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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
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