Publication of the Green Paper detailing SA`s draft e-commerce policy will be delayed, says the Department of Communications, mainly due to a widespread lack of e-commerce awareness, which it is addressing in the interim.
Delays in publishing the Green Paper embodying SA`s draft e-commerce policy have primarily been ascribed to the need for greater awareness of the pertinent issues before taking the process any further.
Francis Malema, of the e-commerce desk, Department of Communications, first highlighted these and other issues in a posting to the discussion forum on the South African e-commerce debate at www.ecomm-debate.co.za/.
Malema says a parallel process run by the department on raising awareness of e-commerce revealed that most potential users and stakeholders do not understand the concept. This has led to, among other initiatives that will employ various media channels, a series of workshops presented mainly to small and medium-sized businesses and rural communities.
The campaign has been rolled out in Pietersburg, Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg, with ventures planned in more towns, areas and territories. "We`ve delivered the specific message as to how e-commerce relates to people`s daily lives and how it can benefit [these players]. This way, we hope not only to solicit feedback, but also to give people the opportunity to interact with e-commerce applications in an electronic environment."
The department also plans to appoint a communications agency which will work in conjunction with the Government Communication and Information Services arm to take the message to all sections of the population, via television, radio and newspaper channels.
Developments in international e-commerce policy directives must also be examined so that potential knock-on effects in the South African context can be included in the Green Paper.
Malema says that while there are no fundamental differences between SA`s e-commerce policy initiative and those such as the European Union`s directive and the US` Digital Millennium Copyrights Act, "we are [trying to avoid] a situation where we might come up with non-mutual and non-uniform frameworks and commercial codes".
Despite the flurry of additional activity, Malema expects the Green Paper will be available no later than August.
Once finalised, the Green Paper will be reviewed by the Portfolio Committee on Communications. Malema confirms that the e-commerce policy process technical team will consider public input to the process up until the publication of the Draft White Paper.
The Department of Communications` e-commerce policy formulation process will have been underway for a year this July. Key areas studied by the working groups include infrastructure, access and convergence; security and privacy; technical standards; electronic payment systems; Internet governance and domain naming; contracting and trade laws; customs and taxation; intellectual property; and education, awareness and enablement.
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