Telkom has no need to issue a tender for security services to guard its infrastructure, including its copper cable network, this year, as the current tender is ongoing and will only expire in August 2009.
This is according to communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, who was responding to a query from Democratic Alliance communications spokeswoman Dene Smuts in Parliament, on Tuesday.
Smuts asked the minister for clarification on companies that submitted tenders and the criteria used to judge selected security companies, the history of these companies with Telkom and criteria that is used to assess the performance of appointees.
Smuts also questioned Telkom's move to withdraw security personnel who previously investigated copper theft and limited their responsibilities to safeguard fibre optic infrastructure.
"No tenders were invited in 2008. The last tender that was invited by Telkom, for services relating to cable protection, was in 2006. These tenders were awarded for a period of three years and will expire in August 2009," the DOC said in a written response.
Matsepe-Casaburri also noted that performances of service providers are evaluated against specific decreases in theft-related incidents.
However, the initial contracts did not include a specific performance measurement to reduce cable theft incidents, she said.
The contracts' performance requirements were subsequently revised to include a performance measurement to reduce cable theft incidents, she said.
Reviewing strategies
Earlier this year, Telkom said it would spend about R100 million on protecting its copper.
Telkom is satisfied with Royal Securities, the service provider that has been appointed to look after the company's copper, said acting group executive for corporate communications Nabintu Petsana.
She also noted that Telkom was reviewing its strategies on cable theft and the manner in which the fixed-line operator engages external service providers to assist in combating cable theft.
Initiatives to combat the problem of cable theft included proactively alarming critical and sensitive cable routes and employing services of armed security firms, she said.
Telkom is also deploying various wireless technologies that are alternatives to copper, she said.
Petsana was adamant the restructuring of the copper protection unit would not automatically equate to job losses.
Related Stories:
Cable theft costs Telkom R100m
Copper market drives theft
Share