Parliament calls for withdrawal of policy directive paving way for Starlink's entry into SA

THE chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni Diko, has called for the immediate withdrawal of a policy direction issued by Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Solly Malatsi.

- SIPHELELE DLUDLA

Malatsi last week issued a formal policy direction to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), instructing it to urgently align its ownership regulations with the amended ICT Sector Code under the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) framework.

The directive, published in the Government Gazette on Friday, was issued in terms of section 3(2) of the Electronic Communications Act (ECA) and follows an extensive public consultation process that attracted more than 19 000 submissions.

Malatsi said the policy intervention was necessary to remove regulatory impediments that were constraining both local and international investment and would expand access to high-speed internet across South Africa.