Mandiwanzira says mobile phone operators who provide shoddy service may be arrested

Q & A:

*HON. MUTSEYAMI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. My question is directed to the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Hon. Mandiwanzira. I think I am the first Hon. Member to ask a question directed to Hon. Minister Mandiwanzira. What is Government policy regarding the network providers, especially on telecommunications.

We realize that most of the mobile service providers are providing a shoddy service, especially in relation to the amount of money paid for the services. There is no correspondence between the service provided and the charges demanded. I will give an example; if you make a call, during the conversation, communication is cut off but cash will be deducted. At times some unanswered calls also attract charges.

I therefore kindly ask the Ministry to make it a point that the cash deductions made and the services provided correspond. I thank you.

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. MANDIWANZIRA): Thank you Hon. Speaker. I thank Hon. Mutseyami for this question, which is a pertinent one. We have had a lot of complaints from mobile customers because even those who are using internet are also facing the same problem. The money paid is used up before they can use the services. We have had meetings with the Postal and Telecommunications Regulations Authority, (POTRAZ) and I gave this explanation to this organisation for listeners and viewers. We are saying enough is enough.

These service providers should not shortchange the users and they should set equipment which will monitor the usage of these phones as compared to the money used. We are urging POTRAZ to convict whoever is found guilty of providing a shoddy service. We hope that this is going to be implemented as soon as possible. The delay in setting up this is that, there was no board in POTRAZ but it has been set now.

I will now turn to Net One. I also learnt of some of this in the media. The Net One board was selected by the Ministry in consultation with the Head of State and Government in selecting these board members. This is the board which is looking at the operations of Net One so that whenever there are any suspicions, anomalies or corruption, they should be investigated and measures taken to rectify and solve these problems.

*HON. MUTSEYAMI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir for giving me the opportunity to ask my supplementary question. My question is that, considering that the amount involved in the Net One issue runs into millions, is it not prudent to ask the leadership of Net One, led by Mr. Reward Kangai, to step down whilst investigations are being carried out.

*THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES (HON. MANDIWANZIRA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Hon. Speaker, I can assure you that the board is investigating all this. The investigations involved some corrupt activities in the procurement of some assets and also payment of some stakeholders who were paid before they had done anything. Some people also had their rents paid. We are looking into all this and such investigations can be done whilst the leaders of these organisations are there. There is a tendency that when investigations are carried out and you are aware, you seem to instigate that this person has a crime but we need to establish whether there is a prima facie case and also establish the animus furandi in such cases. This can only be done when the people responsible are there. Of course, there are fears that when these people are there, they may end up interfering with the investigations but we are saying that is not the fact.

See also:

Business booming for mobile phone companies

Mobile phone companies could save 60percent of costs if they share infrastructure

Former Telecel-Zimbabwe owner up for $775 million bribery case

Econet and Telecel lose subscribers, NetOne gains

Just imagine 500MB of data for only 40 cents!

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