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2 Nov 2012

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has embarked on a road-show to engage a wide range of its stakeholders across the country.

The ICASA Stakeholder Engagement road-show kicked-off last month with meetings and presentations of its 2012/17 Strategy Plan to the National Community radio Forum (NCRF) and the South African Communications Forum (SACF).

The stakeholder road-show went on to engage postal, broadcasting, electronic communications service and electronic communications network licensees as well as radio frequency spectrum licensees in the Cape Peninsular and the KwaZulu-Natal province.

The Authority intends to reach out to other interest groups and formations that are not necessarily licensed entities, but play an important role in the electronic communications sector.

This includes the South African Revenue Services and the South African Police Services particularly in relation to the import of unlicensed communications equipment and mobile phone handsets that cause radio frequency spectrum interference in the country.

National, provincial and local governments also play an important role with regard to the lay-out of communications infrastructure such as fibre optic cable for purposes of broadband connectivity to meet pressing socio-economic and developmental goals to achieve universal access and service.

The Authority intends to engage specifically national Departments of Environment and Water Affairs, provincial governments, the South African Local Authorities Association (SALGA) and its affiliate municipalities in this regard.

Other associations on the Authority's "radar screen" include the Internet Service Providers Association and the Wireless Application Service Providers' Association.

On the broadcasting front, the Authority also plans to reach out associations representing broadcasting licensees and content producers such as the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Independent Producers Organisation (IPO) and the South African Screen Federation (SASFED).

The ICASA Stakeholders Engagement Road-show is an attempt to address the shortcomings of previous stakeholders' meetings that were held in Johannesburg, and were out of reach for smaller licensees and operators outside the Gauteng province.

The Authority’s stakeholders' engagement plan also seeks to complement public awareness road-shows conducted in conjunction with the Department of Communications and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications that target grassroots communities across the country.

The Authority's plan does not exclude established and incumbent licensees, but will engage the likes of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, South African Posts Office or Vodacom. Many of the established operators and licensees are often in a position to request and hold bilateral meetings with the Authority as and when required.

Enquiries:
Jubie Matlou
Tel: 011 566 3463 / 082 376 0015
E-mail: jmatlou@icasa.org.za

Issued by: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
2 Nov 2012

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