Communications regulator Icasa said on Monday that it has formed a council committee to probe the impact of load shedding on the ICT sector — and seek possible solutions.
As Eskom’s power cuts wreak havoc on mobile operators in particular, the regulator is moving to investigate the impact it’s having on the electronic communications, broadcasting and postal services sectors.
The probe comes after government introduced – and then scrapped – a national state of disaster over the electricity crisis earlier this year.
“The establishment of the committee follows the outcomes of a virtual consultation workshop that the authority undertook in response to the declaration of the national state of disaster, which highlighted several concerns from stakeholders,” it said in a statement.
Read: ‘It’s hell’: Mobile networks face load shedding nightmare
“The committee will work closely with the affected stakeholders in the industry and identify potential regulatory interventions that fall within the authority’s purview.
“Workable solutions can be identified through collaboration with relevant stakeholders to ameliorate the impact of load shedding on the ICT sector, the economy and on the people of the country,” it said. – © 2023 NewsCentral Media