Regulatory process a challenge in South Africa

In his keynote address at the Atio Conference on the Electronic Communication Bill (ECB), held last week, MP and chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, Mpetjane Lekgoro, did not want to expand on the negative and risk implications of the Bill.

Lekgoro said he wanted to focus on the positive, and made little reference to the possible risks that parliament and government have identified with the implementation of the Bill.

bThe risks involved are different for all and some see them just as challenges,b he added. He only pointed to the fact that one of the risks is that the private sector, if not regulated, will just btake overb. If this happens it is expected that it will only focus on profit and not on the holistic socioeconomic development of the sector and country overall.

He also noted the challenge of the slow regulatory process. The delay in sorting out regulations, said Lekgoro, means that other countries around the world have the opportunity to capture the call center market, leaving SA trailing behind once again.

The question he asked is: bIf the delay in regulatory process is a concern for government, why are things not happening faster?b

Lekgoro also mentioned price control as a concern, but did not elaborate on the issue.

Responding to a question from the audience on the next phase of the liberalization process and time frames, Lekgoro said: bThe minister will make some new announcements before winter.b He could not offer any further comment on this, saying that parliament and government are two separate structures, and neither knows what the other is doing.

However, he hopes, and strongly believes, that the minister will give some answers on the issues regarding local loop unbundling and interconnection in her next announcement.