Chairperson, in view of the telecommunications situation in South Africa, and noting that Telkom has for a very long time been the sole service provider, a standard cost has been established. With the introduction of Infraco, we hope that telecommunications services will receive a more competitive and lower costing.
At the end of the day, one of our country's challenges is making services more accessible and affordable so that those hampered by poverty may enjoy them too, and in turn contribute to social development. This factor of social development is paramount in every faculty of government and business. This statement must not be misconstrued. What we are saying is that quality services need to be made cost-effective for everyone.
From this amending Bill we gather that even if Infraco remains a government entity, there is no guarantee that costing in telecommunications shall decrease or that we will not end up with a situation similar to that involving Telkom.
Telecommunications is used for a variety of reasons and it contributes greatly to our progress. Today's technology has privileged us with the opportunity to succeed at the press of a button. I do not intend wandering into the aftermath of apartheid, but reality is that we are challenged to bridge the divide between the haves and the have-nots, and this can only be done by increasing accessibility.
The MF acknowledges that the powers offered to the Minister in this Bill may be criticised as a sign of excessive state intervention and as infringing on the jurisdiction of Icasa, especially with regard to licensing.
We sincerely hope that this will not be the case and that an amicable agreement on co-operation can be reached between the two to fulfil the mandate of providing efficient and effective telecommunications in South Africa. The MF will support the Bill. Thank you.