More affordable broadband for SA: Zuma
South African president, Jacob Zuma, says government will expand, modernise and increase the affordability of information and communications infrastructure, including broadband.
Zuma was delivering his second 2014 State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Tuesday night.
“We will expand, modernise and increase the affordability of information and communications infrastructure and electronic communication services, including broadband and digital broadcasting.
“Cabinet adopted “South Africa Connect”, our Broadband Policy and Strategy, in December last year to take this mission forward,” the president said.
“We will continue with various other infrastructure projects that will change the living conditions of our people and boost economic growth.”
The president said that government has invested approximately one trillion rand in new infrastructure to provide water, energy, transport, sanitation, schools and clinics and internet connections to SA citizens.
Zuma said that over the next five years, the country will prioritise support to small business, as well as township and informal sector businesses in particular, thus using the SMME development programme to boost broad-based black economic empowerment.
“We will sharpen the implementation of the amended Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act and the Employment Equity Act, in order to transform the ownership, management and control of the economy.
“We will promote more employee and community share ownership schemes and boost the participation of black entrepreneurs in the re-industrialisation of the economy,” he said.
In February, Zuma, said that more of the country’s wealth was being created through the internet or telecommunication.
He noted that 37,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable has been laid by the private and public sectors in the past five years. “This will be significantly expanded in the years ahead,” he said.
Prior broadband and telecoms mention
In his 2013 SONA, Zuma said that government planned to achieve 100% broadband penetration in South Africa by 2020.
In 2012 Zuma did not mention telecommunications, but did hint at investments in ‘information and communication technologies’ in five “major geographically-focussed programmes”.
Zuma also did not mention telecoms prices in his 2011 SONA, but in 2010 and 2009 the president promised lower telecoms prices and better services.
In his first State of the Nation Address (2009) Zuma said that Government “will ensure that the cost of telecommunications is reduced through the projects underway to expand broadband capacity.”
In 2010 the president focused on broadband, highlighting that government was working to reduce the cost to communicate, adding that cheaper and faster broadband services are also on the cards.
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