Icasa and Competition Commission have collusion confusion

The Competition Commission and the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) have tripped over each other trying to regulate the same thing: MultiChoice-DStv, its content providers and its customers. Their competing conceptions of competition led to sneaky calls and collusive meetings in smoke-free rooms.

Icasa’s draft sports broadcasting regulations propose a ban on freedom of contract between DStv, sports bodies and viewers. The pretext for the regulatory overreach is an alleged need to “open” pay-TV to “ensure that sporting events of national importance are easily accessible”. Without a hint of shame, they  announced that they had agreed to “a formal relationship … to collusively handle … co-jurisdiction”...