96 No. 37261 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 24 JANUARY 2014 ICASA requires a funding model that reinforces its independence from all stakeholders (including industry and government) and ensures sufficient funding for the effective execution of its mandate. Such a funding model would: Ensure stable and predictable cash flow. Allow for financial flexibility. Allow for the recruitment and retaining of skilled staff. Incentivise pro-competitive regulation. Enhance ICASA's credibility. 12.4 Universal Service and Access Agency (USAASA) The Telecommunications Act of 1996 established the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA). Section 82 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 provides for the functions of the Universal Service and Access Agency. Chapter 10 discusses the concept of universal service and access in the future in more detail, as well as the operations of the USAASA, and the possible funding models. The Electronic Communications Act provides for USAASA to recommend to the Minister what constitutes universal access by all areas and communities to the electronic communications services and electronic communications network services. The Agency is further charged with the responsibility to monitor the extent to which universal access and service have been achieved. The Act provides that the Minister may require recommendations from the Agency in relation to policy on any matter relating to universal access and service. It also directs the Agency to inform ICASA of any matter relating to universal service and access. The Act also provides for the Agency to manage the Universal Service and Access Fund. In terms of this law, ICASA determine the basis and manner of the contributions of licence holders to the Universal Service and Access Fund. The Minister is required to determine the threshold of contributions as a percentage of annual turn-over. ICASA should identify underserviced areas and review the list of under-serviced areas at least twice a year. The Minister is required to determine the types of needy persons. 12.5 The .zaDomain Name Authority The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002 provides for the establishment of the Domain Name Authority. The Domain Name Authority is established as a section 21 company and its overall mandate is to manage and administer the .za namespace. The Authority is also charged with the responsibility to resolve disputes arising in the domain name space. There are several disputes over the use domain and registered trademarks. The Domain management arrangements in South Africa have many independent operators who administer second-level domain names including the State Information Technology Agency. In addition to these entities, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has overall responsibility for managing the Domain Naming System (DNS). It administers the root domain, delegating control over each Top Level Domain (TLD) to a ccTLD administrator, such as .za Domain Name Authority (DNA). Because the DNS is not centralized, the administration of the second-level domain is further delegated to the above-mentioned registry operators who administer the DNS with a great degree of independence. Some countries have third and fourth-level domain administrators' names. 92 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za