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up as a strategic government initiative, the institute promotes ICT skills development,
research and innovation, as well as the adoption of free/libre and open source software
(FLOSS) 73 .
Another partnership between industry, academia and the government is the Johannesburg
Centre for Software Engineering. The centre aims to grow South Africa’s
capacity to deliver world-class software, strengthen the local software development
industry, and promote best practice in software development within an African context
76 .
The statutory Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa, launched in
1997, has been working together with service providers and non-governmental organisations
to set up centres across the country where disadvantaged communities can access
ICT services and skills training 76 .
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa - ICASA is responsible
for regulating the telecommunications and broadcasting industries to ensure affordable
services of a high quality for all South Africans.
South African websites attract close to 4,5 million highly educated users. Johannesburg
has the largest audience with 30% of users, followed by Cape Town (20%), Pretoria
(15%) and Durban (10%). South Africa’s online audience has grown 121% over
the past two years, as high broadband prices have slowly started to decrease. The Internet
has started moving away from being a niche activity in the country, to become a
mainstream form of media and an integral part of modern life 77 .
6.5 South Africa Telecommunications Profi le 2010
Telephones - main lines in use
4.425 million (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular
45 million (2008)
Telephone system
General assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa
Domestic: combined fi xed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 110 telephones
per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave
radio relay links, fi ber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and
wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg,
Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria
International: country code - 27; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fi ber optic cable systems
connect South Africa to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1
Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations
556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code
.za