MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – SOUTH Africa’s Internet Service Providers’
Association (ISPA) has expressed mixed feelings at government’s recently published National ICT Policy White Paper..

The organisation said the paper was “broadly positive” but raised concern at its implementation.

“In general the White Paper is broadly positive and forward-looking, and
it reflects a much better understanding of contemporary electronic
communications and related markets,” says ISPA regulatory advisor, Dominic Cull.

He says the policy revision is long overdue and many issues have been held back by the delays in finalising it.

“While we understand that some of the proposed interventions will not be
universally welcomed, we now need to get a move on,” says Cull.

ISPA and its 178 members expressed worry about implementation and creating practice out of policy.

The association’s primary concern is that the White Paper does not
convincingly outline how the capacity and expertise shortcomings of the
regulator, or policy maker, will be addressed.

Historical failure to implement policy is said to be reflected in the fact that most of the proposals in the White Paper are not new.

“ISPA now hopes attention will shift to up-skilling the regulator and
policymakers so that implementation of the White Paper does not take us
another decade,” Cull concludes.
– Guardian