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DTPS to breathe life into broadband council

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 24 May 2017
Telecoms and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele.
Telecoms and postal services minister Siyabonga Cwele.

The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) plans to revive the National Broadband Advisory Council (NBAC), to help with the rollout of broadband services in the country.

This was mentioned by DTPS minister Siyabonga Cwele yesterday, while he briefed Parliament's portfolio committee on telecommunications and postal services on the National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper.

Department spokesperson Siya Qoza told ITWeb that the department wants to revive the NBAC so as to work with the researchers and people with high-end technical skills that make up the council.

According to Qoza, the department wants to work with these individuals "to help develop its own local knowledge on the Internet of things (IOT) and how to implement other strategies".

With regards to strategies, he says these are only broadband-related. "It will be IOT, the rollout of the Internet for All programme, and to monitor what we will be doing on the broadband side."

New path

The NBAC was introduced by former communications minister Yunus Carrim on 4 March 2014, with the main function of providing continuity between administrations.

When it was set up, the council comprised local and international technical experts, and representatives of business, trade unions and civil society to advise Carrim on the implementation of SA Connect.

Although notable members like former president and CEO of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Sibusiso Sibisi, and Alison Gilwald, executive director of Research ICT Africa ? who served as chairperson and deputy chairperson respectively ? have resigned, the council is still around, says Qoza.

"We still have a need for it; we are going to revive it. When we say we are going to revive it, we basically mean we are going to allocate more resources for it, which is something that did not happen last year."

These resources are money, people and time, he states. "We will fill those vacant posts and provide the council with support and more resources."

Cwele will deliver his department's 2017/2018 financial year plans in a budget vote address later today.

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