Where's my BMW?

In what could possibly be a case of sour grapes, the National Lotteries Board (NLB) has given Vodacom a spanking. The NLB is slightly peeved with the country's biggest cellular operator for running an "illegal" lottery.

Personally, I think the NLB is just pissed because it didn't get a BMW. Anyway, last Monday, the NLB issued a cease-and-desist order against Vodacom's "100 cars in 100 days" competition. But to add insult to injury, Vodacom showed the finger to the regulator, saying the NLB's view has no legal standing.

This is a good point. At the same time as issuing the order, the NLB said it would have to investigate the matter and could possibly end up taking the cellular operator to court, depending on what action its legal advisors recommend. It has also appealed to minister of trade and industry Mandisi Mpahlwa to declare the competition illegal.

So isn't this putting the cart before the horse? I mean, should there not be some pre-existing legal grounds for the NLB to stop the competition? Ok, so I agree that charging R10 an SMS was a bit steep, and I'm amused to see that some idiots have run up bills of hundreds of thousands of rands to win a Beamer.

But should exploiting people's stupidity be illegal? I think not.

It's raining broadband. Hallelujah! At least that's what Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa would have you believe. During his State of the Province address, earlier this week, Shilowa vowed his government will provide "affordable broadband access" to 95% of the province's residents in the next five years. Wow, that's impressive. It also sounds like something that's been said before. Like at last year's State of the Province address.

But should exploiting people's stupidity be illegal? I think not.

Martin Czernowalow, news editor, ITWeb

Fortunately, none of us will be getting wet, thanks to the provincial government's former Blue Umbrella (now Gauteng Link) initiative, which seems firmly unfolded and not letting anything through.

Gauteng Link was also announced a year ago. In this time, the R93 million initiative has managed to change its name. Other than that, it seemed to have stalled, with BlueIQ spokesman Jameel Chand saying it was taking "longer than anticipated".

But broadband is on its way. Yeah, and I'm sure my BMW is in the mail.

Someone else who got a royal beating this week was Sentech. The state entity incurred the wrath of Trevor Manuel this week, who lobbed 44% off its annual budget.

While Sentech refused to comment on its budget allocation or its plan of action (I don't believe it has one), a National Treasury official says the agency lacks accountability.

"The budget slash is there to raise alarm bells in the organisation about its management. At this stage, we do not have the confidence that large sums of taxpayer money would be appropriately used," he says.

Ouch! That's a kick in the nuts. This seems to have knocked the wind out of Sentech. The agency today responded, saying it will prepare a comprehensive response to these allegations, within the next week or so.

It's gonna take some fancy dancing.