PRETORIA – The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has concluded the Phase 1 evaluations of the applications to pre-register for Community Sound Broadcasting Service and Radio Frequency Spectrum licences.

ICASA congratulates the five applicants who have successfully complied with the pre-registration requirements, and are, therefore, admitted to Phase 2 of the licensing process.

The five applicants are required to submit Form B within thirty (30) days of receiving the formal decision letters communicated to them by the Authority.

Unfortunately, fifty-one applicants were ultimately disqualified from the ITP-R licensing process, for failure to meet one or more of the pre-registration requirements. This is despite a series of workshops conducted by the Authority to assist potential applicants to unpack the application requirements of the ITP-R, in order to enable potential applicants to lodge competent applications.

“Community broadcasting is an essential communication platform that ensures access to information in communities,” says Councillor, Adv. Luthando Mkumatela, Chairperson of the Council Committee processing the applications. “It is, therefore, unfortunate that the majority of applicants did not make it to the second phase of the licensing process due to non-compliance. This is a stringent process that requires a detailed analysis of documents where compliance is at the fore.”

The 5 applicants who are admitted to Phase 2 are:

Phase 2 of the licensing process will be 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 ITP-R.

End.

Issued by ICASA

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