Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      South Africa begins complex job of overhauling media laws

      13 July 2025

      Nvidia CEO to hold high-stakes media briefing in Beijing

      13 July 2025

      Blue Label Telecoms to change its name as restructuring gathers pace

      11 July 2025

      Get your ID delivered like pizza – home affairs’ latest digital shake-up

      11 July 2025

      EFF vows to stop Starlink from launching in South Africa

      11 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Telecoms bill: Cwele promises to listen to industry

    Telecoms bill: Cwele promises to listen to industry

    By Duncan McLeod17 May 2018
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Telecoms minister Siyabonga Cwele. Image c/o World Economic Forum

    Telecommunications & postal service minister Siyabonga Cwele has promised to listen to the industry’s complaints about the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill and will delay the publication of the next draft until August while it is redrafted.

    The news is likely to come as somewhat of a relief to the telecoms operators and industry bodies that have taken issue with various aspects of the contentious bill, though Cwele said he can’t share yet what changes are being made to the draft legislation.

    “We are a little bit behind in terms of our schedule to submit it to cabinet,” the minister said in response to a question from TechCentral ahead of his department’s budget vote speech in parliament on Thursday. Cwele had hoped the amended bill would be presented to cabinet in March.

    It is cabinet ultimately that has responsibility as the custodian of the spectrum on behalf of the people of South Africa. I don’t think cabinet will take long to process this

    At a stakeholder workshop arranged by the telecoms department earlier this year, big operators, including Vodacom and MTN, as well as a range of industry organisations, severely criticised aspects of the bill. Cwele said on Thursday that government is taking the issues raised at the meeting “very seriously”. Department officials are “sifting through these” and “every view must first be considered”.

    The minister said the intention now is to submit an amended draft bill to parliament by August. He said changes will be made that consider industry feedback and criticism, and added: “We are taking into account the economic conditions we are facing as a country, because we want to attract investment.”

    Vodacom, MTN and others have said the bill in its current form will chase away investment. Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub said the draft bill is the industry’s “mining charter”, referring to government’s empowerment charter that has undermined investment in the resources sector.

    Some of the issues that have industry players hot under the collar are a plan to reserve most — if not all — radio frequency spectrum that can be used for wireless broadband for an unproven wholesale open-access network (Woan) and a threat to take away the operators’ existing spectrum licences, which they have used to deploy their 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks.

    CSIR report

    Cwele promised to release a report from the CSIR into how much spectrum the Woan will need and to abide by its findings. Government has been sitting on the report for months.

    “I made a personal commitment that I will support whatever outcome the CSIR comes with,” Cwele told TechCentral. “All of us agreed it is an institution that is credible and has the capacity to carry out such a high-level study at short notice.”

    The minister said he has taken the CSIR’s recommendations to cabinet and is “motivating” his colleagues to accept them, “or give inputs where necessary”.

    “It is cabinet, ultimately, that has responsibility as the custodian of the spectrum on behalf of the people of South Africa. I don’t think cabinet will take long to process this. We must allow the cabinet processes to be concluded because we take collective decisions.”

    In an possible softening of his previous stance, Cwele said it is critical to stimulate investment in the South African economy. “Spectrum,” he said, “is the oxygen for these operators. At the same time, we are very happy that they are supporting this open-access network, the Woan, because it is an instrument for those who haven’t been able to enter this market…”

    The major operators have promised to buy 30% of the Woan’s capacity in return for receiving exclusive-use spectrum of their own.  — © 2018 NewsCentral Media



    MTN Shameel Joosub Siyabonga Cwele top Vodacom Woan
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleAs Usaasa crisis deepens, Cwele vows action
    Next Article Spectrum-starved MTN to deploy 4G alongside 2G, 3G at 900MHz

    Related Posts

    Spam call epidemic: operators say their hands are tied

    10 July 2025

    Vodacom, Maziv deal now looks likely after CompCom U-turn

    8 July 2025

    Sasol, Vodacom team up to modernise Secunda operations

    4 July 2025
    Company News

    $125-trillion traded: Binance redefines global finance in just eight years

    11 July 2025

    NEC XON welcomes HPE acquisition of Juniper Networks

    11 July 2025

    LTE Cat 1 vs Cat 1 bis – what’s the difference?

    11 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.