Hon Chairperson, community radio stations were established to ensure that the rural poor that were neglected by the apartheid government are able to understand and participate in government processes in their own languages. Community radio broadcasting gives ownership of the media to ordinary South Africans. It is about the empowerment of marginalised communities and was a deliberate action by the ANC government to ensure universal access.
It is through this sector that media skills have been developed in some of the most rural areas. The ANC continues to support this platform as digital terrestrial television, DTT, yields digital dividends. We will do everything in our power to ensure that this sector does not die, but is further strengthened to bring democracy close to the people.
Hon members, over 100 community radio stations - ke rile di dintsi! [I told you they are many!] - broadcast in almost all official languages. One hundred and sixty-five nonprofit community and low-power service licensees have benefited from the ANC's decision to effect a three-tier broadcasting system. Over 8,3 million active listeners have been aggregated by the Government Communication and Information System, GCIS, to form a strong business case for the community media segment.
Tona, Mme Pule, gore toro e e diragale le gore puso e kgone go neelana ka ditirelo tse di tlhotlwa tlase go botlhe, ke kopa o lebisise kabo ya Usaasa. Lekala le le tlhoka madi a a kana ka R1,6 milione go ba kgontsha go diragatsa maitlhomo a DTT. Fa ke gopola sentle, le SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, e tlhoka tshegetso ya matlole. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[Minister Pule, for this dream to come true and for government to be able to provide low-cost services to all, I am asking you to revisit the Usaasa budget. This sector needs an amount of R1,6 million to enable them to fulfil the objectives of DTT. If I remember correctly, the SA Broadcasting Corporation also needs funds.]
During the ANC's January 8 Statement address the South African President, His Excellency Mr Jacob Zuma, made a call:
Government should hasten the implementation of all 18 strategic infrastructure projects, especially those directed at the 23 poorest districts.
Se se raya gore seabe sa gago, Tona Mme Pule, mo boemong jwa lefapha, ke go bona gore Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, e goletsa dikausu: lefoko la kgosi le agelwa mosako. Fa kgosi e buile, sa rona balala ke go diragatsa. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[This means that your involvement, Minister Pule, on behalf of the department is to ensure that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa pulls up its socks. The chief's word is treasured. When the chief has spoken, all we peasants have to do is comply.]
I am saying this, hon Minister, due to Icasa's slow pace of regulating which is affecting other entities and the sector as a whole in providing universal service and access to our people.
Hon Minister, the costs to communicate, as has been highlighted by hon Muthambi, are very high in South Africa. Affordability, with regard to unemployment and the rural poor, is my main concern in this regard, and this was part of the discussions that took place in Mangaung. The ineffective regulation of contributor elements has resulted in very high prices and came on the back of highly exclusionist history of South Africa, where the majority and the poorest of the poor are marginalised and unable to become part of the knowledge economy.
Hon Chairperson, according to the Icasa indicators database of 2013, improvement in Internet penetration is minimal. In 2007 household Internet use stood at 4,8%. In 2012 it has risen to 19%.
Se se raya gore bontsi bo ka nna kana ka 81% jwa set?haba sa rona ga bo na inthanete. [This means that more than 81% of our population do not have access to the Internet.]
Hon Chairperson, Comrade Eric Kholwane, the message, therefore, to 8ta, MTN, Vodacom and Cell C in this regard is that there is money at the bottom of the pyramid - I know you are sitting somewhere there. Why are you not coming forward with ways and means to leverage this market to ensure access and service, Comrade Peter? Icasa, why are you not enforcing regulations to ensure that this market is catered for? Usaasa, why are you not developing an approach to assist Icasa? SABC, what is your role in generating awareness? Department of Communications, as the mother body ... Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]