PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 3095
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2 November 2012
QUESTION PAPER NO: 38
DATE OF REPLY: 29 November 2012
Mr. EH Eloff (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:
(1) Whether her department is currently subscribed to The New Age
(TNA) newspaper; if so, (a) how many subscriptions does her
department have, (b) when was each subscription initiated, (c)
what has been the annual subscription fee for each specified
subscription since it was initiated and (d) what is the exact
purpose of each subscription;
(2) whether a discount was negotiated for any of the specified
subscriptions; if so, (a) for which specified subscriptions and
(b) what discount in each case;
(3) whether her department has mass-purchased the TNA on an ad hoc
basis since the inception of the newspaper; if so, (a) on what
dates, (b) how many copies in each case and (c) why were the
papers purchased in each case;
(4) whether (a) the publishers of the TNA and (b) any other entity
donated copies of the paper to (i) her department and (ii) any
entity reporting to her; if so, in each case, (aa) which entity
donated the papers, (bb) to which entity were they donated and
(cc) how many copies were donated? NW3924E
REPLY
DoC
(1-) (a) The Department subscribes to a range of publications, including
the newspaper in question and others, which is widely available to
all. Publications (including newspapers) are regarded as a resource of
information and one that enables government to keep in touch with the
happenings in society at large.
(b) A tender was issued by the Department for a range of publications
including a newspaper in question .The Department does not subscribe
to individual publications. The appointed service provider provides
the Department with all publications.
(2) (a) When purchasing newspapers the Department issued a tender
which the value was determined on a need and the Department does not
actively approach service providers for discounts,
(3) A tender was issued by the Department for a range of publications
including a newspaper in question. The subscription of the tender as
specified for all range of newspapers is daily and weekend newspapers.(4)
The have not been any donations submitted to the Department as the
Department has a tender of all publications in place.
⢠Sentech
Sentech does not have a subscription with The New Age neither
has the company advertised in the newspaper. Sentech has not been
approached by the newspaper to partake in any paid advertising.
⢠SAPO
The South African Post Office has not received any donated copies
of The New Age from the publishers (TNA) neither from any other
entity.
⢠ICASA
ICASA does not receive any donated copies to The New Age
newspapers and neither received any copies from any entity.
⢠NEMISA
NEMISA is not a subscribed to The New Age newspaper. NEMISA has
however been receiving two free copies of The New Age newspapers
per day since July 2012, from the publishers of the newspaper
⢠USAASA
The Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA)
does not and subscribed nor donated copies to the Department of
Communication or any other entity.
⢠SABC
Approximately 400 copies were donated to SABC during THE
NEW AGEâs initial phase.