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APC's
press statement >>
Process:
The
ECT Bill is the result of a consultative process that began
in 1999 with the publication of a discussion paper, after
which the Green Paper was developed and published in 2000,
and now the fast tracking of the Bill. Public comment on the
Bill was extended and submissions were heard during the week
of the 13th of May, 2002. The Bill has gone through Parliament
and will go to the National Council of Provinces at the end
of this week before it is signed into law by the President.
Author:
Minister
of Communications
Purpose:
According
to the Bill:
- 'To
provide for the facilitation and regulation of electronic
communications and transactions;
- to
provide for the development of a national e strategy for
the Republic;
- to
promote universal access to electronic communications and
transactions and the use of electronic transactions by SMMEs;
- to
provide for human resource development in electronic transactions;
- to
prevent abuse of information systems;
- to
encourage the use of e Government services;
-
and to provide for matters connected therewith.
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www.ectbill.co.za
Unofficial information repository
>>
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Problems:
- Proposal
to put the .za domain under government control: government wishes
to set up a Domain Name Authority and appoint members to the board
of directors. This is being opposed by current domain name administrators
and the Internet society in general as entirely undemocratic.
They say that government should be involved in, but not excercise
control over domain name administration in South Africa.
- Broad
powers granted to government and the Department of Communications
to register domains
- Restrictions
on cryptography: the bill indicates a requirement that all providers
of cryptography products and services provided in SA be registered
in a government database. This means that tt will effectively
become an offence carrying up to a two-year prison term for anyone
to sell a computer in SA (see http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2002/0206181213.asp?O=FPLF
for more information)
- Details
of consumer protection and spamming
Full
text, B8 2002:
>>
Submissions:
- Bridges.org
says that 'no single government department should have sole responsibility
for championing the growth of electronic commerce in SA', and
government should appoint an "eminister" to oversee the process.
Full submission >>
- British
Chamber of Business
says 'registration of cryptology services and the supply of information
regarding the application of codes is, in the view of British
Chamber members, a clear breach of intellectual property rights.
In many cases this will involve international investors and spread
a message which is to the detriment of South Africa’s investment
case.' Full submission >>
- South
African Chapter of the Internet Society says:
'We fail to understand why the Department of Communications in
particular feels that it has a better "claim" on the administration
of the .za name space than any other Government department, or
for that matter the private sector. To our knowledge, there is
not a single poor, disadvantaged or disabled person who has had
difficulty in registering an .x.y.ZA domain, and who would have
had less trouble registering such a domain if dealing if a parastatal
bureaucracy.' >>
- Namespace
za
says: 'It is the firm opinion of Namespace ZA that the domain
name system of South Africa should be in the hands of the Internet
community, in consultation with government.' >>
- Uniform
says: 'We firmly believe that implementation of the Bill as it
currently stands will have serious negative repercussion on the
operation of the ZA domain. We hope and trust that the honorable
committee will seek guidance from our commentary, and will regard
it as advice from experts who have actively participated in the
local DNS for many years. Full submission >>
- Cell
C (Pty) Limited
- Electronic
Commerce Association of South Africa
- JSE
Securities Exchange South Africa
- M-Cell
Limited
- MIH
Group
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