Chairperson, hon members, we in the UCDP also align ourselves with the sentiment regarding the late Minister Padayachie.
The value of ICT in modern life cannot be underplayed. Effective, efficient communication or ICT use has a direct impact on the quality of life that people lead. It is therefore no surprise that international bodies have proclaimed access to the Internet as a human right.
Effective exploration of ICT also has the potential for creating jobs and creating creative thinking and productivity in people. Attention to the protection of human rights through the use of new communication technologies is an area of growing interest, not only from the point of view of the technology and communication sectors, but also from the vantage point of those working hard towards the betterment of government mechanisms and the continued development of an equitable global civil society.
We are aware of the ongoing saga regarding editorial powers and content at the SABC. We hope that it will be concluded with no blood on the floor, yet to the satisfaction of the public. Editorial policy has to be improved and consistent, unlike at present where there are clearly favoured political parties whose events are 100% covered, whilst events or speakers of other parties are not covered or broadcast. [Interjections.]
The majoritarian principle applied by the SABC is scary and reminds the public of the Suid-Afrikaanse Uitsaaikorporasie, SAUK, days. In this country there is no policy of "winner takes all". We have to share the same time, the same air and the screen. It is well and good that most public libraries in urban settings have free access to the Internet; however, the flipside of that coin is that it mostly serves those who can afford the Internet in the first place, whilst the vast majority of our people still do not know the Internet and are far from having access to it.
The roll-out of ICT services to schools, which in theory would have been a groundbreaking achievement, has not made any significant strides worth writing home about. A couple of years ago Sentech undertook to roll out wireless broadband to 250 schools. This would have signified that telecommunication companies take their social responsibility seriously. However, that undertaking is still a pipedream. More than anybody, schools should have the best of ICT services, and it is the department's responsibility to ensure that. After all, these are young minds that must be kept abreast of ICT developments and other technological developments as they are the future. The Post Office is ... [Interjections.]