![\"iBurst](\"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/iBurst-data-centre-damage-3.jpg\" "\\"iBurst")
<\/a>iBurst data centre equipment damage after ICASA raid<\/p><\/div>\n
Malicious intent from ICASA inspectors<\/h3>\n
Mtshali said that the \u201cunwarranted\u201d action against iBurst boils down to bad luck. \u201cThere was clearly malicious intent from the ICASA inspectors who vandalised our equipment,\u201d said Mtshali.<\/p>\n
He said that the ICASA inspectors were supposed to be well trained, but that they \u201cthrew telecoms equipment worth millions\u201d on the back of a truck and drove around with it without consideration of the damage which they caused.<\/p>\n
Mtshali said that giving ICASA inspectors the power to take down a network without oversight from the ICASA council is simply not on. \u201cWe should revisit these regulations,\u201d said Mtshali.<\/p>\n
![\"iBurst](\"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/iBurst-data-centre-damage-2.jpg\" "\\"iBurst")
<\/a>iBurst data centre equipment damage after ICASA raid<\/p><\/div>\n
Tens of millions in damage<\/h3>\n
Mtshali said that he estimates the damage in the confiscation of the data centre equipment to be between R40 million and R50 million \u2013 at least.<\/p>\n
He explained that during the downtime they could not do billing runs, sign up new clients or measure bandwidth usage. The damage stretches far beyond the damage to equipment, said Mtshali.<\/p>\n
The estimated damage, said Mtshali, does not take reputation damage and subsequent loss of business into account.<\/p>\n
The iBurst CEO highlighted that MTN, one of their largest clients, has already indicated that they will move some of their links away from them.<\/p>\n
![\"iBurst](\"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/iBurst-data-centre-damage.jpg\" "\\"iBurst")
<\/a>iBurst data centre equipment damage after ICASA raid<\/p><\/div>\n
ICASA inspectors could not be found<\/h3>\n
Mtshali said that the ICASA inspectors who confiscated their equipment were nowhere to be found when the court ruled that the regulator should return their equipment.<\/p>\n
He said that ICASA\u2019s management could not find the inspectors when they had to return the equipment, and no one at the regulator knew where the confiscated iBurst equipment was stored.<\/p>\n
According to Mtshali, the equipment was finally returned around midnight on Friday 5 April – three hours after the issued deadline. This means that the regulator was in contempt of court.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat example does the regulator set if it does not obey the courts,\u201d asked Mtshali.<\/p>\n
![\"iBurst](\"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/iBurst-data-centre-3.jpg\" "\\"iBurst")
<\/a>iBurst data centre equipment damage after ICASA raid<\/p><\/div>\n
Never again<\/h3>\n
Mtshali apologised for the downtime and the disruptions to their clients, saying that it will never happen again.<\/p>\n
\u201cICASA will never pull something like this again. They did not understand the magnitude of the impact of their actions,\u201d said Mtshali.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will permanently keep my ear to the ground to guard against ICASA inspectors with malicious intent,\u201d he quipped.<\/p>\n
ICASA was asked for feedback about their actions, but they did not provide feedback by the time of publication.<\/p>\n
![\"iBurst](\"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/iBurst-data-centre-2.jpg\" "\\"iBurst")
<\/a>iBurst data centre equipment damage after ICASA raid<\/p><\/div>\n
More about the iBurst ICASA battle<\/h3>\n
Startling accusations in iBurst, ICASA battle<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n iBurst wins court interdict against ICASA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n ICASA breaks silence on iBurst equipment seizure<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n