BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE— The Eswatini Communication Commission (ESCCOM) today renewed two broadcasting licences and also issued a new licence to an international and domestic commercial courier service.
The two broadcasting licences that were renewed were for Channel Yemaswati TV station and The Voice of the Church Radio Station (VOC). The new courier service is Shippii. The event took place today at the ESCCOM offices in Mbabane.
Channel Yemaswati was represented by the director, Qhawe Mamba, and VOC was represented by the national director, Zacharia Mthethwa. Shipii was represented by its co-founder, Sibusiso Khumalo.
ESCCOM Chief Executive, Mvilawemphi Dlamini, spoke on behalf of the commission at their office in Mbabane. He said: “The Commission is mandated by its establishing statute, the ESCCOM Act, 2013, and the Electronic Communications Act, 2013, to grant any authorization for the carrying out of any operation or activity relating to any matter within the remit of the Commission.”
Dlamini explained that the process of licensing and renewing licences was vigorous and an engaged one, where the Commission evaluated the application and considered a number of factors before a recommendation could be made. The Commission, according to Dlamini, considered not only the technical capability of the applicant, but also the financial viability and sustainability of the business. It is always undesirable that a person licenced by the Commission go on to be a market failure.
The CEO went on to say that licencing came with rights and obligations, which the regulator had to continuously enforce while safeguarding the rights of the consumer.
It is worth mentioning that both Channel Yemaswati and VOC have been in business for a long time, and their existence preceded the establishment of the Commission. They remain one of the pioneers of the broadcasting sector.
“Although the Commission identified a few challenges, we were satisfied that the renewal of the broadcasting licences was deserved. It is upon Channel Yemaswati TV and the VOC to ensure that the challenges identified are turned into opportunities because persistent and frequent non-compliance may result in the revocation of a licence,” said Dlamini.
The CEO went on to implore both broadcasters to expand their customer base by being innovative and leveraging the digital platforms available. Provide diverse offerings within their programmes and be aggressive in the pursuit of being a leader in their space.
Dlamini further said that they would step up their efforts in ensuring compliance by licensees, and as such, punitive measures shall be taken for transgressions. The CEO appealed to both entities to have systems and processes in place for compliance.
Section 6(b) of the ESCCOM Act mandates the Commission to regulate and supervise the provision of postal services and electronic commerce, including courier services. “We are proud that a number of courier services have been licenced by the Commission, and the number is growing day by day. As alluded to earlier, the Commission approved the licencing of SHIPPII after an extensive evaluation process. We are confident that the entity will be able to provide services to our people and add value to the sector and the country’s economy at large.”
The CEO concluded by saying that they urge that the licence and all regulatory frameworks be a bible to the three companies, as they capture compliance requirements.
