ICASA is nearing the end of the very arduous and difficult process of licensing Four-Year Community Sound Broadcasting and Signal Distribution services. ICASA has published a notice that the process in the Western Cape has been concluded and has also published its decisions regarding the applications

ICASA has also published a notice regarding amendments to the applications for such licenses in the Gauteng Province. The hearings for the remaining applications will be held between 7 May 2003 to 16 May 2003. Interested parties have been invited to make representations to ICASA by 7 May 2003. The Gauteng Province is the last of the provinces in which this process still needs to be concluded. Although the licences issued in the Free State in 1998 would be up for renewal later this year, there is no doubt that both the broadcasting industry and the Regulator would be relieved to see this process finally completed. The renewal process is envisaged to be much simpler and would not be as resource intensive for the Regulator as the initial process.