regulation

The Western Cape High Court has reserved judgment on whether the decision to licence three porn pay channels should be reviewed.

The Justice Alliance of South Africa (JASA), Cause for Justice, and Doctors for Life argue on why the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) erred in licencing the channels.

Digital Media (operating as Top TV and later StarSat) was granted three licences in April to broadcast Playboy TV, Desire TV, and Brazzers, subject to conditions.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) says it has started the process of reviewing its proposed new call termination rates.
 
ICASA spokesperson, Paseka Malekathe, says in order to do the process in a transparent and fair manner, questionnaires will be sent to every licensee to seek information for the review.
 
ICASA, which was given six months by the court to amend its regulations, has given the licensees are required to submit responses to ICASA by 13 June 2014.
 

The Universal Services and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) says mobile services are meaningless if they are not affordable.

USAASA spokesperson, Khulekani Ntshangase, points out that, "To attain the goals of universal access and service to ICT [information and communication technology], the country needs to ensure that prices should be affordable."

Ntshangase’s comment follows the ruling by the outh Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa's proposed new call termination rates were invalid and unlawful.

South Africa's telecoms regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) says it may reconsider planned cuts for 2015 and 2016 in the amount mobile operators charge each other to use their networks.

ICASA spokesperson, Paseka Maleka, points out that, "In this case, we may review 2015 and 2016 mainly in trying to avert a very lengthy legal challenge.”

The Zambia Council for Social Development (ZSCD) has charged that government is wasting time by once again extending the registration for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the country.

Government has again extended the registration period for NGOs by sixty days effective 4th February to 5 May 2014.

ZCSD executive secretary, Lewis Mwape, points out that mainstream NGOs in the country will never register under the NGO Act and that government’s extension of the deadline is a sheer waste of time.

The Zambian Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health says it is still awaiting correspondence from the Ministry of Justice on the implementation of the Non-Governmental Organisation Act of 2009.

The ministry’s deputy Minister, Jean Kapata, says the response from the Ministry of Justice would determine the fate of all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that have rejected to register under the Act.

Kapata says the registration has since closed, adding that the NGOs that are not yet registered will have themselves to blame if deregistered.

A ban on aid bodies in Zimbabwe’s Masvingo province has been lifted, and government is appealing to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to resume operations there.

Former provincial governor, Titus Maluleke, ordered the discontinuation of 29 NGOs, which provided food to desperate families in Masvingo, accusing them of engaging in political activity.

However, Minister of Provincial Affairs, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, has announced the cancellation of the ban, arguing that the government cannot feed all the starving people in the province on its own.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) proposed a cut of up to 75 percent over the next three years in the fees mobile phone companies can charge competitors to use their network.

ICASA has released its draft call termination regulations, significantly reducing the cellphone rates of some networks.

In addition, ICASA introduced an asymmetric rates system for smaller operators with a market share of less than 20 percent, which is aimed at promoting investment, encouraging competition and fostering small, medium and micro enterprises.