in South Africa. Thus the initiative to have public hearings on the matter to see the impact on the cost to communicate on the general public and SMMEs.
The hearings will seek to holistically evaluate the entire value chain associated with the cost to communication in order to further make necessary interventions to make the cost to communicate to more affordable.
Public Hearings on the General Cost to Communicate 22 – 26 July 2013
For enquiries please contact:
Mr Temba Gubula
Mobile: 078 735 8809
Tel: +27 21 403 8307
E-mail: tgubula@parliament.gov.za
