The Cape Chamber of Commerce has renewed its call for President Zuma to intervene in the Department of Communication (DOC) concerning the allegations against communications minister Dina Pule.
Pule should be suspended while under investigation and the deputy minister should take the lead in strategic DOC initiatives, The Cape Chamber recommends in a statement issued this afternoon.
The statement calls for the recent allegations of maladministration and corruption in USAASA and funds allocated to the broadband infrastructure to be investigated.
Executive director of the Cape Chamber of Commerce, Viola Manuel is quoted as saying: "When we called for an intervention by the President into the Department of Communication (DOC) and the allegations against the Minister of Communications, it was in the interest of ensuring that broadband and other national ICT objectives would be met.
"We are disappointed at the lack of action taken by the President given that the Minister's public office is under investigation for serious allegations of corruption. It undermines the promises made to fight corruption which has a ripple effect on the confidence to govern important initiatives such as broadband.
"We re-iterate our call for an intervention by the President and would recommend that, at the very least, the Minister be suspended while she is under investigation and that the Deputy Minister take the lead in strategic initiatives such as the rollout of broadband.
"The Chamber will continue to advocate for the independence of the public institutions that serve the ICT industry and will oppose polices and legislation that give powers of appointment to the Minister for key positions in regulatory bodies and state owned enterprises.
"The integrity of the Communications Ministry is critical to the economic well-being of the country and must be fiercely protected against corruption, profiteering and undue influence."
Public interest
National government must be transparent regarding the funding and rollout of broadband infrastructure and public Internet access points, the statement continues.
"It would be in the public interest if the infrastructure rollout were mapped with detailed information on the areas being prioritised, how much was being spent, when projects are set to be completed and the service providers involved," the statement adds.
The Cape Chamber believes that broadband should be a top national priority as it is critical for education and socio-economic growth and that free, high-speed Internet access can improve education, create jobs and opportunities for citizens and small businesses.
"Broadband has the potential to transform the country and should be a national initiative that unifies the various stakeholders of society. It requires strong public and private partnerships. Transparency and strong governance - rather than political interference - are vital to stimulate support from the private sector," says Roderick Lim Banda, chairman of the Digital Portfolio Committee at the Cape Chamber of Commerce.
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