The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) picketed outside Telkom’s head offices in Pretoria on Monday, accusing the telecommunication giant of ignoring it and its grievances.
The FXI is angry with Telkom because it refused to attend a meeting last Saturday, held by the People’s Forum on Communication Rights, to discuss issues including the poor roll-out of telephone lines in rural and poor areas, as well as Telkom’s high tariffs.
Virginia Setshedi, spokesperson for the FXI, said the aim of the picket was “to get their [Telkom’s] attention”.
“We invited them to our public forum so they can listen to the people’s issues. They bluntly refused to come. They look like they are ignoring us,” she said. “If they say they are working for the public, they should be available.”
Many people from Rammulotsi in Viljoenskroon in the Free State are facing disconnection because Telkom’s tariffs are no longer affordable, said Setshedi.
These people are using their phones as “ornaments”, she added.
The same issues were raised in March last year, as well as in October, when Telkom was presented with a memorandum.
“They didn’t even respond to our memorandum,” said Setshedi.
Fifteen representatives attended the meeting on Saturday, where the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) was also represented.
Icasa told the FXI on Monday it would like to help to take the matter further, said Setshedi.
The Department of Communications, MTN, Vodacom and Cell C also refused to attend the meeting.
“People get ripped off when they use cellphones. We also hope to engage with the Department of Communications,” added Setshedi, but the department didn’t even respond to the invitation.
“Telkom should stick to its mandate of rolling out [telephones]. Even those people in rural areas have the right to a freedom of expression. Whether we live in rural or urban areas, we should have the same rights,” she said.
She added that Telkom doesn’t roll out phones in rural areas because it believes that it is not economically viable.
“People who are living in those areas can’t practise their freedom of speech,” she said.
Lulu Letlape, the corporate communication head at Telkom, said the picketers were “asked by the South African Police Service to leave the entrance of Telkom’s corporate office in Pretoria, as they were conducting an illegal gathering”.
“No Telkom employees were involved in the gathering and the protesters left peacefully. Telkom had no prior communication with the institute [the FXI] on this matter,” she added.
Only 10 people took part in the picketing and “everything went well until the police interrupted”, said Setshedi.
“We gave them [the police] a workshop about the law, which they are supposed to know. I think now we are going to have a big march.”
The People’s Forum on Communication Rights was formed last year in October. It fights for the rights of people in rural and poor areas to have the same rights to basic telecommunication networks that every other urban area enjoys.