Information and communication technology (ICT) policy in South Africa incorporates telecommunications and e-commerce. While discrete policy and legislative processes, the two are intertwined within the joint national strategies of equitable development and economic growth. The current state of ICT policy in South Africa is that the Telecommunications Act, Act 103 of 1996, is under review and e-commerce policy and cyberlaw is evolving. The resultant ICT policy will have a direct effect on the infrastructure, communications and applications segments of the market as well as the nature of e-government services. It is this uncertain policy context that this brief addresses.

The aim of this brief is to describe the general policy landscape and highlight the ICT policy hotspots from a digital divide perspective - that is, balancing grassroots perceptions against the considerations and priorities of national government. The ICT policy hotspots in South Africa that express the highest incidence, both at civil society and state level, are:

• Telecommunications regulation
  
• Taxation
  
• Universal access and affordability
  
• Intellectual property
  
• Domain naming
  
• Consumer protection
  
• Certification authority

General e-commerce policy issues made up the middle ground and socio-political indicators, including e-government, scored low. This assessment does not necessarily suggest that input into the South African policy process begin with those policy issues that are receiving the most press or public attention. Rather, the brief alludes to a roadmap of policy arenas, stakeholders and perceptions about ICT and its role in a changing society and within the global knowledge economy.

 

Table of contents

1. Executive Summary
   
2. Introduction
   
3. ICT policy since 1994
   
4. Current status of policy-making
   
5. Terminology - the defining of "ICT"
   
6. South African ICT policy hotspots
   
7. The myth of technology neutrality?
   
8. Overview of key stakeholders per ICT segments
   
9. Investment and trade promotion
   
10. Selected perspectives on ICT policy and (de)regulation
    
11. Concluding remarks
    
12. Annex 1 - Additional Remarks
    
13. Annex 2 - Ownership of Telkom in light of upcoming IPO
    
14. Endnotes