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X-Men Origins - Telecoms

It's the extended version of Friday Action Night in the telecoms industry.

Candice Jones
By Candice Jones, ITWeb online telecoms editor
Johannesburg, 27 Oct 2009

Over the last two years, South African moviemakers have made waves in the Hollywood Hills. The latest box office hit to shake up our screens was District 9, directed by Neill Blomkamp, which earned a killer $35 million in its opening weekend.

Last year, the acclaimed Tsotsi, directed by Gavin Hood, won an Oscar for best foreign-language film. Ironically enough, Hood also directed X-men Origins - Wolverine. Little did he know that Hugh Jackman would have such ardent competition for the role.

Taking up the flag is a new feature, playing out in the South African media - and starring some unexpected leading actors, including the newly-reborn chairman of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), Paris “Wolverine” Mashile - which promises to be the next highest earner to light up our plasmas.

Remember the Razzies

The last five years of telecoms has been an unfortunate series of B-grade dramas that really belonged on the Hallmark channel. The plot lines were boring and predictable - and too many story arcs left untidy and open-ended.

Let me share some of last year's examples:

Remember that court drama where Altech took then communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri to the High Court to gain the right to self-provide? Or worse, when she threatened to change the law to prevent the licence conversions from value-added network service providers to electronic communications network service providers - that was one for the Raspberries.

Or maybe you remember the one where ICASA tried to stop Vodacom from listing at the last minute, with some persuasion by Cosatu?

Or maybe you would rather not remember.

Taking back the power

After years of taking on those low-budget roles, [Paris] Mashile has really come into his own.

Candice Jones, telecoms editor, ITWeb

After years of taking on those low-budget roles, Mashile has really come into his own, and has started to show he has the guts to take on the bigger roles. To be fair, his past supporting cast was not very supportive and he was essentially typecast in those roles.

After reportedly having spent a week with his new coach, communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda, the regulator's chairman seems to have learned a few tricks that could see him shooting for an Oscar.

Almost everyone who witnessed his performance at the hearings on draft regulations governing scarce spectrum has commented on his sudden strength and confidence. The week with the minister has shot his spine through with adamantium.

There was a great scene in the saga last week, during the hearings, where Mashile threw a punch at the Telkom regulatory representatives. The company was whining about the 30% BEE equity requirements, saying it can't meet them.

Mashile's claws came out. “You are dinosaurs that have been around for a long time. You need to subject yourselves to the regulatory environment.” And then, almost like an afterthought, he sprouted the best one-liner since “I'll be back” - “Adapt or die”.

Instant fame

But Wolverine is not alone in the movie magic of the industry; he has been partnered by our very own Professor Xavier - the one and only communications minister himself.

His debut role in industry has made him an instant star, and rumour has it Nyanda is doing all his own stunts. The minister's starring role, so early in his career, has earned him some industry respect. And while many critics are not totally convinced by his policies, they all agree it's about time someone put their foot down on the telcos.

Nyanda has taken out the big guns and, having a military background, he wields them with some skill. His convincing performance over the last few weeks has had the unwitting villains in a little bit of a state.

Using the talent of his director-general, Mamodupi “Storm” Mohlala, the minister has unmasked the likes of SABC, Telkom, Vodacom and MTN.

Granted, all well-developed villains have a reason to be mean, and the operators are no exception. These guys have been sitting on heaps of interconnect revenue for years and played star roles in the development of the local telecoms industry.

But, as Meryl Streep will tell you, sometimes you just have to take up the roles you don't like, and the operators are now in a place where they have no choice.

X-Men Origins - Telecoms will keep you hooked to your screens, and the next plot to unfold promises nothing less than action all the way. A five out of five for this on-screen success, and I say - bring out the popcorn, because it can only get better.

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