SA's communication laws have no place in innovative digital era, Parliament hears

CAPE TOWN – Parliament’s Communications and Digital Technologies Oversight Committee chairperson, Khusela Sangoni Diko, said the country’s communication laws are outdated and are not "fit for purpose" in a fast-changing digital era.

She said the laws need a major review to put them on par with the rest of the world and moving away from the analogue era.

Sangoni Diko was addressing a Parliament economic cluster briefing on Monday to discuss issues around digital migration and entities in the sector like the SABC and the Postbank.

She said one of the most “pressing barriers” to progress in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector is outdated legislation.

ALSO READ: Post Office still lacks turnaround plan despite R250 million spent

Sangoni Diko said South Africa’s communications laws were largely designed for an analogue era and don’t cater for the current fast paced digital ecosystem - which features Artificial Intelligence (AI) and e-commerce.

She noted that the ICT sector is a vital enabler of economic growth, and it continues to disrupt industries globally.

“Our communications laws were largely designed for an analogue era and are not fit for purpose in a fast-changing digital environment characterised by Artificial Intelligence, e-commerce, internet of things, blockchain and many other technologies.”

Sangoni Diko added that the committee will prioritise and fast-tracking of new legislation and amendments to existing laws, to modernise the ICT sector to be more inclusive.