Local elections / opposition party ammo

[Sneeky]

As the campaigning will undoubtedly hot up leading to the local elections, could the dismal state of telecoms in SA not be used as election ammo by any of the opposition parties? Would get plenty coverage in the press if they did and further the cause so to speak.
Telkom did after all have a mandate to supply telecoms to the poor, one of the conditions that secured them their prolonged monopolistic status.
Government has failed to ensure this and less people have landlines.
Thabo MBeki has himself also criticized the high cost of telecoms last year yet the situation has just deteriorated, and we fall further and further behind the rest of the world.
High Telecoms costs are also costing the country jobs in the form of call centers and general local internet growth.

 

[HellTel]

As the campaigning will undoubtedly hot up leading to the local elections, could the dismal state of telecoms in SA not be used as election ammo by any of the opposition parties? Would get plenty coverage in the press if they did and further the cause so to speak.
Telkom did after all have a mandate to supply telecoms to the poor, one of the conditions that secured them their prolonged monopolistic status.
Government has failed to ensure this and less people have landlines.
Thabo MBeki has himself also criticized the high cost of telecoms last year yet the situation has just deteriorated, and we fall further and further behind the rest of the world.
High Telecoms costs are also costing the country jobs in the form of call centers and general local internet growth.

In one way it would be ammo but, it would only last while the campaign was taking place because once they/if (the opposition) came into power they would start to benefit from the 40% shares in Telkom.

The shares do not belong to the President himself but to the South African Government in power, so the opposition would quick change their tune like the current Government did.

 

[Nick333]

In one way it would be ammo but, it would only last while the campaign was taking place because once they/if (the opposition) came into power they would start to benefit from the 40% shares in Telkom.

The shares do not belong to the President himself but to the South African Government in power, so the opposition would quick change their tune like the current Government did.

Lol, yup they're all a bunch of currpt b@st@rds. The thing is though that no opposition party is going to take over from the ANC anytime soon, so if a telecommunications platform gets them a few more votes why not use it.

Cant see Tony Leon paying attention to myadsl though, hes to busy keeping a eye out for the next government f@ck up.

 

[JStrike]

That doesn't have much to do with it. They wont use it as a feature of their campaign as almost noone cares. They will use things people care about, poverty, crime, racism, corruption, homosexuality, gdp growth, job creation etc. Telecoms costs are almost irrelevant to most people (Even though it does affect them)

 

[Debbie]

Mbeki's State of the Nation address is on Friday 3 Feb. I am mulling ideas of standing outside parliament with a big-ass sign. I think I will definitely have to go there with our current antitrust canvass banner.

Its a good opportunity as the media is usually trained on parliament on this day. Always makes the main news story of the day and etv as well as sabc usually broadcast live before during and after his speech.

Any comments or suggestions? Especially suggestions on how I can attract the attention of the media who will all already be there on that day.

 

[Sneeky]

I was thinking along the lines of targeted audiences, as speeches would vary in content depending on who one was addressing. Woulda just got the word out to more people, just awareness.
No matter, not the first bad idea I've ever come up with

edit, antitrust site down? 404 error!

 

[Debbie]

Yeah Antitrust site is down, lot of work being done on the server. Can't tell you much more than that, only that it will be back up as soon as possible.

 

[krycor]

yeah 3rd feb.. i just hope someone brings it up, and the media ask what has happend? Funny thing when watching something like sabc3 1pm news/bussiness update they always make it seem like so much things have change and more to come 'immenently'

 

[Debbie]

yeah 3rd feb.. i just hope someone brings it up, and the media ask what has happend? Funny thing when watching something like sabc3 1pm news/bussiness update they always make it seem like so much things have change and more to come 'immenently'

Yeah it is incredible how TV distorts things, especially if what is being presented is accompanied by comments and if the footage has been edited. Yet even without this, things can still be distorted.

I sat in the National Assembly once when Mbeki was addressing the house. It seemed SO different to watching it on TV. On TV much of the environmental context is eliminated, and so I suppose that is why I perceive the same thing differently.

 

[kilo39]

Cant see Tony Leon paying attention to myadsl though, hes to busy keeping a eye out for the next government f@ck up.

state of communications, adsl IS a government f@ck up

 

[telkomsuig]

Anybody know if 1 March is a public holiday ?Want to start making holiday plans