The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) has gazetted a discussion and options paper on various aspects of the ICT policies that are being reviewed to the end of modernising the sector.
Published on Friday, the latest paper forms part of the ICT policy review launched by former communications minister Dina Pule, in 2012.
The new telecoms ministry (formerly Department of Communications, or DOC) says gazetting the National Integrated ICT Policy Options Paper is the "latest milestone" in the department's implementation of the National Development Plan, which says a new policy framework will be needed to realise the vision of a fully connected society.
DTPS minister Siyabonga Cwele, who took the top government telecoms position in May after president Jacob Zuma let Yunus Carrim go, says the department is making "steady progress in ensuring we develop progressive policies that will ensure we are on par with the world's best practices in the deployment, use and regulation of this fast-changing sector".
He says government needs to ensure the ICT sector contributes in the "radical transformation" of SA by contributing to the achievement of 5% economic growth and modernising the way government delivers services - and how citizens access these services.
In a statement announcing the publication, Cwele urged ICT sector stakeholders to engage with the document to "strengthen proposals that will form the basis of the new policy on ICTs in the country".
The gazetting of this paper marks the last consultative stage before the submission of final recommendations to government and the tabling of the draft white paper - a policy position statement of government.
Long road
Cwele says the policy review process has reached a number of milestones since launching in early 2012 - including the issuing of a framing paper in April 2013 and the green paper in January 2014, following public consultations.
The latest discussion paper discusses inputs from the green paper responses received from individuals, companies, sector organisations, advocacy groups and government departments.
In March this year, addressing the consultative conference on the National Integrated ICT Policy green paper, Carrim said the paper - a preliminary report of government proposals aimed at sparking discussion - was long overdue.
At the time, the then DOC noted there had been three white papers and one green paper introduced in ICT since the democratisation of SA, but that it had been over 15 years since a policy review took place. "In the meantime, markets have changed as a result of the entry of new players, technological developments and new thinking in how services can be delivered and used."
The latest paper discusses, among other things, the effects of the convergence of technologies and its practical impact on the entry of new services to better meet the needs of South Africans. Principles of regulatory parity, technological neutrality and an open Internet are also addressed.
"Although various issues are discussed in specific options papers, a need for a cross-cutting and holistic perspective is required," concludes Cwele on the new ICT policy review paper.
The discussion paper can be accessed here and written responses must reach the department by no later than 15 January 2015. These can be sent to tmooketsi@dtps.gov.za.
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