Date: 03/06/2004
Source: Ministry of Communications
Title: I Matsepe-Casaburri: Announcement on Under Serviced Area Licences
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE HON. MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, DR IVY MATSEPE-CASABURRI ON ICASA'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GRANTING OF UNDER SERVICED AREA LICENCES, 3 June 2004
On 19 May, I received the recommendations from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) regarding the granting of Under Serviced Area Licences in ten of the twenty-seven areas that were determined as under-serviced in terms a notice published in the Government Gazette, number 22954 of 18 December 2001.
Icasa received fifteen applications in response to the Invitation to Apply (ITA), which was published in Government Gazette number 24204 of 19 December 2002, for the first phase of the USAL licensing process, covering ten of the determined areas.
Having considered the relevant sections in the Telecommunications Act (Act 103 of 1996) and in line with its objectives, the ITA and supporting documents from Icasa, I have concluded as follows:
1. To accept the recommendation and the granting of licences in the following districts:
* Bokone Telecomms in DC35 Capricorn District (Limpopo Province)
* Kingdom Communications in DC26 Zululand District (KwaZulu-Natal)
* Thinta Thinta Telecoms in DC21Ugu District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal)
* Ilizwe Telecoms in DC15 OR Tambo Municipality (Eastern Cape)
2. To accept the recommendations on the disqualification of and/or refusal to, licensing of the following districts:
* CBDC4 Bushbuck Ridge/Lowveld Municipality - disqualification of Botlhabela
* DC35 Capricorn District - refusal of Capricorn Telecomms and disqualification of Limpopo Ya Rena
* DC21 Ugu District - Wavelet disqualified
* DC39 Bophirima District (North West) - refusal of both Lonaka Communications and KaraboTel
* DC 20 Northern Free State District - disqualification of Mamela Communications
3. The recommendation for the below mentioned districts is referred back to Icasa for further consideration to ensure that the terms and conditions of the ITA and objects of the Act have been carefully considered. Furthermore, the conditions for issuing the licences are to be clarified to avoid any ambiguity.
* DC18 Lejweleputswa (Free State) - Bokamoso Communications
* DC38 Central District (North West) - KaraboTel
* DC12 Amatole District (Eastern Cape) - Amatole Telecoms
I have asked Icasa to prioritise the finalisation of the conditionality on the three outstanding districts and report back to me within 21 days.
I have also requested that the process of the issuing of the licences be undertaken without undue delay.
The Department will engage Icasa with regard to the process of issuing further licences immediately after considering the lessons learnt from the first process. I have requested that a report on the lessons learnt be submitted to me before the end of June 2004.
I wish to thank Icasa for the work done on the licensing process and hope that we will be able to finalise the Under Serviced Area Licensing to ensure that the historically disadvantaged majority of our country benefit from the empowerment and competition in the ICT sector.
In addition, I wish to commend the professionalism displayed by the applicants in their presentation of new and innovative ideas in the application of technology in our disadvantaged areas. Of particular significance, is the involvement of a sizable number of women and youth - in some instances you have up to 70 per cent participation of women and youth.
Access to information and communications technology is vitally important to the attainment of both social and economic objectives of government. The issuing of these Under Serviced Area Licences represents one of the first steps of addressing interventions in the second economy via the ICT sector. The Department of Communications welcomes the large participation of historically disadvantage individuals, women and youth, the disabled, rural communities and low-income earners in this process. This is a classical demonstration of how government determination, through policy and regulations helps our people take advantage of opportunities in the ICT sector through ownership and participation.
I believe that through this process, we have begun to address the huge social and economic challenges that confront South Africa.
For further details contact: Donovan Cloete
Tel: (012 427 8178)
Cell: 072 569 9728
Pakamile Pongwana
Tel: (012 427 8510)
Cell: 083 703 2009
Issued by: Ministry of Communications
3 June 2004
Source: Ministry of Communications
Title: I Matsepe-Casaburri: Announcement on Under Serviced Area Licences
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE HON. MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, DR IVY MATSEPE-CASABURRI ON ICASA'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GRANTING OF UNDER SERVICED AREA LICENCES, 3 June 2004
On 19 May, I received the recommendations from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) regarding the granting of Under Serviced Area Licences in ten of the twenty-seven areas that were determined as under-serviced in terms a notice published in the Government Gazette, number 22954 of 18 December 2001.
Icasa received fifteen applications in response to the Invitation to Apply (ITA), which was published in Government Gazette number 24204 of 19 December 2002, for the first phase of the USAL licensing process, covering ten of the determined areas.
Having considered the relevant sections in the Telecommunications Act (Act 103 of 1996) and in line with its objectives, the ITA and supporting documents from Icasa, I have concluded as follows:
1. To accept the recommendation and the granting of licences in the following districts:
* Bokone Telecomms in DC35 Capricorn District (Limpopo Province)
* Kingdom Communications in DC26 Zululand District (KwaZulu-Natal)
* Thinta Thinta Telecoms in DC21Ugu District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal)
* Ilizwe Telecoms in DC15 OR Tambo Municipality (Eastern Cape)
2. To accept the recommendations on the disqualification of and/or refusal to, licensing of the following districts:
* CBDC4 Bushbuck Ridge/Lowveld Municipality - disqualification of Botlhabela
* DC35 Capricorn District - refusal of Capricorn Telecomms and disqualification of Limpopo Ya Rena
* DC21 Ugu District - Wavelet disqualified
* DC39 Bophirima District (North West) - refusal of both Lonaka Communications and KaraboTel
* DC 20 Northern Free State District - disqualification of Mamela Communications
3. The recommendation for the below mentioned districts is referred back to Icasa for further consideration to ensure that the terms and conditions of the ITA and objects of the Act have been carefully considered. Furthermore, the conditions for issuing the licences are to be clarified to avoid any ambiguity.
* DC18 Lejweleputswa (Free State) - Bokamoso Communications
* DC38 Central District (North West) - KaraboTel
* DC12 Amatole District (Eastern Cape) - Amatole Telecoms
I have asked Icasa to prioritise the finalisation of the conditionality on the three outstanding districts and report back to me within 21 days.
I have also requested that the process of the issuing of the licences be undertaken without undue delay.
The Department will engage Icasa with regard to the process of issuing further licences immediately after considering the lessons learnt from the first process. I have requested that a report on the lessons learnt be submitted to me before the end of June 2004.
I wish to thank Icasa for the work done on the licensing process and hope that we will be able to finalise the Under Serviced Area Licensing to ensure that the historically disadvantaged majority of our country benefit from the empowerment and competition in the ICT sector.
In addition, I wish to commend the professionalism displayed by the applicants in their presentation of new and innovative ideas in the application of technology in our disadvantaged areas. Of particular significance, is the involvement of a sizable number of women and youth - in some instances you have up to 70 per cent participation of women and youth.
Access to information and communications technology is vitally important to the attainment of both social and economic objectives of government. The issuing of these Under Serviced Area Licences represents one of the first steps of addressing interventions in the second economy via the ICT sector. The Department of Communications welcomes the large participation of historically disadvantage individuals, women and youth, the disabled, rural communities and low-income earners in this process. This is a classical demonstration of how government determination, through policy and regulations helps our people take advantage of opportunities in the ICT sector through ownership and participation.
I believe that through this process, we have begun to address the huge social and economic challenges that confront South Africa.
For further details contact: Donovan Cloete
Tel: (012 427 8178)
Cell: 072 569 9728
Pakamile Pongwana
Tel: (012 427 8510)
Cell: 083 703 2009
Issued by: Ministry of Communications
3 June 2004
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