Major telecommunications operators in South Africa have created a new, non-profit association to look after their interests and work with government and regulators.
The Association of Comms & Technology (ACT) will be headed by Nomvuyiso Batyi, a former councillor at Icasa and special adviser to former communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, and will be chaired by Shameel Joosub, the CEO of Vodacom Group.
The founding members of the association are Cell C, Rain, Telkom, Vodacom, MTN and Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
“The formation of this association will assist the network operators in reducing fragmentation in the industry and ensure that they provide a common message on industry-related matters,” said Batyi in a statement.
“The ICT sector creates job opportunities and economic participation in industries such as health, banking, financial institutions as well as education, making the role of a unified industry voice critical to aid the government in managing these sectors,.” she said.
The ACT was launched at an industry event at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon, where communications minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni was a keynote speaker.
Speaking at the event, Batyi said there are big gaps in ICT policy and regulation in South Africa. “We need to find solutions that are appropriate for South Africa and its citizens… We have to take proactive steps to ensure our policy and regulatory environment is responsive.” — (c) 2022 NewsCentral Media
