ICASA's capacity questioned
In a number of questions posed to the Competition Commission, one member of the committee asked: “Do you think Icasa has the capacity and expertise (in its capacity as a regulator)?”
“Icasa has not delivered as quickly as it ought to. Don’t strip Icasa of its role, but encourage it to make that constitution work properly, as it should,” a spokesperson for the commission retorted.
Questions have been raised about Icasa dragging its heels over requests to reduce interconnection rates.
The committee accused the Competition Commission of being one-sided, taking the role of defending operators, and not taking into account the fact that many South Africans were extremely poor and could not afford the high tariffs.
The committee has proposed to reduce the interconnection rate from 1.25 rand to 60 cents with effect from November 1 and by a further 15 cents every November until 2012.
“My fear is that the figure is not too low, but that it is too high,” said a spokesperson for the commission. He stressed that the figure would then not come down any further because the incorrect figure had been arrived at in the first place.
ICASA & its ability to regulate – comments and views
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