WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM:
THE SA Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has sent a letter to the SA Callback Association and 10 callback operators saying it will not initiate criminal prosecutions pending the outcome of a high court decision on the legality of the services. The letter has been taken by callback operators to mean that the September 1 deadline by which Satra had ordered them to cease operations no longer stands.
Satra chairman Nape Maepa announced a ban on callback operations earlier this month, saying Telkom is the only licensed provider of international telecommunications services in terms of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Callback operators have been offering international call rates up to 30% below Telkom rates.
Meanwhile, Telkom has joined Satra as co-respondent in Thursday’s high court hearing in which callback operators are challemnging Satra’s ban on their operations.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
AVGOLD AMENDS RESULTS GOLD mining group Avgold on Wednesday announced radically restated results after an audit determined the group does not have to defer tax. The audit found large unredeemed capital balances and the current low gold price means Avgold’s operating divisions are unlikely to pay tax for the duration of their lives. Net income was revised to R105-million, from the previous net loss of R3-million.
MADUNA TO BE CALLED IN MINERAL and Energy minister Penuell Maduna is to be called before Parliament’s mineral and energy affairs committee, which complained yesterday that he had failed to brief them on future plans and issues arising from his budget vote.
PHONE FRAUD PHONE card fraud has cost Telkom R55-million since October last year.
BOOI FOR IBA The parliamentary communications committee has unanimously nominated lawyer Mlamli Booi to replace SABC executive Solly Mokoetle on the council of the Independent Broadcasting Authority. Mokoetle, who was earlier nominated to fill one of the posts vacated by five councillors who resigned ovr allegations of financial mismanagement, indicated he would not take the post up.
SA/UK CUSTOMS DEAL SOUTH AFRICA and the United Kingdom on Wednesday signed a formal agreement to co-operate on enforcement of their respective customs laws. In terms of the deal, both parties undertake to exchange information and intelligenece, and to conduct investigations and surveillance on one another’s behalf.
SABC TO RENT OUT ITS OFFICES THE SA Boradcasting Corporation is to squeeze staff at its 26-storey Radio Park office block in Johannesburg into the bottom 15 floors, so that it can rent out the top 10 floors, as part of its rationalisation process and in a bid to raise much-needed revenue.