The Independent
Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) said it has concluded the
licensing process to issue Community Sound Broadcasting Service (CSBS) and
Radio Frequency Spectrum (PFS) licences for the provision of community sound
broadcasting services.
In a statement, it noted
that out of the fifty-six (56) applications that were admitted to Phase 1 of
the licensing process, only five (5) applicants complied in full, with the
pre-registration requirements and they were therefore, admitted to Phase 2 of
the licensing process.
The second phase of the
licensing process was undertaken in terms of section 17 of the Electronic
Communications Act, 2005 (Act No. 36 of 2005) and in line with the criteria set
out in Schedule B of the Invitation to Pre-Register (“ITP-R”).
“The
Authority is pleased to announce that the five (5) applicants were successful
in the licensing process and were subsequently awarded CSBS and RFS licences.
This achievement is a significant milestone and demonstrates the commitment and
determination of these applicants to serve their respective communities,”
the statement noted.
The community radio sector is
a beacon of diversity, bringing in harmonious social cohesion while also
uniting the voices of communities
“Community
radio plays a big role in South Africa as a source of information, education,
and entertainment. I encourage the successful applicants to use this vehicle to
serve their communities and contribute to the diversity of the community
broadcasting sector. It also remains important for community radio stations to
comply with their license terms and conditions and have proper governance
structures to ensure the success of the radio stations,” says
ICASA Councillor, Adv. Luthando Mkumatela.
By:
Kanto Okanta
