Newly appointed communications minister Roy Padayachie wants to foster an “effective partnership with the private sector” and create a “new spirit of working together” to address the challenges facing the industry.

He says he plans to meet with “key stakeholders” as early as this week to get an idea of the issues that need urgent attention.

Padayachie was speaking to TechCentral on Monday morning, just hours before he was due to be sworn in at the presidential guesthouse in Pretoria.

“I want to set a proper basis for an effective partnership with the private sector. I think that’s absolutely important.”

He says he wants to ensure technology is used to its maximum to assist in economic development. “We have to do our damnedest to get these services out to our people.”

Fixing the problems at the department of communications and at the SABC and Sentech are also top of his priority list. He hopes to have an idea of the extent of the rot at the communications department soon.

He says he will be involved intimately in the process of identifying and appointing a new director-general for the department. Former minister Siphiwe Nyanda fired his former director-general, Mamodupi Mohlala, following an ugly spat between the two. Harold Wesso is acting as director-general until a full-time replacement is found.

On his watch, the independence of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) will continue to be safeguarded, Padayachie promises. But he says the authority must be strengthened to “function effectively”.

Padayachie, who declines to comment on the performance of his predecessors, says he also wants to review legislative amendments, currently being drafted, that will affect the sector.

The Icasa Amendment Bill, currently before parliament, has been criticised for undermining Icasa’s independence by handing more power to the communications minister. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral