14 No. 37261 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 24 JANUARY 2014 10.Government has a responsibility to maximise the overall public benefit derived from the use of public resources; 11.South Africans are entitled to a communications sector that facilitates innovation, fair competition and equitable treatment of all role players; 12.South African citizens are entitled to consumer protection rights with regards to communication services; 13. South Africans have a right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing. 14. Policy must recognize the need to protect children from potentially harmful content There were some additional objectives suggested by respondents to the Framing Paper. The Green Paper invites comment from the public on these additions. Among these were the following: South Africans have a right to an inclusive, transparent, accessible and technologyneutral policy making and regulatory process that promotes stability and fosters a knowledge based society; 2. South Africans are entitled to a communications sector that prioritises and promotes public interest, independent regulation, fair and equitable treatment of all role players, and net neutrality; 1. 3. All South Africans are entitled to a secure cyber environment in which all infrastructure, network and service providers work together to maintain the highest standards of security; 4. South Africans have a right to a three-tier system of broadcasting providing for public, community and private ownership; and 5. South Africans have a right to access public information through the communications services in order for them to be active participants in political and social life, as well as in the construction of a knowledge-based society. 2.3 Historical Overview The ICT sector is currently experiencing major technological and market changes, with many referring to it as a revolution of the scale last experienced with the invention of the printing press. Such rapid change means policies and laws need to be regularly reviewed in order to set the framework for implementation across sectors. The policies, laws and regulations under review in this Green Paper date back to the 1990s and were drafted shortly after the first democratically elected Government was inaugurated in 1994. A flurry of policies and legislation was drafted, across the communications sector, in order to align with the objectives set out in the Constitution. 2.4 Why review the policies, laws and regulations governing the Communications Sector? 2.4.1 A changing society Much has changed in recent years, especially in the ICT sector due to the rapid expansion and fast-paced developments in technology, and the emergence of new media as a result of the Internet. Both homes and offices have been transformed technologically and a new worker entering the market today would be puzzled by equipment found in an office just 20 years ago: telex machines, floppy-disc computers, tape cassettes and monochrome computers devoid of graphics and of course without a mouse. To make a telephone call you needed to stand still as mobile devices were still emerging; to get in touch with someone urgently you "paged" them, which involved phoning an operator, who would send a text message to the recipient on a device that would beep to inform them to call you back; the 10 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za