Chairperson, good afternoon, hon members. Let me start by saying, Mr Van den Berg, I am surprised today that you are not supporting the dissolution of the SABC. You have been having a standing question and you normally call it five times. Today you have heard, when the SABC was presenting, that there are problems amongst the board members. The SABC board members have said: Yes, the centre is not holding. I don't know what your intention is with those statements from the board members.
Let me go straight to my speech. It is my brief in this Budget Vote to debate on Sentech and on the Universal Services and Access Agency of South Africa. Sentech Ltd was established in terms of the Sentech Act, 1996, as a common carrier to provide broadcasting signal distribution for broadcasting licensees. Over the medium-term, Sentech will focus on the digitisation of its signal infrastructure and the roll out of the ICT infrastructure required for the 2010 World Cup.
As part of its Apex projects, government has started with deploying wireless broadband to 500 Dinaledi schools and targeting clinics, hospitals, libraries, post offices, Thusong service centres and government centres in the same coverage areas. This will help, not only to increase the uptake and use of ICTs, but also to enhance inclusivity in the building of the information society.
Other noteworthy achievements regarding that in the financial year ending in March 2009 are: the promotion of universal access to television and radio by rolling out nine low power transmitter sites in the Karoo and Kgalagadi. More sites are on the way, and it is reported that during the on- site visit to Kgalagadi the local residents there said that they felt for the first time that they were South African, because previously they did not receive any broadcasts of South African television.
Many of the radio services that Sentech provided to people in South Africa had not been experienced before by these people because the network was out of reach. It was really meaningful to people in outlying areas to be supplied with 19 additional community radio stations and one community television, which is Cape TV. Successfully so, Sentech switched on the accelerated digital terrestrial TV two days before the target date. The event was celebrated at an international summit that was held in South Africa, and for the first time on the African continent and it was indeed a momentous and a proud moment for Sentech.
In terms of the Confederations Cup, Sentech achieved their target of providing satellite infrastructure for the games. The stadiums at Mangaung, Royal Bafokeng in the North West, Ellis Park and Loftus had been completed. Sentech handed them over to Fifa on 11 June 2009. [Applause.]
Sentech is partnering with various organisations to enhance the e-services, such as the Mindset Learning and Health projects. These VSat links to the Perinatal HIV Research Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, wireless platforms to 103 Home Affairs mobile unit, as well as 78 community radio stations are linked to Government Communication and Information Services.
The Portfolio Committee on Communications is aware that Sentech has incurred a shortfall of R558 million. There is a view that this calls for greater consultation and consensus between the Minister of Communications, the Minister of Finance and the Portfolio Committee on Finance. Parliament is aware that the socioeconomic mandate of Sentech is not financially viable.
With reference to the mega telescope, the portfolio committee has been reliably informed that South Africa and Australia are the only two countries remaining on the shortlist to site the telescope. A final decision is expected by 2010. In March 2007, government approved the establishment of a new state-owned enterprise, SOE, that will provide long- distance connectivity to the country's telecommunications market on a cost basis.
Broadband Infraco, which became a stand-alone state-owned enterprise in January 2008, has succeeded to operationalise and strengthen the national long-distance network, as well as providing additional capacity. Infraco has increased its footprint by 30% and doubled its capacity. It has also provisioned root connectivity services and regional expansion sites. Additional fibre roots were added to close the long-distance ring and to provide redundant capacities.
The Africa West Coast cable will be prioritised by government to meet the 2010 objective, as well as other short to medium-term strategic projects. Infraco brings together fibre optic cable networks originally built by state companies, Eskom and Transnet. With reference to the Universal Services and Access Agency of South Africa, also known as Usaasa, it operates under the regulatory ... [Time expired.] Thank you. [Applause.]