The Department of Communications (DOC) has yet to functionally divide into two departments post president Jacob Zuma's unexpected May announcement of the division.
The bulk of the former DOC - which is now government's marketing arm - is set to reside within the recently-created Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS), which is headed by former state security minister Siyabonga Cwele, while the new DOC is led by Faith Muthambi.
Following Zuma's announcement, the DOC has policy oversight on communications, and is also responsible for entities such as the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). DTPS handles infrastructure projects, such as broadband and digital migration.
One unit
However, the two departments are still effectively functioning as one, and this year's Adjusted Estimates of National Expenditure has seen only one budget allocated - to the DOC. A National Treasury official, who cannot be named, explains this is because the split has yet to happen.
The official notes there is an agreement between the two ministries that work done by telecommunications will be invoiced to the DOC, and paid out of its budget. She says budgets are expected to be split in next year's main budget vote, which takes place in February. "They are still functioning as one department."
In addition, employment agreements for those staff who will change departments have yet to be signed, says the official. The expenditure estimate notes "all telecommunications and postal services functions and staff will be transferred" from the DOC to telecommunications, and Broadband Infraco will also shift to telecommunications at the next budget.
Missed targets
Although the DOC successfully installed broadcasting infrastructure for five community radio stations, it failed to produce any of the targeted 676 000 set-top boxes required for the move to digital television.
This is because it has yet to issue a tender for the production of decoders as Cabinet has yet to solve the thorny issue of set-top box controls, which etv is in favour of, but MultiChoice and the SABC oppose. This issue has held up migration for a substantial amount of time.
The estimates document attributed the missed target to "the protracted court case on the set-top box control mechanism initiated by some broadcasters and manufacturers". Etv took former minister Dina Pule to court over her decision to task Sentech with controls.
"Through the ministry, the department is in the process of engaging with relevant stakeholders to agree on the way forward," says the estimates document. Some R37 million, which was not spent because of delays in migrating to digital television, has been moved to other areas, such as auditing software, upgrading the department's IT infrastructure, and providing support for the ICT policy review process.
The bulk of the unspent amount, R23 million that was to be spent on consultants for digital television, has been shifted to establish e-skills co-labs, contracting a service provider to undertake the national roaming study, and implementing information society and development projects.
Included in the adjustments is an additional amount of R551 million that has been allocated to the Universal Services and Access Fund to cover the costs of the broadcast digital migration project. Another R69 million has been allocated to Sentech to cover the dual illumination costs relating to the digital migration project.
Overall, the department's budget grows from R1.6 billion to R2.24 billion.
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