DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 March 2010
QUESTION PAPER NO: 5
DATE OF REPLY: 19 March 2010
Mrs E C van Lingen (DA-EC) to ask the Minister of Communications:
1) Whether there are currently any provisions made for (a) telephones,
(b) internet, (c) radio and (d) television frequencies to the (i)
Mahlatsi and (ii) Mafarafara communities in the Greater Tubatse
Municipality; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether there are any plans for any developments and infrastructure
for the provision of these communication facilities; if not, why not;
if so, (a) what steps and (b) what are the further relevant details?
CW117E
REPLY:
1) (a) I was informed by Telkom that they are finalising their
infrastructure roll-out plan for many parts of rural areas, which will
include the Mahlasi and Mafarafa villages. Services were previously
disrupted due to theft of network elements.
(b) The deployed infrastructure provides limited Internet services
and monitoring these services is done thgrough universal service
obligations.
(c) Sentech is busy commissioning sites in the Greater Tubatse
Municipality ot expand further coverage that will also include Mahlasi
and Mafarafa.
(d) See above reply (1)(c).
2) (a) and (b): Sentech and Telkom are both busy refining their
infrastructure roll-out plans.