DEPUTY MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS STELLA TEMBISA NDABENI, MP OPENING REMARKS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS POLICY COLLOQUIUM, 19th – 20th APRIL 2012 – GALLAGHAR ESTATES, MIDRAND

Ms. Dina Pula – Minister of Communications

Ms. Rosey Sekese – Director – General Department of Communications

Captains of Industries

ICT Civil Society Organisations

Government officials

Extinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

The Department of Communications' mandate is “to create a vibrant ICT sector that ensures that all South Africans have access to secure, affordable and accessible ICT services in order to advance socio – economic development goals and support of the African Agenda and contribute to building a better world”.

Since the dawn of democracy in 1994, the Department has undergone various policy initiatives informed by the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) to the current Electronic Communications Act (ECA), Act 36 of 2005. The ECA presented us with a transition from a fragmented policy regime on Information Communications and Technologies (ICTs) towards a convergence policy regime, not forgetting its challenges as there are consistent changes and development of ICTs.

We are meeting here today as Government and various stakeholders to reflect on progress and lack of and to review our policies as South Africans of which the new policy or policies can be like an aquaous substance that can adapt and fit to any ICT related issues. Our participation here must be preoccupied by putting South Africa at the core of our deliberations, whilst at the same time navigating the global picture to suit the material conditions in our country.

Minister it is in the best interest of the country to think globally and actually act locally. This is our country and we all have a responsibility to seeto it that it grows and prospers irrespective of whether you are In Government or not. South Africa belongs to all who live in it and its success depends on all of us.

Ladies and gentlemen allow me to stimulate you with some plans the Department is busy with so that in your deliberations you can reflect on them and holding each other’s hands we must emerge with a shared ICTs policy outlook. Successful attributes of this policy colloquium will include amongst others:

• Embracing and working towards vision 2020, which capsulate 100% broadband access;
• Strong and reliable public – private partnership to fulfil the objectives of a competitive ICT sector;
• Creation of one million jobs and support for Small Medium Enterprises;
• Improve and accelerate local content production catering for the needs of People living with Disabilities; and
• Investment in research and development; of course which must be informed by a grounded educational system with greater outputs of information technology and engineering graduates from FET colleges to higher education PhD graduates;

Successful integrated ICT policy demands a shared perspective from us as a nation, individual institutions and most importantly for a continuous inter-governmental commitment across spheres of Government. We must clarify ourselves on broadband to the home. Every citizen has a right to information therefore no citizen must be denied access to it. Industry players together we can build sustainable communities and ICT must play a leading role towards building sustainable communities, which is a catalyst for rural and economic growth.

Fellow Participants, collectively we have a responsibility to ensure that rural communities have access to ICTs and here we must emerge with policies that will ensure Government invests and attracts the private sector to roll – out info-structure in rural communities. We cannot afford as we about to conclude the second decade of democracy to disenfranchise other nationals because they live at the periphery of the country. Minister I trust all of us here are in agreement that it cannot be business as usual.

With those few words on behalf of the Department of Communications I hereby welcome you to this historic policy colloquium eight days before we celebrate eighteen years of constructing a non-racial and non-sexist South Africa. Let us have joyous conversations in our commissions and where we disagree on approach or strategy please let us not leave our commissions without finding each other. President Jacob Zuma, his Cabinet and the country is looking upon us to provide unambiguous policy path and as leaders in the ICT sector lets walk with our people towards an e-society

Colleagues and friends

My next task is to introduce a person who does not need any introduction to you. She is not new to the ICT and Communications sector. During this governance term she served as both the Deputy Minister of Communications and Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency. Indeed not a novice when it comes to Communications and ICTs.

Communications is her passion, throughout her life she has been a communicator from childhood to adulthood as an activist, a mother, an educator and politician. Her understanding of communication is that communication is a two – way process even during the days when she was an educator. She believed learners must also be listened to and not just be seen.

Today she is the champion of Information Communications Technologies – ladies and gentlemen please welcome the Minister of Communications Honourable Dina Pule, MP.

I thank you