PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE ANDADMINISTRATION

COMMENTS SITA AMENDMENT BILL

Presentation by Transteland Eskom

31 July 2002

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. General Comments

3. Conclusion

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Introduction

Transtel and Eskom welcome the opportunity to comment on the proposed SITA Amendment Bill

Important issues highlighted in this submission include:

• The exact nature of SITA’s role

• Competition related issues

• SITA’s remit

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General Comments

SITA’s role should be that of an IT procurer/broker of services

for government departments

SITA’s remit should apply to government departments and

to organs of state only if the organs of state elect to

procure services from it

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General Comments (cont’d)

If SITA wishes to roll-out its own Wide Area Network independently of

fixed line operators, the Telecommunications Act should be amended

to grant SITA this power

In the current form of the SITA Amendment Bill, SITA should apply for

a PTN licence under the Telecommunications Act – then lease

bandwidth from PSTS operator of choice

SITA’s PTN licence would then be similar to that of PTN licensees

other than Transnet and Eskom

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General Comments (cont’d)

Provider of all IT related services and facilities (Wide Area Networks

“WANS”)

Authentication products and services on an exclusive basis should only

apply to government departments and to organs of state if the organs of

state choose to use SITA as their provider of authentication products

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General Comments (cont’d)

Organs of State such as Transtel and Eskom Enterprises are

obligated to procure IT related products and services from

Arivia.kom

Other Organs of State, such as Denel also have a similar

obligation

It is questionable whether services provided to departments

and Organs of State should be construed as a provision of a

network for purposes principally or integrally related to the

operations of that department or Organ of State

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Conclusion

•eer

SITA’s role should be that of a broker of IT related services and facilities on behalf of government departments instead of a provider

Organs of state should be able to choose who their IT service provider will be

It is questionable whether, if SITA obtains a PTN licence, it shall be able to provide services principally and integrally related to the operations of different Organs of State

Telecommunications Act would have to be amended to enable SITA to roll out their own Telecommunications PTN