ICASA's performance 'pathetic'

Johannesburg, 31 Jan 2007

The country's telecommunications regulator is drawing renewed ire from the public, which has slammed the watchdog's perceived poor performance. However, the organisation has blamed its woes on a shortage of funds.

In a poll on MyADSL yesterday, asking readers to rate the performance of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) during 2006, 87.5% of respondents voted it was "pathetic", 9.69% voted "poor", 2.5% voted "average", 0% voted "good" and 0.31% voted "excellent".

This comes amid official calls and political pressure for the regulator to be reviewed and investigated. In Parliament yesterday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) proposed the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications investigate the resignation of CEO Jackie Manche and other senior managers.

The DA's call follows a government announcement last week that it will launch a probe into the performance and effectiveness of "Chapter Nine" entities, which are state-funded organisations, formed under the Constitution.

In a recent interview, ICASA chairman Paris Mashile defended the organisation, saying it is suffering a "lot of haemorrhaging of staff", as it is serving as a training ground for experts and skilled professionals, who then find more attractive positions in the private sector.

Plea for funds

"We need financial resources in order to fulfil human resource needs. We need capital investment - we have many licence applications, which we would be able to process faster if we had adequate funds," Mashile lamented.

Department of Communications director-general Lyndall Shope-Mafole also previously pointed out that the same industry that expects ICASA to have the manpower to regulate it, effectively also 'cannibalises' its staff.

Mashile also noted that ICASA must strengthen its equipment inventory to fulfil its mandate, saying it requires spectrum-monitoring equipment and devices to detect interference or illegal activity.

Last year, ICASA applied for additional funding of R57 million for the implementation of its mandate as defined by the Electronic Communications Act.

Political forces

Anti-trust broadband activist Debbie Love says ICASA cannot be blamed for all of its shortcomings.

"It is my understanding and belief that ICASA has been and remains under the minister's thumb (as well as other political-economic forces), even though the minister's powers have been somewhat eroded in terms of the law."

ICASA's actions seem to be dictated by political forces acting from outside as well as within the organisation, she says. "I do not think ICASA has the requisite authority - it simply does not have the legal, economic and most importantly, political authority - to do what it is supposed to be doing."

Meanwhile, ICASA is seeking a "highly competent individual" to fill its vacant CEO position.