Following the appointment of the ICT Policy Review Panel in November 2012 by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Ms Dina Pule, the Review Panel held its inaugural meeting on the 24th and 25th January 2013 in Pretoria. The purpose of the meeting was to enable the panel and the Department of Communications to map out the scope of work for the panel, delineate responsibilities, design a strategic approach to tackling the ICT policy review process and address administrative issues.

The meeting discussed the terms of reference which outlines the scope of the work of the Review Panel, including the structure of the panel. The panel agreed on a three phase approach to its work. The first phase will focus on assessing the policy environment from 1994 to date. The outcome of this phase will be a policy review report. The second phase focuses on the development of a discussion document which will form part of the Green Paper process which takes into consideration an integrated approach to address convergence of ICT services. The last phase will focus on creating a new ICT policy framework moving toward the White Paper on ICT Policy.

This meeting has laid a firm foundation forthe Department as it works on developing a Green Paper and later, a White Paper on Integrated National ICT Policy.

”We are firmly on track to deliver the ICT Policy that will propel the country into the next level of economic growth while improving the quality of services the State delivers to the citizens,” says Minister of Communications, Ms Dina Pule.