DoC minister calls for ICT policy overhaul
Communications minister, Dina Pule says that her Department will embark on a comprehensive ICT policy overhaul and would start implementing these policies in 2014.
Addressing an audience at the department of communications’ ICT Colloquium in Midrand on Thursday (April 19, 2012), Pule said that the outcomes of this ICT policy development process should be aligned to the government’s apex priorities of fighting crime and corruption, rural development, improving health and education and creating sustainable jobs.
“In other words, the final policy has to be aligned to the government’s developmental goals and address challenges that this industry faces such as increasing the number of female executives and attracting younger women in ICTs. We also need greater investment in local research, development and innovation,” the minister said.
Pule said that a policy review was necessary to overhaul all the legislation in the communications sector in order to reflect the work that the government does and helps this country and industry to benefit from sustainable ICT development and services for the next 20 years.
“This review has to remove aspects of legislation that are irrelevant and are hindering economic growth and social cohesion while ushering in elements that are important now and those that will be significant into the future.
“Given this challenge, we couldn’t afford to have a piecemeal approach to a review process that would allow us to only close policy loopholes in existing legislation and not lay a foundation for a prosperous and progressive future, enabled by ICTs.”
“As the Department, we are committed to moving with speed in ensuring that we conclude all the legislative and Parliamentary requirements for developing policies by the end of next year and start implementing these policies in 2014,” the DoC lead said.
Pule, who was appointed as minister in October 2011, said that her department had prioritized the need to address the ICT policy environment in the country, “such that it addresses existing challenges and takes us to the year 2030.
“We expect to consolidate all policy on broadcasting services in the digital environment; broadband and internet access; spectrum licensing framework for the country’s development; new regulatory areas in all of these; funding and investment; e-Skills development; local content development and ICT market growth. ICT policy must respond to the government priority of job creation,” the minister said.
Pule also called for fair competition in the market in order to lower the costs of communications.
“The debate about the cost to communicate is trending, or very popular, to those who are older and use the old language on social networks. Therefore, we must have honest and progressive discussions on this matter. Everybody must come forward and explore answers to this important business and social question. We also need investment in this sector to create jobs, especially in the rural areas,” the minister said.
The DoC noted that between 2003 and 2005 South Africa’s average ICT expenditure as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 9.13%, among the highest rates in the continent. The sector contributed 4.3% to the GDP in 2008, a rate that is lower than the world average of 5.4% contribution.
“This needs to improve and today marks the start of a process that will lead to the sector contributing a lot more to the economic growth of our country and to eradicating poverty.
“We have a golden opportunity to do this. The global economic forces are realigning and developing countries have become increasingly important. South Africa is a member of the BRICS countries that include Brazil, Russia, India and China. The government has opened up this opportunity for the country and it is up to small and big businesses to fully exploit it for the benefit of the people continent,” Pule said.
“At this point, I would like to call upon all of us to reflect on the road we have travelled in implementing ICT policies and legislations. The process we are embarking upon today, the comprehensive policy overhaul, is a critical step in assisting us to design the future we want to see.”
“It provides an opportunity to all South Africans to input in the development of a shared and common vision for the ICT sector. I would like to invite all South Africans to contribute towards the development of this common vision,” the minister said.
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