ICASA Consumer Rights Roadshow

[dominic]

fascinating ...

http://www.icasa.org.za/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ItemDetails/mid/388/ItemID/274/Default.aspx

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) will be hosting Consumer Rights Roadshows across the country. The purpose for the Roadshows is to create awareness to consumers about their right to access communication services relating to electronic communications, broadcasting and postal services. The Roadshows will be attended amongst others by ICASA Councillors and Executive Management, the Licensees and various stakeholders. Furthermore, the Roadshows will provide a platform for the Authority, Licensees and stakeholders to interface with the public,
disseminate information as well as enabling the Authority to receive consumer complaints from the remote areas of our country.

An emphasis on consumer awareness will be about the right to:
• Information.
• Affordable prices
• Quality service
• Choice of representation
• Choice to redress

there is a list of times and venues in the media release

I would be interested to know
(a) what actual rights consumers in telecoms have?
(b) if they do have rights to e.g. "affordable prices" then how do they go about enforcing their rights

RPM - if possible could you send a [-]spy[/-]mybb correspondent to cover one of these and reportback on what actually happens + how we consumers can use ICASA to enforce our rights to "quality service" at "affordable prices"

rights?
right ....

 

[rpm]

Article here: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/Telecoms/7009.html

We hope we can make it Dominic, but I don't expect fireworks

 

[msmoorad]

ICAKA

they have a .pdf doc where it shows the complete schedule, sadly they are coming to some bush town in KZN that ive never heard of & not coming to Durbs.
i was waiting to rip them a new a***hole!
still, who would have thought they would do this,i think its a good sign
maybe they want the assistance of "the masses" in order to force Govt, Dept of Telecomms & Telkom to wake up!
they know its wrong but need our help to really do something.(this is just my opinion)
i think those of you who can attend should go.

 

[arf9999]

Shouldn't consumers be able to access this close to where they live? i.e. where the largest concentrations of population are?

Eastern Cape Tsholomnqa, Amathole District
Venue: Chaluma Xhameni Community Hall
approximately 45 km from East London.

Note: not in Port Elizabeth.

Limpopo
Mopani District Municipality
Area : Tzaneen
Village : Makhwibidung village

Note: Not in Polekwane

Mpumalaga Nkagangala District
Area: Nkomazi District Municipality
Village: Louiville
Venue: Thusong Service Center

Note: Not in Nelspruit or Witbank

North West Moses Kotane Municipality
Area: Mogwase
Township: Mogwase
Venue Mankoe Orbit College

Note: Not Rustenburg or Mafikeng

Free State
Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality
Area: Thaba Nchu
Village: Thabo Mufutsanyane
Venue: Phuthaditjhaba Community Hall

Note: Not Bloemfontein or Welkom

KZN Umshwathi Municipality
Area: Wardsburg Town
Village: Suuayimani
Venue: Nkwalini Stadium

Note: Not Durban or Pietermaritzburg

Northern Cape
Kuruman Municipality
Area: Kuruman Village
Village: Kuruman

Not Upington or Kimberley

Western Cape Klein Karoo District Municipality
Area: Cape Town
Township: Garden Route
Venue: De Doorns Stadium

Note: Not Cape Town... but De Doorns?

And the best for last:

Gauteng
Lesedi Local Municipality
Area: Heidelberg
Township: Heidelberg
Venue: Lesedi Local Municipality Hall

Gauteng is the most densely populated province and a meeting could have been arranged anywhere from Benoni to Pretoria, Roodepoort to Alberton... but they've chosen Heidelberg. WTF?

To me it looks like ICASA is obliged to hold these workshops and has chosen to make them as inaccessible as possible. The last thing that they need is consumers who will actually challenge them.

 

[reech]

@arf999 interesting observation indeed. Certainly looks like an attempt to obstruct/frustrate.

 

[native]

I was hoping the local radio station will be able to do live broadcast from those areas to increase popularity

Maybe we can ask ICASA to do it again in those metropolitan areas

 

[arf9999]

@reech I'm fairly sure that this is the case. Don't we have some tame journalists that can push ICASA for some explanation?

 

[ToxicBunny]

This is very very frustrating to say the least, and ICASA need to be blasted for this....

Plus of course they can't even spell the names of some of the places correctly from what I can see.... they're holding the "roadshow" in KZN in a place called Wartburg, not Wardsburg.... and in some non-descript stadium.

 

[Albereth]

And there is an election on too. So this wouldn't be a case of ICASA doing a bit of electioneering would it? See how the ANC has brought information to the sticks.

 

[snail]

the only reason why they chose those specific loacations is due to the high complaints they would receive in the urban areas ie: JBG, Durbs etc, so they pick these specific places so the feedback after the roadshow would be that there were little complaints so there is nothing for them to worry about. This in turn allows Hellkom to continue as usual cuz if they received a high number of complaints then they would have to force hellkom to do something about it, but they dont want that so they pick these hard to reach places.....

here's a thought...stop bull$h!ting us around ICASA, you couldnt make it more obvious if you tried, quite frankly i think who ever is in charge of marketing and public relations need to get fired as they dont even know how to organize a roadshow..... your pulic relations sector sucks, i know guys that live on the side of the street that could organize a better rally than you! you guys are just a joke to this country!

 

[DragonLogos]

Look Dad the Circus is in town - Cirque du Toll

 

[ToxicBunny]

Well I got bored and emailed the 2 ppl listed on the end of the "media release" as well as [email protected]

 

[ToxicBunny]

Well, I surprisingly got a response from Thenjiwe Dube from !CASA regarding my email...

First off he accuses me of not dealing with my issues in good faith, which I'll give him that, BUT they as an organisation have shown an inability to deal with things in good faith themselves so why should they be granted that priviledge is my view.

He then goes on about identifying a target audience, such as underserviced areas etc etc. So basically just tries to justify why the had roadshows where they did... but they're wishy washy responses in my opinion.

I've responded to him, pretty much blowing holes in all his "reasons"... will see if I get ignored from now on.

I wonder if he took the time to come and read this thread...

 

[Jagtiger]

The purpose for the Roadshows is to create awareness to consumers about their right to access communication services relating to electronic communications, broadcasting and postal services.

I suggest, they want to promote communications among population in rural areas or areas where Internet is not known, according to area names and distances from populated areas...

 

[DJ...]

Well, I surprisingly got a response from Thenjiwe Dube from !CASA regarding my email...

First off he accuses me of not dealing with my issues in good faith, which I'll give him that, BUT they as an organisation have shown an inability to deal with things in good faith themselves so why should they be granted that priviledge is my view.

He then goes on about identifying a target audience, such as underserviced areas etc etc. So basically just tries to justify why the had roadshows where they did... but they're wishy washy responses in my opinion.

I've responded to him, pretty much blowing holes in all his "reasons"... will see if I get ignored from now on.

I wonder if he took the time to come and read this thread...

The biggest hole being that going on a consumer awareness roadshow would entail actually visiting areas where your consumers reside - not underserviced areas. It is blatant electioneering.

What is the point of holding a consumer awareness roadshow if none of the attendees are actual consumers? Unless of course the point is to make empty promises for the umpteenth time, in which case it has sweet bugger all to do with consumer awareness. More smoke, mirrors and lies...

 

[Jagtiger]

But its still wrong, in my opinion, to make presentations afar from populated areas (its nothing wrong about promoting internet/communications in other areas, as long they make affordable prices) - internet is little popular at school (Johannesburg) among learners/teachers, because they do not know about it very much. There are some people that still use Dial-up and don't know about cheaper solutions (and better in performance) for same price they spend, there are also people who simply cannot afford it. There must be promotions in populated areas also, so more people will know about it, hence complaints about prices and affordability...
But:

He then goes on about identifying a target audience, such as underserviced areas etc etc. So basically just tries to justify why the had roadshows where they did... but they're wishy washy responses in my opinion.

But Johannesburg is not "underserviced area". Unfortunately.