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Shock and outrage . . .
The South African Call-Back Association ("SACBA") was formed approximately a fortnight ago and represents all major participants in the South African Call-Back Industry. SACBA currently represents sixteen participants in the call-back industry at the date of press who collectively employ approximately five hundred people, with estimated thousands of other people who are directly or indirectly involved and dependent on the existence of the call-back industry in South Africa.
SACBA expresses its shock, outrage and disbelief at the ruling by the South African Telecommunications Regulatory Authority ("SATRA") on Tuesday, 12 August 1997, in which SATRA declared call-back services and other ancillary services to be illegal and in contravention of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
SACBA wishes to make it absolutely clear that neither it nor its management committee or any of its members have been approached by SATRA, any of its Counsellors, its employees, agents and the like or the Ministry for Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting, informing it of SATRA's decision to make such a ruling or to investigate the status of the call-back industry in South Africa. Neither SACBA nor any of its members were requested to make any submissions to SATRA.
SACBA is currently seeking legal advice from both its attorneys in South Africa and abroad (most notably in the United States of America) with a view to challenging SATRA's aforesaid ruling. The members of SACBA add considerable value to the businesses of their clients and ensure that they are more competitive in the international arena. SACBA members furthermore represent numerous legitimate business interests in South Africa and, in this regard, SACBA has already contacted the United States State Department and Trade Commission to present them with their views and concerns in respect of SATRA's aforesaid ruling. Neither SACBA nor its members consider themselves to be illegal and will continue to serve their clients to the best of their abilities, as they always have.
SACBA will in due course contact SATRA in an endeavour to resolve this matter.
