Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Court battle brewing over contentious Joburg CCTV by-law

      7 July 2025

      Biometrics boss slams home affairs over R10 ID query fee

      7 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      Rain’s new Loop lets you carry your Wi-Fi and music everywhere

      7 July 2025

      Medupi unit 4 rejoins grid, easing winter load shedding fears

      7 July 2025
    • World

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025

      Jony Ive’s first AI gadget could be … a pen

      30 June 2025

      Bumper orders for Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV heighten threat to Tesla

      27 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on data governance in hybrid cloud environments

      27 June 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on cloud cost management in Microsoft Azure

      26 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Icasa appeals to Telkom to end litigation over auction

    Icasa appeals to Telkom to end litigation over auction

    By Duncan McLeod10 January 2022
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Icasa CEO Willington Ngwepe

    Icasa has appealed to Telkom to abandon its legal action aimed at stopping the upcoming spectrum auction, appealing to its “patriotic conscience”.

    This comes as pressure mounts against the partially state-owned telecommunications operator over its efforts to interdict the critical spectrum licensing process.

    Icasa’s plea to Telkom — by its CEO, Willington Ngwepe, in an interview with TechCentral on Monday — comes as news emerged, and reported here for the first time, that Vodacom, South Africa’s largest mobile operator, has joined the minister of communications, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and operators MTN South Africa and Rain in giving notice to the high court that they will fight Telkom’s legal action.

    We appeal to Telkom’s patriotic conscience to unreservedly withdraw their litigation

    Vodacom’s move means Telkom looks set to find itself up against a wall of legal opposition — and highly paid senior counsel — when it heads to the high court in Pretoria to try to stop the long-awaited auction, including from its largest shareholder – the government.

    Icasa has now appealed to Telkom to back off from its latest legal moves in the interests of the sector and the broader South African economy.

    “Given the latest developments, we appeal to Telkom’s patriotic conscience to unreservedly withdraw their litigation as such a move would enable Icasa to focus on addressing the concerns raised in the invitation to apply [to participate in the auction] by the key stakeholders, without compromising the urgent need to expedite the spectrum licensing process,” the Ngwepe told TechCentral,

    Telkom’s concerns

    Vodacom said in court papers seen by TechCentral that it will oppose Telkom’s application for an interdict to stop the auction, joining other operators in doing so.

    Vodacom has not anything in the papers about the second part of Telkom’s application, which deals with the merits of the matter. Icasa has, however, disclosed that Vodacom has concerns about the process Icasa is following in licensing broadband spectrum.

    Telkom is taking Icasa to court because it is concerned, among other things, by the fact that analogue television broadcasters have yet to stop using the highly prized “digital dividend” bands of 700MHz and 800MHz that Icasa intends licensing. Telkom is worried that legal action by e.tv parent eMedia Holdings will delay analogue television switch-off, with Ntshavheni and her boss, President Cyril Ramaphosa, having promised will be completed by the end of March.

    TechCentral reported at the weekend that Ntshavheni filed papers at the high court stating her intention to oppose Telkom’s application to interdict Icasa over the spectrum auction.

    At the centre of the litigation … Telkom’s Siyabonga Mahlangu

    Telkom brought the urgent application last week, seeking to interdict Icasa from proceeding with the auction, prompting the regulator to accuse the company of acting in its own narrow commercial self-interest by heading to court for the second time in a year over the auction.

    Telkom group executive for regulatory affairs and government relations Siyabonga Mahlangu said the company is challenging the latest process on several grounds. These include that spectrum in the 700MHz and 800MHz bands is still not available (and might not be available for some time); that Icasa failed to consider the competitive landscape in crafting the rules around the spectrum auction; and that Icasa’s decision to delay the licensing of the wholesale open-access network (an interlinked process) has created uncertainty. Telkom is also unhappy about the way Icasa plans to impose spectrum caps.  – © 2022 NewsCentral Media



    e.tv eMedia Holdings Khumbudzo Ntshavheni Rain Siyabonga Mahlangu Telkom Vodacom Willington Ngwepe
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleCrunch time over looming shock Eskom price hike
    Next Article WhatsApp co-founder Acton named Signal’s interim CEO

    Related Posts

    Rain’s new Loop lets you carry your Wi-Fi and music everywhere

    7 July 2025

    Sasol, Vodacom team up to modernise Secunda operations

    4 July 2025

    Vodacom’s influence on Maziv too strong to ignore: tribunal

    27 June 2025
    Company News

    Huawei launches next-gen fibre-to-the-room solution

    7 July 2025

    Remote monitoring tools: IT lifesavers or hacker gateways?

    7 July 2025

    The school placement crisis is getting worse

    7 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.