Given the disaster that is South Africa’s telecommunications policy, what do you think companies in the sector would do? Blame the minister for not acting in the interest of South Africa’s citizens? Complain that her policies have cost the business sector billions over the years?

No way. They’re sucking up to her by funding expensive parties to “celebrate” a formality that is an ordinary part of her job description. In response to a question in parliament, minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri reportedly said:

Yes, a function was organised to mark the occasion of the delivery of my vote in the National Assembly. The function was fully sponsored by companies within the ICT sector.

The cost of the party? R400 000, two thirds of which paid for the entertainment. The shameless companies involved? Dimension Data, Vodacom, Cell C, MTN, GijimaAST, ForgeAhead, Microsoft, Business Connexion, Neotel, Multichoice and Nokia Siemens Networks.

Does this show that the incumbent profiteer, Telkom, is less craven and opportunistic than this lot, or that Telkom already has the minister in its pocket?

Frankly, I’m disgusted with the lot of them.

Duncan McLeod at the Financial Mail yesterday once more made a cogent case for firing Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, South Africa’s misguided and downright incompetent telecommunications minister. I couldn’t agree more. In recent weeks, I’ve written here about the idiocy surrounding private undersea cables, in Brainstorm magazine about the policy to create a national mobile broadcasting monopoly, and last week suggested the Department of Communications might as well be abolished. The latter was republished on Monday on Thought Leader, the Mail & Guardian Online’s new opinion pages. I’ll be making a more elaborate case for this proposal in the October 2007 issue of Brainstorm.

Duncan tells me that the World Bank has taken an interest in the issue, and certain members of the Presidential International Advisory Council on Information Society and Development are also keeping an eye on developments. As he points out, editorials in the media, however rationally argued, have never had much influence with president Thabo Mbeki. The chances that reason will trump loyalty this time remain remote. It would be a wonderful day for South Africa’s ill-served citizens, rich and poor, if this would change. Just don’t hold your breath.