SA telecoms minister seeks R1.59 billion
Minister of telecommunications and postal services, Dr Siyabonga Cwele, has requested government approval for a R1.59 billion budget for the department.
Speaking to Parliament on Wednesday (16 July), Cwele presented a budget vote ‘signifying a more focused attention on infrastructure roll-out, the creation and acceleration of the expansion of e-government services’, and the co-ordination and streamlining of public entities in the sector.
Through the Strategic Integrated Project (SIP)-15, Cwele said that focus would also be put on local production of content and manufacturing, research and innovation, content and applications development, ICT skills and human resources development.
It would also focus on funding for the roll-out of broadband infrastructure, coordination across governments and the private sector as well as broadcasting digital migration.
The minister also pointed to better e-Government platforms. “Our objective is to provide and maintain transversal information systems and develop e-Government platforms, for use by departments to deliver services online to citizens.”
He said that through South African State Information Technology Agency (SITA), over the next five years, a significant number of government services will be available online.
Cwele also cautioned against over-reliance on mobile broadband as it will not be sufficient for ensuring effective e-service delivery.
He said that the Department will finalise, by October, a study on the Open Access Network “that will inform how critical resources can be leveraged to ensure a competitive and open market that will unleash competition to drive down the cost to communicate in South Africa’.
The minister noted that telecommunications revenues in SA, grew to approximately R179 billion in 2011, and is expected to increase to R187 billion by 2016.
“I urge the house to approve this Budget Vote of the department of communications of R1.59 billion,” Cwele told Parliament.
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