1. [File No.: 10/1 Committees]
   ANNUAL REPORT - 2002
   
   COMMITTEE: Portfolio Committee on Communications
   
   Chairperson: N N Kekana, MP
   Period: May 1999 – present
   
   VISION:
   To promote the development and implementation of policy for the telecommunications, postal and broadcasting services, as well as the control of fiscal transfers to the portfolio organisations such as the South African Post Office, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (Nemisa) and the Universal Service Agency.
   
   
   MISSION:
   
   To ensure that communications services are available to the people of South Africa and that they have access to both traditional and electronic media and communications, and information technology.
   
   
   OBJECTIVES:
   
   To monitor that the administration programme provides for management and leadership of the department, as well as for financial and human resources and other support services;
   . To monitor and to ensure whether the Telecommunications Policy programme formulates policy, manages Government’s shareholding interest in Telkom SA Ltd and its subsidiaries, and controls transfers to the Universal Service Agency and the Universal Service Fund;
   To monitor whether Postal Services develops policy for the postal sector, manages Government’s shareholding in the South African Post Office Ltd and its subsidiaries, and provides for the Postal Regulator and the licensing authority for postal services;
   To monitor whether the Broadcasting Services Policy formulates broadcasting policy, manages Government’s shareholding in the SABC and Sentech (Pty) Ltd, and controls the transfers to Icasa, Nemisa and the SABC;
   To monitor whether auxiliary and associated services facilitate and conduct research and provides support services that promote the department’s aims.
   
   
   List of entities overseen by Committee:
   
   Department of Communications
   Government Communications and Information System (GCIS)
   Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
   Media Development & Diversity Agency (MDDA)
   National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (Nemisa)
   SABC
   SABC Board
   Sentech
   South African Post Office (SAPO)
   Telkom
   Universal Service Agency (USA)
   
   
   
   
   SUPPORT:
   
   2.1 Control Committee Secretary: Marc Philander
   Period: 1 January 1999 - present
   
   2.2 Committee Secretary: Rita Schaafsma
   Period: 1 January 1996 - present
   
   2.3 Committee Assistant: Chantal Paulse
   Period: 1 May 2001 - present
   
   2.4 Secretary to Chairperson: Nina Pasensie
   Period: 1 October 1996 - present
   
   2.5 Researcher (Research Unit): No dedicated research support
   Period:
   
   2.6 Legal Support: No dedicated legal support
   Period:
   
   
   COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE (Include dates of appointment and discharges)
   Membership

Bill No.	Short title	Public Hearing	No of Submissions	Amendments	No of hrs spent
B 2-2002	Media Development and Diversity Agency Bill	Yes	14	Yes	33: 35
B 8-2002	Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill	Yes	58	Yes	72: 28
B34-2002	Broadcasting Amendment Bill	Yes	28	Yes	48: 55
B34B-2002	Broadcasting Amendment Bill	No	0	Yes, NCOP – proposed amendments	0:15

Document	Action to be taken	Date Discussed	No of hrs spent
Vote 7: GCIS Briefing		10 May 2002	8:15
Vote 26: Department of Communications Briefing	Presentations/Inputs: ICASA, SABC, SAPO, Telkom	26 October 2002	4:10
SABC Board Briefing	Restructuring of SABC	13 August 2002	3:55
Committee Programme: Adoption		12 Feb 2002	2:20
Receive Nigerian Parliamentary delegation	Exchanging experiences with Nigeria’s Communications Committee	29 October 2002	1:35

Title	Objective/s	Result/Outcome

Title	Date of Publication	Comments/Key Issue	No of hrs spent

Title	Date of Publication	Key Issues	No of hrs spent

Subject	Date considered	Publication Date of Report	Key Issues	No of hrs spent
Filling of vacancies on Icasa Board Appointment: Board of the Media Development & Diversity Agency Report and Financial Statements of State Information Technology Agency, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2000-2001 [RP 127-2001]. Report and Financial Statements of the Information Systems, Electronics and Telecommunication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority for 2000-2001, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2000-2001. Letter from the Minister of Communications, dated 19 January 2002, addressed to the Speaker explaining the late tabling of the report and financial statements of the South African Post Office for 2000-2001 were delayed due to the vacuum in senior management, the appointment of the new Board, the appointment of the new auditors and the termination of the Strategic Management Partnership with the New Zealand Post. Written explanation, dated 19 January 2002, from the Minister of Communications in terms of section 65(2)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1 of 1999), setting out reasons why the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the South African Telecommunications Regulatory Authority for 2000-2001 could not be tabled in time. Memorandum on Vote No 7 – "Government Communications and Information System", Main Estimates, 2002-2003. Memorandum on Vote No 26 – "Communications", Main Estimates, 2002-2003. Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Department of Communications for 1999-2000. Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing and Packaging Sector Education and Training Authority for 2001-2002, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2001-2002 [RP 105-2002]. Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Information Systems, Electronics and Telecommunications Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority for 2001-2002, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2001-2002. Report and Financial Statements of Sentech (Pty) Limited for 2001-2002. Letter, dd 4 Oct 2002 from the President of the Republic informing Parliament of the resignation of Councillor Néel Smuts from the ICASA Council – referred to the committee 6 Nov 2002.	25 Apr 2002 22 Aug 2002 10-05-02 22-10-02 Adverts in Media on 9,12 and 17 November 2002. To be dealt with on 21 Jan and 4, 5 and 7 Feb 2003.	2 May 2002 26 Aug 2002	Public Process of nominating Candidates to be interviewed by committee, considered by National Assembly and recommended to President for appointment. Public Process of nominating Candidates to be interviewed by committee, considered by National Assembly and recommended to President for appointment.	25:00 27:40 8:15 4:10

Subject Matter	Date	Number of Attendants	Venue	No of hrs spent

Subject Matter	Date	Number of Attendants	Venue	No of hrs spent

Subject Matter	Date	Number of Attendants	Venue	No of hrs spent

Subject	Date	Public Hearings Held	Total Submissions	No of hrs spent
Media Development and Diversity Agency Bill [B2-2002]	5-6.03.2002	Yes	14	33: 35
Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill [B8-2002]	14-15.05.2002 17.05.2002	Yes		54: 58
Broadcasting Amendment Bill [B34-2002]	16-18.09.2002 20.09.2002	Yes	28	48: 55
Report back on 2001 AAA hearings	12-13.11.2002	Yes	15	13: 50
Cellular Industry Issues	05.11.2002	Yes	35	8: 17

Oversight Activity	Date	Title of Report	Date Tabled in the House

Period	Purpose of visit e.g. Fact finding investigations	Number of Members	Number of Staff	Date Report Tabled	Costs

Period	Purpose of visit e.g. Fact finding investigations	Number of Members	Number of Staff	Date Report Tabled	Costs

Date	Legislation	Report	Date Tabled

Date	Department or Entity	Report	Date Tabled

Title/Topic	Publication Date	Date Reported
Media Development and Diversity Agency Bill [B2-2002]	12 April 2002	18 March 2002
Filling of vacancies on ICASA Board	2 May 2002	25 April 2002
Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill [B8-2002]	4 June 2002	3 June 2002
Appointment of Board of Media Development and Diversity Agency	26 August 2002	22 August 2002
Broadcasting Amendment Bill [B34-2002]	18 October 2002	18 October 2002
Broadcasting Amendment Bill [B34B-2002]	12 November 2002	12 November 2002
Hearings on Advertising and Marketing Industry	13 November 2002	13 November 2002

Organisation	Subject Matters	Date Reported

7. 
   
   SPONSORSHIP

Donor	Purpose	POs Approval Date	Amount