Minister of Communications Yunus Carrim has berated Vodacom, MTN, and South Africa\u2019s broadcasters for constantly threatening (and taking) legal action rather than negotiating.<\/p>\n
Carrim was speaking at the launch of the National Consultative Workshop for the National Integrated ICT Green Paper at Emperor\u2019s Palace in Johannesburg on Monday, 3 March 2014.<\/p>\n
He took a segue from his written speech to reprimand South Africa\u2019s information and communications technology (ICT) players for favouring court action over continued negotiation.<\/p>\n
Referring to Vodacom and MTN, Carrim said \u201cThese two companies I\u2019m told have over 85% of the share of revenue in the sector.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that as a department they have done what they could without undermining the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), the telecommunications sector regulator.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s all I can say, except to express concern,\u201d Carrim said, after which he launched into a firm rebuke.<\/p>\n
Carrim said that one of the greatest events of the 20th century happened on 27 April 1994 \u2013 South Africa\u2019s first democratic elections \u2013 which was reached through negotiations.<\/p>\n
The Minister went on to ask why a matter should be taken to court when a negotiation will siuffice? \u201cIt is unacceptable what is going on here,\u201d Carrim said.<\/p>\n
An unnamed broadcaster threatening legal action because of a dispute involving the encryption of South Africa\u2019s digital terrestrial television (DTT) and set-top box (STB) control also received a lashing from Carrim.<\/p>\n
E-tv is arguing for the inclusion of STB Control, saying that it will boost South Africa\u2019s electronic manufacturing sector and enable them to offer higher quality content.<\/p>\n
DStv\/MultiChoice is arguing against STB Control, and has reportedly struck a deal with the SABC which prevents the SABC from encrypting its signal on South Africa\u2019s to-be-launched DTT platform.<\/p>\n
Carrim said that while there are genuinely people who support STB Control and those that don\u2019t as matters of principle, for most in the sector it \u201cis about profits again\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about what is best for the country?\u201d Carrim asked.<\/p>\n
Despite government\u2019s attempts to strike a compromise by allowing broadcasters to decide whether they want to encrypt their signals or not, Carrim said that a broadcaster has threatened legal action.<\/p>\n
He remarked that this reaction to regulations and policies that a company might disagree with appears to have become a South African tradition.<\/p>\n
Carrim asked whether it is not true that all of these broadcasters are being threatened by Netflix.<\/p>\n
Yet instead of resolving the matter and getting on with it, they opt to leave the sector open to fight the matter of STB Control.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are five-and-a-half years behind schedule!\u201d the Minister exclaimed. \u201cWe will live in the dark ages if we don\u2019t sort this out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yunus Carrim: how has he done so far?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Yunus Carrim has his job cut out for him<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n