The ANC-led government has initiated a broadband infrastructure company as a state-owned enterprise to expand the availability and affordability or access to electronic communication network services to all parts of South Africa, including the underserviced, the underdeveloped and the rural areas, thus reducing the cost of doing business in South Africa.
The broadband infrastructure company was also set up to provide bandwidth for special projects of national interest, including those of the Department of Science and Technology, like the Karoo telescope, etc.
While we acknowledge that the Electronic Commerce Association of South Africa, Ecasa, is still considering the electronic communication services licence, we are proud to announce to this House that on 9 October Ecasa issued the broadband infrastructure company with an electronic communication network services licence, which enables this state-owned enterprise to go out and fulfil its mandate.
All parts of South Africa can now look forward to a broadband fibre optic network with expanded bandwidth that will take electronic communication into the 21st century, at the same time bringing down the cost of connectivity. It is also hoped that this network would be used to expand services through it, like e-health, and e-education, and that government departments will utilise this opportunity to expand services to underserviced and rural areas. I thank you. [Applause.]