Madam Deputy Speaker, hon Minister, I want to assure you that you have not interfered with the independence of Icasa. In terms of the Electronic Communications Act, you have the right to get involved. Therefore, forget about those who said you have interfered. [Applause.] I would like to give special thanks to your director-general. She has worked very hard. Hon Minister, I have been vindicated. In this country we have been paying exorbitant fees to cellphone companies. The Competition Commission that I have laid a complaint with is also going to benefit from this, because they have now voluntarily reduced their costs due to your intervention, and not interference.
I want to tell all South Africans that this is a sign that we as consumers should not just accept these high prices, but should speak up for our rights and take on these operators and companies that have made obscene profits for many years. I thank you. [Applause.]
Adv A De W ALBERTS: Mevrou die Adjunkspeaker, die VF Plus wil die Minister van Kommunikasie gelukwens met die ferm besluit om teen gulsige selfoonmaatskappye op te tree by wyse van die verpligte verlaging van interkonneksietariewe.
Die selfoonbedryf het 'n gulde geleentheid verspeel om tot 'n sinvolle vergelyk te kom in die verband en dis jammer dat hulle nou deur middel van wetlike instrumente gedwing moet word om hul maatskaplike plig teenoor die vuisvoos verbruiker in Suid-Afrika na te kom.
Eintlik moes hierdie proses al baie vroer begin het, maar ongelukkig neem dit 'n krisis om 'n geleentheid te skep, en hier verwys ek na die sokkerwreldbekertoernooi in 2010 wat deur die bre publiek in Suid-Afrika net op tradisionele televisie of selfoon-TV besigtig sal kan word. Die regering het egter 'n verdere belangrike taak om 'n omgewing vir kompetisie in die selfoonbedryf te skep.
Die beste wyse om pryse op 'n volhoubare wyse te bepaal is deur die daarstelling van intense kompetisie tussen besighede. Die verlaging van die interkonneksiefooi kan verseker self 'n bydrae in di verband lewer.
In die algemeen is dit kommerwekkend dat daar steeds maatskappye in Suid- Afrika bestaan wat ongewoon ho winste maak uit 'n brandarm burgery en wat spandabelrig te werk gaan asof daar geen einde in sig is vir hierdie finansile golf waarop hulle ry nie.(Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Adv A De W ALBERTS: Madam Deputy Speaker, the FF Plus wishes to congratulate the Minister of Communications on the firm decision to act against greedy cellphone companies by means of the obligatory reduction in interconnection rates.
The cellphone industry missed a golden opportunity to come to a meaningful agreement in this regard and it is a pity that they are now compelled by means of legal mechanisms to fulfil their social responsibility towards the punch-drunk South African consumer.
In fact, this process should have started much earlier, but unfortunately it takes a crisis to create an opportunity, and here I am referring to the 2010 Soccer World Cup tournament which w the broader South African public will only be able to view on traditional television or cellphone TV. The government, however, has another important task of creating a competitive environment in the cellphone industry.
The best way to fix prices in a sustainable manner is through the creation of intense competition between businesses. The reduction in the interconnection rates could in itself certainly make a contribution in this regard.
In general it is worrying that there are still companies in South Africa that are profiting from the unusual high prices they are charging impoverished citizens and are operating in a thriftless manner as if there is no end in sight while they are riding on the crest of this financial wave.]