Next year was meant to be a big one for South Africa’s technology industry. Years ago, under the Mbeki administration, the government agreed with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that the country would switch off analogue terrestrial television broadcasts by 17 June 2015. Countries
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South Africa Connect, South Africa’s broadband policy, was published in December 2013, ushering in 2014 with great promise. The policy called for, among other things, the removal of policies that constrain competition and the roll-out of broadband. It singled out service-based competition
Government’s centralised IT services and technology procurement organisation, the State IT Agency, will in future no longer report into the minister of public service and administration. Rather, it will in future report into the ministry of telecommunications and postal services, headed by Siyabonga Cwele. This is one of a
“There is no confusion in the ANC.” Those are the words telecommunications and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele used in parliament this week to deflect criticism that President Jacob Zuma’s post-election decision to
Icasa has become a “political football”, according to the Democratic Alliance. Just weeks after it seemed certain that the communications regulator would report into the department of telecommunications and postal services, communications minister Faith Muthambi has told parliament that it
On 25 May, President Jacob Zuma announced the cabinet for his second term. In a surprise movement, the announcement included significant changes in the role of the department of communications and the creation of a new ministry of telecommunications and postal services. This has resulted in enormous
South Africa could soon wake up to a rendition of the national anthem on national television in a bid to improve patriotism, social cohesion and moral regeneration. Communications minister Faith Muthambi told parliament on Tuesday that there will be a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the SABC
What was the president thinking? Last Sunday, Jacob Zuma sent shockwaves through South Africa’s technology industry by dumping his hardworking communications minister, Yunus Carrim – arguably the most competent person to fill the portfolio since the 1990s – and splitting the ministry in
The SOS Coalition, which represents trade unions, community media and content producers hoping to support quality public broadcasting in South Africa, has slammed President Jacob Zuma’s decision to dump his communications minister, Yunus Carrim, instead creating two new departments headed by two new ministers. The Coalition has accused Zuma of
President Jacob Zuma’s decision to split the department of communications into two separate entities — one focused on broadcasting and media and the other on posts and telecommunications — is a retrograde step that has set ICT policy making in South Africa back by 25 years. That’s the view of