Page 3 - EngineerIt June 2021

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

Don’t let the good news stop!

e need to celebrate the good news more often. to secure an internship after they graduate, in order
Yes, the media, particularly the daily media and to acquire practical skills and become a useful
Wtalk radio stations, often seem to headline bad asset to industry. Well done Vodacom! I trust that
news and relegate the good news to page three. I often other large corporates will follow the Vodacom
wonder why so many of us hang onto sad news and more initiative and their story is published in this edition of
often than not, shrug our shoulders when we hear a good story EngineerIT. We’d like to publish yours too.
and dismiss it as publicity or hype? I also consider it good news that the president,
During the past few weeks, we’ve been treated to a dose on two occasions this past month, expressed
of good news. The fact that our president was invited to the G7 his concern over the stalemate between ICASA
meeting in the UK and came back with commitments for more and two cellular companies who had interdicted
Covid-19 vaccines was good news. Just the mere invitation ICASA and stopped the spectrum auctions. He
was good for South Africa! The fact that the Aspen factory has encouraged them to settle their differences and
started to manufacture the Johnson & Johnson vaccine locally if one analyses their reasons for the interdict,
is also good news. then it is difficult to understand why two mature
To crown the good news was President Cyril Ramaphosa’s companies can act in such an immature way. The
announcement that companies (and individuals) can self- interdict is about the frequencies that are still to
generate up to 100 mega watts of power without having to become available once the TV digital migration has
apply to the National Energy Regulator (NERSA) for a licence. been fully implemented. These frequencies are
While many aspects of the announcement would be more included in the auction. It doesn’t require too many
in the editorial sphere of our sister magazine Energize, I brain cells to realise that whoever wins part of
believe that the announcement will also impact the electronics, that spectrum, will not be charged a license fee by
measurement and automation and control industries which we Icasa, until such time as this part of the spectrum
as EngineerIT support. becomes available. I trust that these companies
It is one thing to generate power but with that goes power and ICASA will sort out this impasse speedily and
storage facilities and a host of electronics, computing and give us the good news we have been waiting for -
software. For industry to benefit from the announcement, for over a decade.
the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition needs South Africa needs to get rid of the culture
to be pro- active to protect the industry from cheap imports of “we sue because we can”, learn to negotiate
and fronting. The electronics industry has in the past been for everyone’s benefit and settle disputes in the
neglected by the Department, yet it is an industry that shortest possible time.
technologically is in the same league as industries in Europe I always welcome your comments, articles and
and the USA. Here is an opportunity for DTIC to shine! news items. Share your good news, don’t let it stop!
Other good news, well, at least for 500 unemployed
graduates, is that they have been offered a year’s internship Hans van de Groenendaal
by Vodacom partnering with the Wholesale and Retail Sector Editor
Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA) and eight hansv@nowmedia.co.za
institutions of higher learning. It is the plight of many graduates 012 991 4662 / 082 781 4631

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