ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS RAPID NETWORK, FACILITIES DEPLOYMENT: NEW POLICY DIRECTION GAZETTED

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS RAPID NETWORK, FACILITIES DEPLOYMENT: NEW POLICY DIRECTION GAZETTED

• 20 October 2026
• Communications & Digital Technologies
• SA Legal Academy

Communications & Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi has gazetted a policy direction instructing the Independent Communications Authority (ICASA) of South Africa to:

• review prevailing facilities leasing regulations under the 2005 Electronic Communications Act, and
• ‘develop a framework for new rapid deployment regulations’.

Supplementing the March 2023 national policy and associated directive on rapid network and facility deployment, the latest set of ministerial instructions is intended to assist ICASA in its efforts to fulfil the goals articulated in each document.

According to an accompanying explanatory note, these include creating a geographic information system database of electronic communications networks, facilities and ‘ICT infrastructure’ obtained not only from licensees (as empowered by the relevant legislation) but also from non-licensees ‘on a voluntary basis’.

The new policy direction also has implications for the process of declaring and resolving any dispute between a licensee and landowner in the context of access and any associated damage.

ICASA has 12 months to produce its first report on progress made in meeting the requirements concerned.

• new policy direction
• 2023 policy direction
• 2023 rapid deployment policy

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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