The SA Revenue Service (Sars) is modernising its customs processes to improve its service and increase compliance, the tax body said on Thursday. “The programme will improve the service for tax-compliant traders and increase the risks for those who are noncompliant,” Sars commissioner Oupa Magashula told a conference in Johannesburg.
Deputy home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba intends to fast-track the passage of a yet-to-be-drafted law that will compel Internet service providers to filter content provided to users to ensure it does not contain any pornography. The film and publication board (FPB) held a symposium this week to look at ways of protecting children from porn.
Super 5 Media has just over a month left to release a product to market, before the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) may begin looking at revoking its licence. Super 5 Media was once regarded as the strongest potential competitor to incumbent MultiChoice and its DStv service. However, a TechCentral investigation has revealed the business has all but collapsed.
The world’s largest chipmaker, Intel, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Africa’s largest mobile operator, MTN, to extend its African reach. Intel GM for sub-Saharan Africa Jacques van Schalkwyk says the agreement will result in Intel working with MTN to bring low-cost WiMax modems and computer equipment in markets where MTN has deployed WiMax networks.
Neotel wants to work with small wireless Internet service providers as it struggles to roll out connectivity to rural and underserved parts of the country. Mike Silber, policy and special projects specialist at Neotel, says as one of the few telecommunications network licensees with community service obligations the company is mandated to deploy network connectivity to rural schools and clinics.
Ousted communications director-general Mamodupi Mohlala says the way communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda fired her was akin to a “public execution”. Mohlala tells TechCentral that she had questioned the minister on several issues related to the running of the department. “But I never expected it to come to a head like this.”
SA’s telecommunications industry regulator needs to rethink the way it divvies out the radio frequency spectrum that can be used to provide the next generation of wireless broadband services. The spectrum in question, particularly the 190MHz available in the 2,6GHz band, should be split into three separate parts — two bands catering to so-called frequency-division duplex technology (FDD) and a third band catering to time-division duplex (FDD) systems.
“The situation has deteriorated to an extent that I am not able to make untainted deductions on your actions and responses. The breakdown of our relationship has left the department in a stalemate.” This is one of the accusations levelled at former communications department director-general Mamodupi Mohlala by communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda in his letter of dismissal to her, dated 23 July.
When it comes to the latest handsets, consumers want to know more about the software they’re buying than the hardware specifications of the phone itself. This is driving big competitive changes in the smartphone market and reshaping an industry. A few years ago, buying a cellphone was a relatively trivial exercise.
Telkom nonexecutive chairman Jeff Molobela, under fire for allegedly overstepping his mandate and interfering in the day-to-day operations of the group, has hit back at his critics, saying he’s been unfairly maligned. Molobela used a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday to slam “innuendo from a number of quarters” and refute claims that he “recklessly ignored corporate governance”.