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Katim
----- Original Message -----
From: Russell Southwood <[log in to unmask]>
To: News Update 2 <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 2:30 PM
Subject: NEWS UPDATE 49: DIGITAL GROWTH IN AFRICA - THINGS GOVTS CAN DOFOR FREE
OR NEARLY FREE
> COMING SOON: THE INTERNET IN GHANA AND VIRTUAL REALITY FOR AFRICA
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>
> NEWS UPDATE 49: DIGITAL GROWTH IN AFRICA - THINGS GOVTS CAN DO FOR FREE OR
> NEARLY FREE
>
> The digital divide is almost an unhelpful term. The divide in this area
> simply reflects the social and economic divides that already exist
> throughout societies, especially in Africa. The new technologies have the
> capacity to transform economic and social processes. But do those who are
> promoting these transforming effects through things like the G8 Dot Force
> have the courage to say to African politicians that the magic will only work
> if they play their part? The transformation will only come about if they
> take a number of steps that will cost nothing or almost nothing. Without the
> courage to make this clear, Africa will remain one of the least favoured
> parts of the planet for digital investment. We asked 25 key individuals and
> organisations to identify the steps that need to be taken to encourage
> digital development..
>
> If our correspondent is "off the mark" or you have factual amendments, mail
> them to us and we will include them in subsequent News Updates. If you'd
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>
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> - > NEWS UPDATE 50 WILL COME OUT ON 25 FEBRUARY. THERE WILL THEN BE A GAP
> WHILE WE'RE IN CAPE TOWN. A NEWS UPDATE SPECIAL ON CAPE TOWN (ISSUE 51) WILL
> BE PUBLISHED ON 23 MARCH FOLLOWED BY A RESUMPTION OF NORMAL WEEKLY SERVICE
> ON 25 MARCH (ISSUE 52)
>
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> URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT: National Partners sought for distribution of
> international best-selling educational software in all African countries
> (except South Africa). Thorough understanding of Computers in Education as
> well as demonstrable links to local educational agencies required. Respond
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>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> DIGITAL GROWTH IN AFRICA - THINGS GOVTS CAN DO FOR FREE OR NEARLY FREE
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>
> The issue of the global digital divide is working its way through two key
> intergovernmental bodies: the G8 Dot Force and a Commonwealth Expert Group
> on Information Technology. Both are meeting in Cape Town at the beginning of
> March. The conclusions from their discussions should be of considerable
> interest to Africa. Both bodies are seeking to find ways of overcoming the
> digital divide. Understandably from Africa's point of view much of the
> discussion focuses on the "big bits" like the need to invest in physical
> infrastructure.
>
> However there are much less spectacular things that African governments can
> do for themselves to create the much talked about "enabling environment".
> What does this "consultant-speak" phrase actually mean? A country operates
> in such a way that key organisations involved in digital development -
> whether private sector companies or NGOs - are are actually helped by the
> government to "get things done". Achieving an "enabling environment"
> involves government carrying out small but decisive actions at little or no
> cost to themselves.
>
> These actions by themselves will not bring about growth and investment but
> they will create the right conditions for it to happen. If African
> governments fail to take these arguably cheap or cost free steps they may
> rest easy with their "business as usual" approach but their people's
> wealth-creating capacity will slide steadily backwards.
>
> News Update asked 25 individuals and organisations drawn from development
> agencies, the private sector, NGOs and trusts involved in digital
> development in Africa to make suggestions about things that African
> governments (or others) could do for little or money to encourage digital
> development. There was almost a complete consensus on the kinds of things
> they felt ought to be done:
>
> * AFRICAN POLITICIANS AND CIVIL SERVANTS MAKING THEMSELVES MORE ICT-AWARE
>
> Although there are now more ICT-aware African politicians, there is still a
> very high percentage who simply do not understand the issues facing them. As
> one economic development agency officer put it:"If more Heads of States were
> active computer and internet users it would enable most countries to make
> effective decisions and perhaps significant differences would follow.
>
> An influential trust member funding digital divide initiatives globally
> noted:"You need to start working with an influential Government official so
> that he or she understands the need for and effect of these technologies and
> can advocate them with their peers. Most of the significant efforts with
> country-wide proliferation elsewhere - like Costa Rica and Estonia - started
> with key officials who stressed the need for government investment."
>
> Many of those asked were sceptical of the seemingly endless process of
> drawing up paper strategies to address these issues:"It is unclear why many
> countries waste more time on strategies for policy development than on
> (implementing) the policy itself". In all too many countries Government
> ministries fight amongst themselves to lead the process, leading to yet
> further delay.
>
> * FAILURE TO INTRODUCE EFFECTIVE COMPETITION POLICIES
>
> African governments are conducting a slow paced retreat towards liberalising
> the telecommunications framework in each country with too little thought
> devoted to the impact on their people and their economies. The three bidding
> shambles in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa (see below) amply demonstrate
> all that is wrong. The regulators lack people with appropriate expertise or
> are not given enough scope to become powerfully independent of government.
>
> One private sector company expressed it forcefully:"The biggest hindrance to
> (digital) growth is the failure to dregulate the communications arena. This
> is a purely government action without capital cost. Deregulation would allow
> all and sundry to into the business and growth would be explosive if
> investment conditions ever come right." As one academic closely involved in
> the telecomms policy debates put it:"The regulatory system needs to be
> clear, predictable and efficient."
>
>
> * REGULATIONS NOT HELPING "NOT-FOR-PROFIT" DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATIONS
>
> Instead of encouraging development NGOs to use the new technologies that
> leapfrog landlines and are suitable in the rural context, governments
> actually place enormously time-consuming obstacles in their way. Many
> examples were given to us of schools, health research organisations and many
> others who had the greatest of difficulty licensing use of these
> technologies. And this was even when the state telco was unable to provide a
> landline alternative. Often NGOs are forced to operate outside the law just
> to make things happen. Agencies whose work has considerable impact on the
> well-being of countries they operate in were being charged (for example)
> tens of thousands of US dollars to licence a VSAT connection. How can it
> make any sense to be charging a premium to organisations who are directly
> contributing to the welfare of a country's people?
>
>
> * THE COST OF LICENCES - FAILING TO UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS
>
> Far too many African politicians do not understand how business works. As
> one consultant involved in Africa rather cynically commented:"Too many of
> them tend to see business as a form of legal extortion, something they feel
> Government should have the monopoly on. They think that everything external
> investors do makes instant fast bucks."
>
> The newly appointed PTA in Zimbabwe has just announced its licence fees
> (Statutory Instrument 16A of 2001) - Try Z$100,000 application fee and an
> annual licence fee of US$70,000 to operate a duplex VSAT Earthstation (yes
> the currencies are correct!). Many of the Banks, Insurance companies and
> other distributed organisations have deployed their own nationwide VSAT
> networks due to the absence of a national backbone. Seemingly, they will now
> have to licence these terminals at these rates. Previously there were no
> licence fees applicable.
>
> And the new fees for Internet Access Providers - Z$100k application fee and
> US$2 or 4 million licence fee depending on whether you are a Class A or
> Class B (which incidentally has not been defined - so no one knows which
> Class their business falls into), PLUS a further annual fee of US100,000 or
> 2% of gross annual turnover, whichever is the greater. For comparison - the
> Zambian Licence fee to operate as an ISP is US$40,000 for 5 years.
>
> Some basic facts on Zimbabwe's ISP sector - the average subscription fee
> for a dial-in subscriber is about US$15 per month (one of the lowest in
> Africa outside South Africa). The total dial-in user base is estimated at
> under 19,000. Therefore, the entire ISP industry in Zimbabwe is generating
> revenues of approx. US$3.4 million from its dial-in base. A further US$2
> million per annum is probably generated from servicing the Corporate sector
> and in related activities such as Web site development. There are 5
> commercial ISPs servicing 90% of a market generating less than US$5.5
> million per annum. With the slim or non-existent operating margins and the
> proposed licence fees at US$2 or 4 million and annual fees of US$100,000 or
> more, the writing is on the wall.
>
> Unless this legislation is overturned or redefined, the digital divide in
> Zimbabwe will widen to a point where it is practically insurmountable. Which
> is unfortunate since it boasts one of the highest literacy rates in
> sub-Saharan Africa. This sort of practice runs contrary to the ATU's primary
> objectives and will close down more ISPs than any other regulation or
> economic condition. As one African ISP put it:"Even the most cash-rich ISPs
> will start to question operating in these countries (and even this
> continent)".
>
> The failure to understand business costs jobs as an economic development
> agency made clear: "Many countries have illegal shops or kiosks that provide
> communications services with relatively high costs. Senegal has turned these
> shops into opportunities for income generation for thousands of families by
> legalising telecentres providing access to fax, telephone and now the
> internet."
>
> * ABOLISHING IMPORT TAXES ON COMPUTERS AND CUSTOMS DELAYS
>
> Cameroonian President Paul Biya has said that his government will announce a
> cut in duty on computer equipment brought into the country. The same has
> happened in Benin. Three cheers for these initiatives. How can it make any
> sense to place a tax on the very tools that will help a country harness the
> opportunities of the future?
>
> Again even NGOs find themselves taxed when bringing in computers for
> educational purposes:"Governments need to allow not-for-profits to take
> advantage of (computer) donations without taxing them as you would
> commercial products when they come into the country. You'd be surprised what
> we had to do to get exemptions. Having an uncorrupt customs service is
> clearly important."
>
> Not only are these vital economic tools taxed on entry but they are often
> delayed in customs for considerable periods of time. One organisation in
> Ethiopia had to wait over a year to get its equipment out of customs. How
> can governments keep up in the digital race when the very channels of supply
> are moving at a snail's pace?
>
>
> * CORRUPTION - A PERVASIVE INDIVIDUAL TAX ON WEALTH-CREATION
>
> Africa contains a disproportionately high number of countries that are in
> the first division for corruption. As one private sector executive told
> us:"I think it would be fair to say that there is no successful country
> anywhere in the world where corruption is the order of the commercial day as
> it is throughout this continent." In some cases this is not simply
> corruption around contracts and bidding but systemic corruption throughout
> the society. This is a sensitive subject and when raised with African
> politicians often meets with the rejoinder:"Ah...but you have corruption in
> your country." We enter "two wrongs don't make a right" territory. Any
> private sector company that makes a bribe must share responsibility for the
> disabling effects of corruption on the effectiveness of the societies these
> customs or habits have taken root in.
>
> Greater transparency and effectiveness in bidding processes would clearly
> make some levels of corruption harder to achieve.
>
>
> * GOVERNMENTS AS EXAMPLES OF BEST PRACTICE
>
> Government itself is often the obstacle. As one West African NGO officer so
> graphically described:"Government is spoiling everything, from education to
> health, from oil to telephones, from policy to goods exportation. At any
> place, you have to fill in a ton of forms, produce the same amount of paper,
> request more and more authorisations. I think the more we reduce government
> actions in our daily lives, the more we create the conditions to encourage
> growth in Africa's 'new economy'".
>
> The same heartfelt frustration was echoed by several respondees who
> commented on how slow governments were to respond to requests or to see
> themselves as part of a supportive framework. Africa is not alone in this
> field. Many developed nations' governments struggle to behave in a
> responsive way. African countries need to understand that governments can
> either make themselves part of the problem or part of the solution.
>
> Goverments have to lead by example. One respondent told us:"If governments
> answered their e-mails, this would be a much better reason to use the
> technologies. First get an internet terminal in the President's office then
> (so rarely she) will get enthused and actually understand what this is all
> about."
>
> Government controls policy for key learning institutions and many of these
> lag behind in their thinking:"African universities continue to defend the
> status quo. The current setting is 'talk and chalk' with outdated materials,
> limited or no access to course materials and students leaving universities
> without creating personal home pages. Computer and information science
> teaching and research remains far behind the type of skills needed at local
> and global level. It is possible to turn around universities at a relatively
> low cost."
>
> Governments need to find ways of harnessing the skills of its citizens who
> have left. Rather than simply bemoaning the brain drain they need to
> mobilise the "digital diaspora". As one person said:"It is perhaps the
> easiest resource to tap without much cost. It is not only a source of income
> but could be a source of free advice in complex issues such as regulation.
> Most of those in the diaspora are ready to help their home countries, often
> for free."
>
> In fairness, there was one respondent - the head of a key development agency
> in this area - who dissented from the basic proposition:"There are few
> viable strategies that would require little or no expenditure in cash and at
> the same time provide sustainable impetus for growth of ICT infrastructure
> and services. I tend to think in terms of incentives to be given in order to
> make investors redirect their investment destination towards African
> markets."
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> NEWS ROUND-UP AND SNIPPETS
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>
> * ETHIOPIAN TELCO BANS PRIVATE CYBER CAFES
>
> The Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation (ETC) recently banned private
> cyber cafés operating in the capital, Addis Ababa. In what looked like a
> concern over bandwidth clogging by internet telephony (VOIP) popularized by
> newly started cyber cafés around town and a desire to maintain its monopoly,
> ETC has been aggressively clamping down on these establishments in the past
> 2 months. While there are no clear telecom laws and regulations that
> prohibit a reselling of telecom services in the country, the monopoly's
> officials were adamant that they had the right to ban private cyber cafés.
> ETC was clearly worried that its revenue from long-distance calls will drop
> as customers were using cyber cafés to make such calls at the fraction of
> the cost.Meanwhile, in early February, ETC opened its own cyber café at its
> central office in Addis Ababa. In a press conference held in the capital,
> Addis Ababa, ETC officials talked of opening offices at each zonal office in
> Addis Ababa.
>
> ETC also is planning, in association with Addis Ababa University's Medical
> School and the Ministry of Health, to launch a new online medical
> consultation service - Tele-medicine soon. ETC is betting that
> Tele-medicine, which has been used with success in other countries such as
> India and Norway, will also be successful in Ethiopia where the severe
> shortage of doctors might encourage customers to seek online medical advice
> and consultation.
> (contributor: Sam Kassegne)
>
>
> * NIGERIAN GSM BIDDING IN A COMPLETE MESS
>
> Embattled Communications Investment is hopeful that it will retain its
> Nigerian GSM licence, which was withdrawn by the authorities because the
> local company failed to meet the deadline for the payment of its $285
> million (R2,22 billion) licence fee.
> http://africa.iafrica.com/b2b/b2bnewsletter/218733.htm
>
> According to World Markets Online, the dispute centres on uncertainties over
> the granting of frequencies. Communications Investment's investors were
> unhappy putting cash up front without clear assurances on this issue.
>
>
> * MTN'S SMS MESSAGING HITS 100 MILLION PER MONTH IN SOUTH AFRICA
>
> Fuelled by the global boom in instant messaging, MTN's SMS website shrugged
> off a traditionally slow festive season for online media owners to flirt
> with the magical 100 million impressions per month mark in the last quarter
> of 2000, according to the latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Internet
> Standards. -
> (source:Boot http://www.boot.co.za/news/feb01/abis22.htm )
>
>
> * HP-TELTEC TIE-UP TO OFFER INTERNET-ENABLED CENTRES
>
> Hewlett-Packard (HP) and TeltecGlobal (TTG) have formed a three-year
> strategic co-operation agreement to develop Internet-enabled business and
> community centres in urban and rural communities in developing nations.
> (source: http://africa.iafrica.com/b2b/b2bnewsletter/218686.htm )
>
>
> * SOUTH AFRICA'S TELKOM ARGUES ITS VERSION OF COMPETITION
>
> Telkom has voiced its support for the Independent Communications Authority
> of South Africa (Icasa) proposal that a new rate regime to control
> telecommunications prices be introduced next year.Addressing members of the
> Parliamentary Press Gallery Association (PGA) in Cape Town, Telkom's Chief
> Executive Officer, Sizwe Nxasana, said that until full competition in the
> communications sector allowed the introduction of market-driven cost-based
> pricing, regulatory price control remained essential to protect consumer
> interests and ensure continued network rollout.
>
> "Clearly, the best form of price control is that which is brought about by
> effective competition. However, we are not at this point yet, and South
> Africa needs a fair and transparent rate regime that works in favour of
> customers and telecommunications operators," he said.Nxasana added that
> Telkom supported the price cap method of price control, and that it was in
> favour of a price cap formula that would enable it to earn a reasonable rate
> of return on capital.
>
> As Government considers proposals on draft telecommunications policy for the
> post-exclusivity period, Nxasana reiterated the need for facilities-based
> competition to ensure economic growth and development through increased
> foreign direct investment in South Africa. Telkom proposed a
> facilities-based duopoly, with a second network operator being licensed to
> compete against Telkom with technology-independent licenses.
> (source:Telkom)
>
>
> * THIRD CELL OPERATOR LICENCE ROUND IN CHAOS
>
> South Africa had hoped its award of a third mobile phone licence to Cell-C,
> a Saudi-backed consortium, last Friday would end a year-long controversy.But
> the timing of the decision has created fresh uproar, as the long- delayed
> announcement was made on the eve of a state visit to Saudi Arabia by Thabo
> Mbeki, the South African president.
>
> Mr Mbeki, who is accompanied by the ministers of defence and of public
> enterprises, is admittedly eager to foster trade relations with Saudi
> Arabia. One of the purposes of the trip is to support Denel, the state-
> owned arms manufacturer, as it negotiates the sale of artillery to the Saudi
> government. Opposition parties are now accusing the government of rushing
> through the announcement that Cell-C had been awarded the licence in order
> to ensure the success of Mr Mbeki's visit.
>
> The awarding of the third mobile phone licence has been dogged by
> controversy for a year. Cell-C was officially chosen as the preferred
> operator in February last year, but was then frozen out by legal wrangling,
> procedural delays and accusations of corruption and political interference.
>
> Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, the communications minister, was for months unable to
> allocate the licencee as she was locked in a legal battle with Nextcom, one
> of the losing bidders, which dropped the suit at the end of last year after
> it was granted a judicial review, which is still pending. Last Friday,
> Nextcom vowed to pursue its court action against the minister's decision.
>
> The timing of the licence award surprised many analysts, as the judicial
> review into the original selection process was set for the end of March. The
> minister is now accused of side-stepping the judicial process under pressure
> from a government eager to sell arms to Saudi Arabia. "It is difficult to
> believe it was a coincidence," one Johannesburg-based telecoms analyst said.
> Mr Mbeki's office denied any link.
>
> Cell-C's main backer is Saudi Oger, the Saudi Arabian group, which controls
> 60 per cent. The remaining 40 per cent is owned by a consortium of 32 black
> empowerment groups. To complicate matters further, some of Cell-C's local
> partners have been linked to a R43bn ($5.5bn) arms procurement deal, now
> mired in allegations of corruption.
>
> Cell-C, which estimates the delay has cost it more than US$15m while the two
> existing mobile phone providers have been snapping up millions of customers,
> is putting on a brave face. "It has been a long and expensive wait,"
> Zwelakhe Mankazana, Cell-C director, said on Monday. "But we have been
> granted a licence and we are in business. We plan to spend $600m on
> infrastructure and make up for lost time." He said he was not even aware Mr
> Mbeki was travelling to Saudi Arabia.
>
> The third licence debacle has brought the South African government under
> fire for damaging investor confidence in the crucial telecommunications
> sector, especially as the privatisation of Telkom, the fixed-line monopoly,
> should go ahead before the end of the year. The choice of Cell-C should have
> been the "end of a long saga", as a government spokesman put it.
>
> (source: London Financial Times via http://www.AfricaNewsNow.com
>
>
> * CAMEROON COMPANY SIGNS AGREEMENT TO BUY MMDS TECHNOLOGY
>
> Finline Technologieshas announced that it, through its wholly owned
> subsidiary Finline International Inc. has entered in to an agreement with
> Equatorial Communications Inc for the Purchase, Supply and Operation of MMDS
> System (Multiple Channel, Multiple Point Distribution System) to provide
> digital TV, telephone and high speed internet Services in Cameroon.
> Under the terms of the agreement Equatorial has placed an initial order with
> Finline for approximately US$100,000.00 for an internet head-end terminal
> for the city of Douala, Cameroon. The terminal will provide bi-directional
> high speed internet through a Satellite-Earth-Station presently being built
> in Douala and scheduled for traffic, commencing on February 28, 2001.
>
> As part of the Agreement, Finline obtains 25% ownership of Equatorial's
> voting shares and becomes the exclusive supplier to Equatorial and will
> deploy its Trilogy(TM) Wireless solution (High Speed Internet, Digital TV
> and Telephone) in 9 major economic centers in Cameroon, in addition to
> Douala. Finline's MMDS equipment will connect an estimated 5,000 individual
> subscribers and estimated 1,000 Internet and Access Points in Cameroon.
> In addition Finline retains an option to provide the space segment services
> to carry and terminate the Internet and long distance telephone calls into
> USA. Strategic alliances are underway to negotiate for the provision of
> further services by Finline.
> (source: Finline via Yahoo)
>
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> ON THE MONEY
> ___________________________________________________________________________
>
> * SIZING UP SENEGAL AS AN E-BUSINESS MARKET
>
> Like most markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, Senegal would rank with the lower
> tier of world markets in Pyramid Research's e-business readiness rankings,
> though well ahead of many markets in the region. Senegal's connectivity
> levels remain extremely low and are primarily driven by public Internet
> access points. The infrastructure for consumer to business is similarly
> underdeveloped, with a credit card penetration well below 1%. In addition,
> the capital market is generally too small to provide the necessary funding
> for the start-up of a sustainable B2C business.
>
> Sizing up the addressable market for a B2C business in Senegal is fairly
> arduous, if only because B2C activity is virtually non- existent. With a
> user base of about 20,000 as of late 2000, Internet penetration is a mere
> 0.2%. While this penetration rate will grow by an annual average of at least
> 50% over the next five years, it will only reach around the 1% threshold by
> the end of the forecast period. If one includes users outside Senegal - a
> potential market for B2C firms serving this market - the number of users
> grows only marginally, to about 23,000
>
> The proportion of potential online shoppers is similarly small, representing
> an estimated 1.5% of all users. Given the cost of Internet access in the
> country, the majority of online shoppers are more likely to come from
> markets outside Senegal. Within Senegal, users not using credit cards would
> have to go through cumbersome payment processes that complicate the whole
> online shopping experience and make it unnecessary. In a best-case scenario,
> online shoppers (including those outside Senegal) would represent less than
> 5% of the total user base within the next four years.
>
> Assuming an average monthly revenue per transaction of $100, we would
> estimate Senegal's B2C market at about $300,000 as of late 2000. Using
> optimistic assumptions, we forecast a rapid market growth to nearly $10m by
> the end of 2005. With credit card penetration set to increase at a snail's
> pace in the local market over the next few years, any revenue boost would
> likely come from outside the Senegalese market, from the wealthier
> Senegalese Diaspora. Thus, any local B2C firm would have to boost its user
> base outside the Senegalese market to stand a chance of survival.
> (source: Pyramid Research via http://www.AfricaNewsNow.com )
>
>
> * M-CELL CO AND UNISYS IN WIRELESS DEAL
>
> Airborn, a new unit of South African mobile network operator M-Cell, said on
> Monday that it had entered into a multi-million dollar deal with US systems
> integrator Unisys for internet-based wireless telephony.
> (source:Woza http://www.woza.co.za/reuters/feb01/mcell19.htm )
>
>
> * END IN SIGHT FOR MALITEL AFFAIR
>
> Mali's first GSM network is set to be launched in the next few days, after
> private investors agreed to cede their holdings stakes in Malitel .
> (source: Kabissa via http://www.africaintelligence.com/ )
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> USEFUL WEB SITES AND DISCUSSION LISTS
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>
> * RWANDAN MASSACRE SUSPECT LAUNCHES WEB SITE FROM JAIL
>
> A Rwandan journalist accused of helping to orchestrate his country's
> genocidal massacre in 1994 has launched a Web site from inside his prison
> cell, causing consternation among United Nations officials at the east
> African facility where he is being held.Hassan Ngeze is on trial for crimes
> against humanity at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in the
> northern Tanzanian town of Arusha. He is refusing to attend his trial,
> claiming it is biased, but he has launched a parallel defense on a US-based
> Web site on which he protests his innocence.
>
> The tactic has alarmed UN officials, who fear the site could jeopardize the
> integrity of Ngeze's trial or the lives of anonymous witnesses testifying
> against him.And in an echo of last year's French court challenge that forced
> the Internet portal Yahoo! Inc. to end auctions of Nazi memorabilia, the
> United Nations may seek to break new legal ground and shut Ngeze's site
> down.
>
> Worried UN officials say Ngeze has clearly provided material for the Web
> site, because it includes documents only available within the UN detention
> facility in Arusha, along with recent photographs of Ngeze himself.
>
> They fear it could prejudice the ongoing trial or, worse, be used to send
> coded messages about anonymous prosecution witnesses to the outside world,
> endangering their lives. They also say his allegations about UN staff are
> defamatory.The UN would like to shut down Ngeze's Web site but realizes such
> a move would raise ''very, very tricky legal and political issues, because
> the Web sites are being established and operated by people outside''
> Tanzania, said tribunal registrar Agwu Okali at a news conference.
> (source: Declan McCullagh's Politech
> listhttp://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/046/nation/Rwandan_inmate_launches_Web
> _site-.shtml )
>
>
> * INTERACTIVE ACCOUNT OF SA TRIP BY AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTIST
>
> There is an interesting interactive report by an African-American artist and
> educator about her visit to South Africa.
> http://www.digidiva.net/sa/
>
>
> * KEEP AN EYE ON THE POWERFUL IN SOUTH AFRICA
>
> You can subscribe free to reports on the work of the South African
> Parliament's committees. When MPs are briefed on policy emerging from a
> department, subscribers get the briefing, the MPs' reactions and the
> accompanying documents. Visit the Parliamentary Monitoring Group website,
> subscribe, then choose the parliamentary committees that work with the
> government ministries of your interest. http://www.pmg.org.za
>
> For those less interested in policy but more in dirt and graft, South
> Africa's unique investigative magazine Noseweek has its own online site that
> provides inside information on business, the professions, politics, health,
> the environment...anything you're not supposed to know.
> http://www.noseweek.co.za
>
>
> * DAILY PRESS MONITOR TRACKS THE CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE
>
> ZimNews provides an excellent daily press monitoring of Zimbabwe's current
> crisis both by e-letter and on a web site. All the news links you need - on
> the news page of its website http://www.zwnews.com or subscribe to the
> e-letter by saying you want to subscribe to ZimNews
> <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> DIGITAL TOOLBOX
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>
> * SOFTWARE GLITCH STOPS MODEMS ON SOME LATE-MODEL LAPTOPS
>
> A software problem apparently caused modems to
> stop working on tens of thousands of laptops at midnight on Feb. 21,
> and developers scurried to find a fix.
> (source: Computerworld http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=422747 )
>
> * SIEMENS, HP FORM MOBILE PAYMENT CONSORTIUM
>
> The companies want to develop an open standard for mobile payment.
> (source: IDG.net) http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=422561
>
> * SOME ORACLE USERS STILL CAUTIOUS ABOUT NEW APPS
>
> Although Oracle points to an increase in E-Business Suite 11i application
> installations, users and analysts say many companies are still waiting for
> the technology to become more mature before upgrading from earlier versions
> of the software.
> (source: Computerworld)http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=422524 )
>
> * MICROSOFT BUNDLES SERVER APPS FOR SMALL BUSINESS
>
> Small Business Server nudges Novell, Linux suites with an entry-level
> selection at a modest price.
> (source: PCWorld.com http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=421943 )
>
> * TRANSMETA READY TO OPEN MOBILE LINUX SOURCE
>
> Transmeta Corp of the USA is nearly ready to open up its code
> for the Mobile Linux operating system. The new OS will be targeted at AOL
> internet appliances made by Gateway, among others. Features added to the
> Linux kernel include power management, the ability to run without a hard
> disk, and a file system that compresses programs so they don't take up so
> much space on expensive mobile memory Flash ROM chips.
> (Source: Computergram, Feb 16, 2001)
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> EVENTS
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>
> * CAPE TOWN HOSTS INTERNATIONAL DESIGN INDABA (1-2 MARCH, 2001)
>
> The International Design Indaba is South Africa's premier design industry
> event and enjoys the support of a global creative and marketing community.
> Since its inception in 1995, the event had grown in stature and prominence
> and has regularly drawn a global creative community to the foothills of
> Table Mountain, a natural monument to design ( go to www.designindaba.com
> for more )
>
> The objective of the International Design Indaba is to promote discussion of
> issues and trends that are relevant to design in the service of
> communication. The conference exposes its delegates to cutting edge design
> trends, opinions and techniques and also enhances skills in assessing design
> and building brands through effective design management.
>
> Confirmed International Speakers:
> Thomas Mueller (Razorfish-NY), Oliviero Toscani (of Benetton fame-Italy),
> Nicolas Roope (Oven-UK), Tom Roope (Tomato-UK), Vince Frost (Frost
> Design-UK), Neville Brody (of Arena and Face magazine fame-UK), Paula Scher
> (Pentagram-NY), Michael Thibodeau (Creative Director at FutureBrand-NY),
> Yugo Nakamura (Flash 4 guru-Tokyo), Lewis Blackwell (International Creative
> Director, Getty Images), Aurobind Patel (Mumbai-of Economist fame), Chaz
> Maviyane-Davies (Zimbabwe) and Juan Ayus Garcia (Cuba).
>
> Confirmed South African Speakers:
> Jeremy Sampson (Interbrand-Sampson), Nathan Reddy (TBWA, Gavin Reddy),
> Joanne Thomas (Jupiter Drawing Room), Garth Walker (Orange Juice Design),
> Brian Searle-Tripp (Red & Yellow School of Logic & Magic), Jenny Ehlers
> (KingJames/RSVP), Clint Bryce (Code-Digital), Johann Strauss & Daniel
> Gruenenwald (Fishfinger) and Joanina Pastoll (Cross Colours, JHB).
>
> The 4th International Design Indaba is taking place on 1-2 March 2001, in
> Cape Town at the Nico Theatre.
>
> Below is the programme for day one and day two:
>
> DAY ONE: THURSDAY 1 MARCH
> 07:30 - 08:30 Registration, Tea and Coffee
>
> 08:30 - 08:45 Welcome and Official Opening
> MINISTER OF ARTS,CULTURE, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - BEN NGUBANE,
> and Speaker of Parliament, DR FRENE GINWALA
>
> 08:45 - 09:45 Design Master Series Paula Scher
> 09:45 - 10:45 Design Master Series Aurobind Patel
> 10:45 - 11:15 Tea and Coffee
> 11:15 - 12:15 Design Master Series Thomas Muller
>
> 12:15 - 13:15 Lunch
>
> 13:30 - 14:15 Workshop 1 - Joanne Thomas CT
> Workshop 2 - Jenny Ehlers (Kingjames/RSVP) CT
> Workshop 3 - Joey de Swardt (Crosscolours) Gauteng
>
> 14:30 - 15:15 Workshop 4 - Nathan Reddy (Gavin Reddy) Gauteng
>
> Workshop 5 - Garth Walker (Orange Juice Design)
>
> Workshop 6 - Clint Bryce (Code Digital) CT
>
> Tea and Coffee
>
> 15:30 - 16:30 Design Master Series Michael Thibodeau
> 16:30 - 17:30 Design Master Series Neville Brody
>
> 17:30 - 19:00 Young Designers' Session
> Lewis Blackwell
> Paula Scher
>
> 20:00 - Late Design Indaba Party
>
>
> DAY TWO: FRIDAY 2 MARCH
> 07:30 - 08:30 Registration, Tea and Coffee
> 08:30 - 09:30 Design Master Series Tom Roope
>
> 09:30 - 10:30 Design Master Series Nicolas Roope - Opera House
> 09:30 - 10:30 Design Master Series Ayus Juan Garcia - The Theatre
>
> 10:30 - 11:00 Tea and Coffee
> 11:00 - 12:00 Design Master Series Chaz Maviyane-Davies
> 12:00 - 13:00 Design Master Series Yugo Nakamura
>
> 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
>
> 14:00 - 14:45 Workshop 1 - Brian Searle-Tripp
> Workshop 2 - Johann Strauss and Daniel Gruenwald, FishFinger
> Workshop 3 - Jeremy Sampson
>
>
>
> 15:00 - 16:00 Design Master Series Vince Frost
> 16:00 - 17:00 Design Master Series Oliviero Toscani
>
> 17:15 Closing Conference remarks
>
> 17:30 - Late Cocktails, Cigars and Cuban jazz
>
> 19:30 - Late CONSTRUCTION NEW MEDIA AWARDS
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> BACK NUMBERS: AFRICA AND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
> ____________________________________________________________________________
>
> 48. Volunteers seek to build an IT culture in Africa
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act48.html
>
> 44. Recycling unwanted computers to needy users in Africa
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act44.html
>
> 35. Bridging the information divide - health and internet special
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act35.html
>
> 34. Getting connected: A telecomms special
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act34.html
>
> 31. Schoolnet: Building tomorrow's digital generation
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act31.html
>
> 27. Telecentres: The key to wider internet access?
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act27.html
>
> 25. ACT 2000: Taking the pulse of internet development
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act25.html
>
> 23. Africa's digital rights - a minefield of issues
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act23.html
>
> 22. Digital villages open up access to skills and education
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act22.html
>
> 21. Spectator at the feast - An African at INET
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act21.html
>
> 20. Africa and the digital divide: three clouds don't make a rainy season
> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/balancing-act20.html
>
> You can read and download these at http://www.balancingact-africa.com . If
> you have difficulties accessing the web, mail us on
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> PAID FOR ADS
> ___________________________________________________________________________
>
> In response to an increasing number of enquiries from companies wanting to
> advertise their products and services, we have drawn up a rate card for ads
> in this section (or in other parts of News Update) and for banner ads on our
> web site. To see a copy of our rate card, e-mail a request
> ([log in to unmask])
>
>
> SOUTH AFRICA'S TELECOM'S ENVIRONMENT
>
> I have just attended the 3rd Annual Conference on VOIP - IP-PBX at the
> Langham Hilton in London. I will be completing a paper and slideware
> summarising the conference in the next few weeks. I will be visiting South
> Africa at the end of March 2001 and would welcome any enquiries from people
> wishing to attend a presentation workshop with particular emphasis on the
> South African Telecom's environment.
>
> Many thanks
>
> ERICSSON ///
> Seymour Howe
> Relationship Manager
> United Kingdom
>
> Ericsson Enterprise Limited
> Enterprise Networks
> Telecommunications Centre
> Ericsson Way, Burgess Hill
> West Sussex
> RH15 9UB
> * Telephone: +44 (0)1444 23 4567
> * V Mail: +44 (0)1444 256235
> * Mobile: +44 (0)7769 886311
> * Fax: +44 (0)1444 874299
> * e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
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