The legislative framework establishes an independent communication authority to regulate, amongst other things, broadcasting, telecommunications and postal services. However, we must be quick to say that there is a section of the media, namely the print media, which is not regulated.
Parliament, in recognising the exclusion and marginalisation of disadvantaged communities and persons from access to the media and the media industry, resolved to establish the Media Development and Diversity Agency, MDDA. This agency was established in 2002 in terms of an Act of Parliament. Indeed, we appreciate the partnership which the MDDA enjoys with the major print and broadcast media industry entities, which continue to support its programmes. The basis of the objectives of the MDDA Act is to be found in the Constitution of South Africa, which provides, amongst other things, for the protection of sections 16 and 32 of our Bill of Rights. [Interjections.]
I hear the matter you are raising. That is why I want to emphasise this, because it is this government, as the ANC, which has passed this legislation.
The MDDA's mandate is enshrined in terms of section 3 of the MDDA Act. It requires that the MDDA, in giving meaning and effect to section 16(1) of the Constitution amongst other things, encourages ownership and control of, and access to, the media by historically disadvantaged communities as well as by historically diminished indigenous language and cultural groups, with the overall objective of promoting, supporting and encouraging diverse media. I will come back later to the issue of the print media.
In pursuit of its mandate, as I have indicated before, the MDDA continues to flourish in terms of assisting in the development of skills. We must say that all these beautiful things which the MDDA is supposed to do can only be achieved if every citizen, wherever he or she may be located, rural or urban, poor or rich, has access to of a diverse range of media. The media can also provide a window of transparency in government and inject life into a country's economy by publishing financial and market information for citizens, allowing them to participate freely and fruitfully in their country's economy. Access to communication and information empowers citizens, facilitates participatory democracy and assists in defending, advancing and deepening democracy.
Free, independent and pluralistic media can be achieved not only through many media products - some believe that if you have more media products, you can do that - but also through diversity of ownership and control of the media. In 2009 the MDDA conducted a study which revealed our performance as a country regarding the issue of media ownership.
It is not enough to focus on employment equity, thus ignoring shareholding and management transformation. The report indicates that media assets in this country are still owned largely by four major media companies - only four, none of which have an ownership exceeding 26% of historically disadvantaged people. This is an area of concern.
Surely, this development challenges all of us, as there is no way that the battle of ideas can be handled by so few hands and with the expectation that the content represents the broader view of our society. It is easy to argue, as some always do, that ownership does not have anything to do with the issue of editorial independence. Who are we fooling? We all know that the owners indeed do develop the framework within which managers, in pursuit of smooth corporate governance, will be operating.
The point that we are driving home is that we have only four companies owning the media - the impact of the information our society is being fed. There is no doubt about that. [Applause.] This situation indeed will have to change.
In this vein we are saying that it has become critical for government to establish its own communication agency or service in the form of the GCIS, in order to be able to communicate its programmes, its policies and the views it wants to put across to its citizens.
Government cannot afford to have the publication of its programmes limited in terms of the four companies that own the country's media, who operate under the guise of editorial independence, whereas people know exactly that they do interfere with what must go into the media and be reported on and which is fed to our people on a daily basis. [Interjections.]
Therefore ... [Interjections.] You see, it is important to listen.
Therefore, Minister, the allocation of resources becomes critical. We have the GCIS, but the human and financial resources we put in must assist the people of this entity to fulfil its goal, so that it does not become a window-dressing exercise. They need the resources to be able to communicate with our people, not rely on these media which sometimes report what they want to. [Interjections.]
I have been talking about the importance of media diversity, the importance of having more voices in this regard, as well as the rights enshrined in our Constitution guaranteeing freedom of expression and also the issue of the media. However, we must be quick to say that those rights must also take into consideration the other rights which are conferred upon other citizens of this country, such as the right to privacy and other things. It cannot be that it becomes a right without limitation.
Our conference in Polokwane noted the issue which I have raised regarding the concentration of ownership of the media. This was the reason why we resolved to say that the MDDA is supposed to be well-resourced financially so that it can have an impact on the ownership of the media, by making sure that at the local level we do have our community radio stations and our local print media, and that we pursue the goal more often of community television or broadcasting.
The hon Minister has already addressed my concern around the issue of the co-ordinated communication strategy in government. We accept the framework, and as the committee we can only say that we will be watching you very closely in the implementation of that particular framework, because indeed we cannot fail our people in the accessing of information.
We hope for a speedy resolution to the matter of the funding of the MDDA during the outer years of 2012 and 2013, regarding which we have indicated that we are engaging the National Treasury.
I must come back to the point I made - after acknowledging that only a few people own the media in this country - that it was absolutely necessary for government to establish the GCIS. Do you get it now, loud and clear? [Interjections.] Members must not just howl. They must listen. [Interjections.]
The ANC - "umbutho wabantu" [the people's organisation] - will support this Budget Vote without any doubt. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]