Muthambi must stop secrecy on STB tenders
20 September 2015
The veil of secrecy around the placing of orders for 1,5 million set-top boxes (STBs) to three suppliers, in the first phase of producing 5 million free STBs and antenna to identified poor households as a key element of South Africa’s migration to digital broadcasting, must be lifted.
My call last week to Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi, to clarify the status of these orders has gone unheeded. My request to Mr Zami Nkosi, CEO of the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) which is managing the STB project, to confirm three names industry sources have provided me has gone unanswered.
Mr Nkosi last week told ITWeb that 1,5 million STBs had been ordered and that production began at the end of August but would not name who was producing them.
One of the assumed winning bidders, BUA Africa, declined to confirm receipt of an order from USAASA. A director of the company Mr Thulani Ngesi replied: “Unfortunately I can’t comment or confirm any speculation as you understand I have an effective NDA (sic - Non–disclosure agreement) signed which I can’t be in breach of the terms and reference of such agreement. I suggest you request such information directly from USAASA.”