(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 6 September 2005 FXI press release: FXI welcomes dropping of Telkom’s case against Hellkom The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) welcomes the fact that Telkom has decided to withdraw its case against the creators of the “Hellkom” website, but calls on the company to take decisive action on affordable […]
(FXI/IFEX) – The following is a 6 September 2005 FXI press release:
FXI welcomes dropping of Telkom’s case against Hellkom
The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) welcomes the fact that Telkom has decided to withdraw its case against the creators of the “Hellkom” website, but calls on the company to take decisive action on affordable telecommunications access if it is to convince South Africans that it is serious about freedom of expression.
The FXI is skeptical that Telkom’s decision to drop the case was motivated by a newfound commitment to freedom of expression. Instead it could be inferred that the company is attempting to curry favour with South African telephone users ahead of pending competition from the Second National Operator. Telkom owes South Africans an explanation regarding why it pursued the action against “Hellkom” in the first place, and their citing of “strategic reasons” as an explanation is simply not acceptable. Therefore, the FXI calls on Telkom to explain their actions publicly.
The FXI also congratulates the creators of the “Hellkom” website for persevering in the face of Telkom’s bullying tactics, and hopes that this decision, as well as the decision by the Constitutional Court in the South African Breweries versus Laugh it Off Promotions matter, will dissuade big corporations from trampling on the free expression rights of social commentators in future. These recent events will hopefully create space for more cultural activists to use parody to critique the inordinate power of big corporations in South Africa’s public spaces.
If Telkom is serious about freedom of expression, then it should demonstrate this commitment by facilitating telecommunications access of poor communities who rely largely on exorbitant pre-paid services to communicate. Telkom has a statutory obligation to facilitate universal service and universal access, which includes affordable access; thus far they have failed dismally to meet this obligation. As a result, the FXI will be holding a Peoples’ Forum on Communication Rights on Saturday 10 September, involving members of different communities and social movements. The Forum will discuss the crisis of access to basic telecommunication in poor communities with representatives of organisations that operate in the field of telecommunications. Further details on this event will be announced at a press conference tomorrow.
