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The draft Telecommunications Amendment Bill, tabled this week in Parliament, has been withdrawn at the instruction of Jay Naidoo, Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting.

"I requested my department to withdraw the Bill on the grounds that insufficient consultation had taken place, and that its purpose - namely to facilitate the licensing of a third mobile cellular operator - was not immediately necessary," he says.

The Bill was intended to deal with particular amendments to definitions in the existing Telecommunications Act, and to include definitions for "roaming" and "number portability". However concerns raised by stakeholders, including Telkom, about the lack of consultation and the impact of the Bill on existing operations were brought to the attention of Naidoo late last week.

"It is clear that there would be insufficient time available in this Parliamentary session for the Portfolio Committee and stakeholders to make proper submissions and observations about the draft Bill," Naidoo says.

Issued by: Ministry for Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting, 10 March 1999

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