Cwele must be allowed to do his job to fast-track digital migration
15 August 2014
The Democratic Alliance will write to President Jacob Zuma to intervene in the ‘turf war' over Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) that has ensued between the Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi, and the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Siyabonga Cwele, so that Minister Cwele can be allowed to do his job (see M&G report).
This impasse could further stall the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting and may very well leave South African viewers with poor picture and sound quality.
The 'turf war', which has delayed Cabinet's approval of Minister's Cwele's revised DTT policy, also illustrates that Minister Muthambi does not fully appreciate the true value of digital migration, which is to free up bandwidth to deliver internet services throughout South Africa and bridge the Digital Divide.
Cabinet must quickly address this battle between Ministers Muthambi and Cwele. It must give Minister Cwele the freedom to do his job which is to fast-track the availability of communications bandwidth to support eGovernment strategies and the digital economy.
The Ministry of Communications, which oversees the SABC, has the attitude that the value of DTT lies in making more and better-quality television programming available to South Africans. While this is true - and offers more opportunities for content producers - it does not trump the valuable impact of rapid rollout of high-speed, robust broadband infrastructure for eGovernment services and economic growth opportunities.
It is also bizarre that Minister Muthambi believes she needs to be included in Ministers Cwele's decision making. He is operating within his legal mandate and the departmental expertise on this issue resides in his department.
These reports further indicate what the Information Communication and Telecommunications (ICT) sector feared would happen when President Jacob Zuma announced his ill-considered decision to split the former Communications Department to create a Cabinet position for Minister Muthambi.
South Africa's ranking in the international and African ICT environments continues to slide as successive communications ministers' uninformed meddling in critical issues delays and obfuscates policy and regulatory implementation.
This must stop. South Africa's continued participation in the global economy depends on a streamlined, robust, high-speed ICT infrastructure.
The DA urges all concerned parties to support Minister Cwele's DTT policy proposals so ICT infrastructure rollout is fast-tracked to deliver eGovernment services throughout South Africa and to boost our global economic growth.
Statement issued by Marian Shinn MP, DA Shadow Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, August 15 2014
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