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Strengthening Cooperation for a Prosperous ICT Sector

This presentation highlights the importance of cooperation between government, regulators, industry players, and civil society in the ICT sector. It discusses the current state of cooperation and proposes ways to further strengthen collaboration for the growth and development of the industry.

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Strengthening Cooperation for a Prosperous ICT Sector

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  1. Strengthening co-operation between government, the regulator, the sector , operators, ISPs, ICT SMMEs, labour, Parliament and civil society Presentation to the PARLIAMENT (PC ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND POSTAL SERVICES) ICT SEMINAR: 20 YEARS ON PROGRAMME By SACF CEO Loren Braithwaite Kabosha Wednesday, 4 February 2015 Good Hope Chamber, Parliament

  2. Agenda 1) Introduction of SACF and industry Associations 2) Why Cooperation is important 3) Current State of Cooperation between Government, the Regulator, Industry, Labour and Civil Society • Summary of Engagements between Government and Civil Society 2003 -2015 • Engagement between Regulator and Civil Society 4) Way forward to Building Cooperation

  3. 1) Introduction of SACF and Industry Associations

  4. SACF Vision Unleashing the power of the SA ICT industry to create the most enabling ecosystem for a universally connected and prosperous South Africa SACF Mission To be the credible, nationally supported umbrella industry platform: • that serves, promotes and protects the interests of SACF members and other ICT associations, • to enable the achievement of SA Connect and other initiatives, • to create an innovative and globally competitive ICT industry, • to accelerate national development, • by proactively engaging the government and all other stakeholders

  5. SACF Strategic Objectives • To become the unifying platform of the ICT sector • To be instrumental in developing the appropriate policy and regulatory ecosystem • To provide thought leadership through research and development • To coordinate the development of ICT human capital • To promote ICT as a means for socio-economic development • To further transformation in the ICT sector

  6. Some of the SACF Members:

  7. Background of SACF • SACF is a Non Profit Company formed in April 2001 which aims to broaden the growth and development of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Industry. • SACF is a successor to the African Telecommunications Forum founded in 1993 and has a history in promoting meaningful participation of Historically Disadvantage Individuals (HDI’s) in the ICT Industries. • The Forum represents the leading stakeholders in the Telecommunication, Electronic Media, Postal, Information Technology, Electronics and Broadcasting Industries.

  8. Background of SACF, cont. • Members of SACF also include numerous small and medium enterprises and individual executives in the ICT industry ( this is only a partial list for the sake of brevity) • The SACF is an organisation which pools together high level technical skills and business expertise in the ICT sector.

  9. SACF Programmes • Policy Intervention and Development • Training and Skills Development • Membership and Outreach • SA Women in ICT Forum • ICT Youth Forum • International Partnerships • SADC • Finland • Korea

  10. A Key Role in ICT Forum

  11. http://www.afrobohosnob.com/#!The-Best-Commercial-of-the-Year-thus-ar/c1kod/54c924360cf2cb652450f445http://www.afrobohosnob.com/#!The-Best-Commercial-of-the-Year-thus-ar/c1kod/54c924360cf2cb652450f445

  12. Key roles for ICT Forums • Effective well-resourced and supported industry associations and forums enable informed choices to be made by members, within and external to the industry • Unbiased benchmarking studies that inform the whole industry and its external partners and stakeholders without infringing on the nature and quality of those choices, or the independence to make them; • A platform for dialogue and mediation: changing from compliance-driven adversarial relationships to cooperative decision-making that serves both industry and its operating environment. • Promoting healthy competition within the industry through informed and mutually beneficial development of outcomes-base governing policies and regulations, and building trust between the industry and the society it serves.

  13. 2) Why Cooperation is important

  14. Creating jobs is one of the most critical challenges facing South Africa today

  15. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are arguably South Africa’s best-bet investment for future development Technology has been a principal engine for economic growth and job Creation globally. Most of the jobs in today’s economy are based on technologies that did not exist 50 years ago. In many countries, the Internet has become the fastest growing driver of economic growth, and South Africa is no exception: the Internet’s contribution to the South African economy will rise by around 0.1% a year, reaching 2.5 percent by 2016. 1. At this rate, the Internet's share of GDP and contribution to employment will continue to grow - faster than the offline economy's, contributing up to 5.5% per annum (on average) to overall GDP growth. The South African Internet economy is expected to reach R79-billion in 2015. 2. This growth is significant if compared against other sectors: for example, economic activity in the manufacturing sector and in the mining and quarrying sector reflected a negative growth rate of -1.9% and -17.4% respectively in 2011 (Stats SA). 3. In the next five years, the Internet economy will become a key component of the South African economy - it will be fuelled not only by growing awareness of the significance of the Internet by both business and Government, but also by the rapid growth in the number of Internet users

  16. The NPD anchored in economic growth for social equity • South Africa’s challenge as a developing state is to find a healthy balance between the three pillars: economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability. • The NDP is a blueprint for eliminating poverty and reducing inequality in South Africa by 2030. • It seeks to do this by drawing on the energies of the country's people, growing an inclusive economy, enhancing the capacity of the state, and promoting leadership and partnerships throughout society • All these are totally dependent on modern global information flows, and knowledge created, disseminated, shared and used to support the development of these three pillars. • ICTs are the critical pillars of such information and knowledge utilization.

  17. The ICT Sector is Described as follows in the National Development Plan: • Performance of most state interventions in the ICT sector has been disappointing • SA lost its status as continental leader in Internet & Broadband connectivity • Pricing of services & equipment remains barrier to expand use • Policy constraints, weaknesses in institutional arrangements, conflicting policies between responsible departments, regulatory failure and limited competition contributed to the problem • Ability of ICASA to enable a more open market has been hampered by legal bottlenecks, limited capacity and expertise

  18. 3) Current State of Cooperation between Government, the Regulator, Industry, Labour and Civil Society-Summary of Engagements between Government and Civil Society 2003 -2015-Engagement between Regulator and Civil Society

  19. A few of the past engagements Among Government, Industry and Civil Society: Minister Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburi 2099 2005 2009 2005 2003 Launch of ICT Charter discussions June 2003 first final draft in 2005 National Convergence Colloquium of 2003 Electronic Communications Act of 2005

  20. A few of the past engagements among Government, Industry and Civil Society: October 2009, Industry with Minister Nyanda launches ICT Vision 2020 Minister Siphiwe Nyanda Information and Society Multi-stakeholder Forum 25 – 26 February 2010 SADC digital terrestrial television (DTT) standards symposium held at Gallagher Estate on Friday 30 April 2010. ICT Industry Forum meeting 23 October 2009 Quarterly meetings 2009 2010 2010

  21. A few of the past engagements among Government, Industry and Civil Society Minister Roy Padayachie 2011 2010 2011 2011 2011 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) Implementation Roadmap April 2011 Minister Padyachie held the first of his Top 30 Roundtable discussions 25th of February 2011. Multi-Stakeholder Forum on ISAD 31st March 2011

  22. A few of the past engagement among Government, Industry and Civil Society Minister Dina Pule 2011 2012 2012 2012 2013 The National ICT Policy Colloquium April 2012 December 2012 ICT Policy Review Panel launched ICT Indaba in Cape Town June 2012.

  23. A few of the past engagements among, Government, Industry and Civil Society Minister Yunus Carrim 2014 2014 2013 2013 Extensive facilitated dialogue on issues relating to Digital Migration, Cabinet Decision March 2014 National Broadcasting Advisory Council

  24. A few of the past engagements among Government, Industry and Civil Society Minister Siyabonga Cwele and Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize 2014 2015 2014 Soon: National ICT Forum 2015 2015 Launch of the Women in ICT Forum July 2014

  25. Industry Commitment Statement: To provide support and partner with Government and its institutions BMI-T has determined that the telecommunications sector alone invested some R172bn on capital expenditure in the last 10 years, with over half of this of this being spent in the last 4 years. Individual SACF members have invested up to R 9.45 billion in 2012. AND: • Clear engagement strategy; regularly reviewed • More coordination • Less duplication • Input taken seriously – meaningful outcomes

  26. Disjuncture between input and engagement and outcome Convergence Bill –policy since 2003 • Now pulling apart legislation/regulator/policy maker • in respect of institutional frameworks should be considered and analysed in light of the recent developments regarding the split in ministries and relevant proclamations, as this has critical structural and implementation impact. Greater coherence is needed. • There should be no overlap between functions, to amongst others ensure independence at regulatory level and promote fair competition at implementation level; • Perhaps for future consideration: the Ministry of ICT should be situated in the Presidency in order to promote better ICT coordination across government, and in order to enable it to have a more forward looking, planning oriented approach. The Ministry of ICT will need to be positioned to be viewed and a pillar towards both social and economic growth of the country; as well as increase investment in the sector. By positioning itself as a Presidential project/Ministry it needs to have the powers to play the coordinating role which is much needed for the growth of the sector.

  27. Disjuncture between input and engagement and outcome ICASA • Lack of access to High Demand Spectrum which is used to provide mobile broadband services • The initial draft invitation to apply (ITA) was issued by the Minister in 2007 and withdrawn. • Again in 2012 draft ITA was issued and withdrawn. • This is the Spectrum needed to provide LTE or mobile broadband which has not been made available to industry due to policy indecision. Without access to high demand spectrum, billions of rand in investment and infrastructure roll out has been postponed. • The anticipated “Digital Dividend” or the Spectrum to be made available at the completion of Digital Migration has been delayed by at least seven years with no relief in sight.

  28. Engagement between Regulator and Civil Society • Limited organised consumer activism • Previously had been Communications Users Association of South Africa (CUASA) but no longer active. • Consumer Advisory Panel – all resigned • Draft revised regulations suspended

  29. 4) Way forward to Building Cooperation

  30. Constraint ≈ Catalyst • Policy and regulatory reform: Innovation, vision and leadership • Training and Skills Development • Entrepreneurial development • Spectrum Licensing, including Digital Dividend • Infrastructure rollout providing access to Broadband

  31. Key discussion points • How can the ICT ecosystem, with its unique characteristic as the most effective modern tool for information dissemination, and knowledge creation, dissemination and use, be escalated in the NDP so that it plays its rightful role in the national development process? • How can the ICT industry, represented by the SACF and all other ICT industry associations, be used to develop the inclusive partnerships between , Civil Society, Labour and the ICT industry needed for the continuous engagements necessary for satisfactory implementation of the 2030 Vision for South Africa in the NDP? • What is the way forward for the SACF and therefore the whole national ICT industry to participate effectively?

  32. Some Suggestions: • Require reintroduction of CAP • Electronic session connecting citizens - “Policy Jams” • Greater use of social media – informative as well as instructive BUT constraints: • Spectrum delays leading to lack of access to broadband by most citizens • Lack of access to smart devices by most citizens • Delay in e-participation development

  33. Ke a leboga Dankie Ngiyathokoza Ke a leboha Thank you Siyabonga Ngiyabonga Inkomu Ndo livhuwa Enkosi Loren Braithwaite Kabosha loren@sacomforum.org.za 011 315 0590

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