Cellular operators rip off the poor: MPs

The SABC has a really interesting recording of what the Committee chair had to say yesterday - pretty fighting words that the Committee will not ask operators nicely to reduce prices.
 
Members of Parliament’s labour and public enterprises select committee
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level of communications-specific knowledge = not much
this committee may also hold a bit of a grudge stemming from Broadband Infraco only getting an IECNS licence and not being allowed to play in retail

During the briefing, African National Congress MP Livhuhani Mabija said the committee had been experiencing “a lot of problems with Icasa”, and suggested it was suffering from a disease.
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Committee chairwoman Priscilla Themba lambasted senior Icasa officials present at the briefing, including the authority’s chairman Stephen Mncube, telling them their presentation was “not up to what we expected”.

ANC MP Mbuyiselo Jacobs wanted to know when “the rot had started” at Icasa.

“Because Icasa is the regulator and supplier of licences. [Yet] it supplies them without any restrictions; it just gives.”
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ICASA-bashing is so hot right now. Like seal-clubbing, only they generally oblige by bashing themselves...

“According to my personal understanding, analysis, and diagnosis… there is a very dangerous cancer… that is eating Icasa.

“And, before a thorough examination is done, and there is a diagnosis and medication to heal it, our masses are going to be suffering. The poorest of the poor are going to suffer. Something needs to be done.”
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is it just me or is there an election soon?

Phiri said existing legislation — the Electronic Communications Act –did not make provision for price regulation.

“We do not have a regime of a definite price regulation, where you can say the minimum must be this, and the maximum shall be that.
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yes it does and yes we do. concerning...
 
They don't rip off the poor. They rip off everyone. Bloody emotive crap.
 
We should have elections every year, it's the only time the ANC seems to work.
 
Easy to bash the cell providers, but what about Telkom?
Telkom prices are even higher than PAYG.
Just remind me who's the majority shareholder in Telkom?
 
system32 said:
Easy to bash the cell providers, but what about Telkom?
Telkom prices are even higher than PAYG.
Just remind me who's the majority shareholder in Telkom?
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How do companies like Telkom circumvent soaring electricity and labour costs, copper thefts problems, equipment costs , list is endless. I am in support of affordable communication but how do these companies strike a balance between pleasing the consumers and at the same time sustain their existence.
 
Big Sub-Zero said:
How do companies like Telkom circumvent soaring electricity and labour costs, copper thefts problems, equipment costs , list is endless. I am in support of affordable communication but how do these companies strike a balance between pleasing the consumers and at the same time sustain their existence.
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R500m profit, after a massive voluntary retrenchment payout knocked 71% off the bottom line.
So, realistically, profits of well over a billion - for a company with a mandated monopoly and government shareholding. That's not justifiable.
 
rpm said:
South Africa’s communications regulator is failing to perform and allowing mobile service companies to “rip off” the poor, MPs said on Wednesday.
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Replace 'comms regulator' with 'government' in the sentence above and it still reads true .. 'the poor' is just a phrase to used by politicians when they want something.
 
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