Newly-appointed communications minister Solly Malatsi is determined to ensure that the cost of data in South Africa is not a financial burden for consumers and to increase access to the Internet.
The minister emphasised the importance of reliable and affordable internet access for all. Malatsi aims to reduce data prices, making internet access more accessible for South Africans.
Currently, only 14.5% of households have internet access at home, while 78.6% have access via mobile networks. Malatsi highlighted that affordability is a significant barrier preventing regular internet usage for many people.
In addition to addressing data costs, Malatsi plans to prioritise connecting all government facilities, including schools, to the internet. He aims to accelerate information consumption and raise awareness of the digital economy in South Africa. Beyond connectivity, Malatsi also aims to stabilise state-owned enterprises and promote competition in the ICT sector. He intends to focus on governing and stabilising state-owned enterprises as well as creating legislation that encourages competition in the ICT sector.
Since assuming his role, Malatsi has been working on filling vacancies on various entities’ boards to ensure stability. The Post Office and the SABC require particular attention. Malatsi believes that by opening the Post Office to public-private partnerships, its financial sustainability can be assured despite operating in a competitive market. Regarding the SABC, he is optimistic about its new leadership and its efforts to enhance its content offering and become a strong competitor in the broadcasting space.
Malatsi also intends to address industry disputes and issues. He is determined to proactively engage with stakeholders to resolve existing disputes and tackle industry-related challenges, such as the analogue switch-off scheduled for December, as well as sports broadcasting rights. The migration to digital terrestrial television and the related analogue TV switch-off, initially due in 2011, has been significantly delayed due to poor leadership, vested interests, and constant litigation. Additionally, Malatsi seeks to bring certainty to sports broadcasting rights management and resolve disputes, particularly pertaining to the rights to matches involving South Africa’s national teams.
