Strong words, but they had little option.
Hatchet-man-in-chief, Toby Shapshak (editor: Stuff Magazine) is perhaps the least vulnerable and most independent (he cannot be harassed unduly). Hence his role. He is editor to a technical magazine and has a duty to his readership (who aren’t fools and won’t swallow a PC feel good line that is manifestly untrue). He must maintain technical credibility.
Muller (founder MyBroadBand [this site]) runs a technical site and also has to maintain technical credibility. The reasoning applicable to Shapshak, applies here as well. He is more vulnerable to harassment (he must have a few links to authority), hence his role.
Angus Hays, the articulate Neotel PR flack (Neotel is the sponsor) is the most vulnerable and he is on a permanent Valium IV drip. Neotel (thus him) have pressure, on the one hand, to provide expensive infrastructure. They cannot in case ICASA moves the goalposts again (as is their wont) and all their expenditure is in vain (the competition will eat them up). On the other hand he mustn’t expose Neotel to the risk of being denied their license to operate (because they don’t toe the government line). An invidious position.
The authorities are made-up of the ignorant ‘liberation before education’ group and the ‘elders’ – who are still battling with a feudal mindset and are totally clueless about ICT (if it was good enough for great, great granddaddy, its good enough for me). Our IT skills are being driven from the country. We (SA) have a pitiful few and there are no new trainee’s coming through. Because of the crappy broadband, the high costs associated with telecommunications, the monopolistic practises of providers and, of course, the ever present gravy trough, there are too few and none are being trained (cost and dumbed-down education – Telkom, hang your head!). The power paradigm has shifted from manpower and bludgeons to knowledge and viruses. We need proficient people to man the electronic frontier to the country. Not to invent “Made in SA” innovations (I wish) but just to hold the line. We are becoming vulnerable to electronic attack. The nature of warfare is changing and futile efforts (like the Arms Deal) are way behind the curve.
Even the apologists (if they’re geeky and competent), no matter what public posture they adopt, in their heart-of-hearts have to admit that SA is making a huge stuff-up over telecommunications. Once progress was measured in years and decades. Now its weeks and months. Their is no time for expensive meetings about meetings to decide on decor and who’s going to speak first. Time is running-out. Broadband cables are due to land shortly (that will exacerbate matters).
