SECTOR 2 2.11 The country has a coherent ICT policy and/or the government implements promotional measures which aim to meet the information needs of all citizens, including marginalised communities South Africa has an ICT policy but panellists noted it was ‘not a coherent policy’. ‘The policy doesn’t even deal with broadcasting…in the draft Electronic Communications Bill, even the word “convergence” was removed and replaced with “telecommunications”, although convergence is critical and entirely connected to telecommunications issues.’ Panellists noted that in 2014, former President Jacob Zuma split the Department of Communications into the Department of Communications and Telecommunications and Postal Services. This has created a legacy of problems, as the two are too interconnected to be run as separate entities, thus leading to incoherent governance in this regard. It was felt that the government was not doing enough to promote ICT in the country and that even the multimedia telecentres that the government set up around the country were ‘fully equipped but locked and not functioning’. The government was also criticised for not doing enough to reduce the high cost of data, despite promising ‘#DataMustFall’ campaigners that it would look into the issue. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 32 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2018 ✓✓ ✓ ✓✓✓✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ 1.9 (2013: 2.1; 2010: 1.6; 2008: n/a; 2006: n/a) ✓