Union slams ICASA rental costs

By Damaria Senne, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 13 Nov 2007

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) has slammed the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) for "outrageous" office rental costs, which amounted to over R27 million in the 2006/7 financial year.

ICASA rents a number of blocks at a Sandton office park, called Pinmill Farm.

"These offices are not only expensive, but also not easily accessible to the previously-disadvantaged members of the society, including small, medium and micro enterprises," says CWU spokesman Mfanafuthi Sithebe.

Sithebe adds that ICASA has a duty to ensure the ICT regulations and policy guidelines are well communicated and easily accessible to civil society.

In light of this, the CWU asks that the ICASA`s lease agreement with the owners of the Pinmill Farm is not renewed.

ICASA must be forced to buy a building that can be easily accessed by all parties, particularly civil society, Sithebe says. He adds that ICASA must also ensure that public hearings on licence conversions are conducted in all nine provinces.

Speaking at a recent stakeholder briefing in Sandton, Edmund Baloyi, advisor to ICASA chairman Paris Mashile, said ICASA was also considering opening more provincial offices.

The move would help the regulator get closer to stakeholders and make ICASA accessible, he said. This discussion is, however, still in its infancy.

ICASA already has branches in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Bloemfontein. The regulator also has Johannesburg and Pretoria regional operations at the Sandton office.

According to ICASA`s 2006/7 annual report, the regulator`s administrative costs, which include rental costs, added up to over R53.53 million.

The second highest expense was consultant and contractor fees, at over R8.56 million. Legal fees came in third, at more than R5.2 million.

The regulator presented its 2006/7 annual report to Parliament last week.