Johannesburg - CellC, the
intended preferred bidder for the
third cellular licence, yesterday
came out in support of its socalled
privileged position and
refuted the suggestion its bid
required a boost from outside
interference.
CellC said in a statement that
the reports by consultants
Afcent/CLC and BDO Spencer
Steward, and the internal
analysts team from the South
African Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority (Satra), did
not suggest the consortium was
undeserving of its win.
It said NextCom, the rival bidder
that mocked Satra`s recommendation
of CellC, could not be
the winner according to confidential
material used by consultants.
CellC said: ``Material assertions
made in these reports suggest
that NextCom`s application
is significantly deficient and
flawed in many key respects.``
NextCom said that awarding
the licence to CellC meant ``there
was something wrong`` with
Satra`s decisionmaking process.
Anthony Glass, a NextCom
director, said: ``A CellC award
would give us as South Africans
the dubious distinction of being
the most expensive cellphone
market in the world.``
NextCom last week lodged an
urgent high court interdict to
prevent Satra from making its
final recommendation but be
granted relief to review Satra`s
decisionmaking process.
The court ruled that Satra
should make its final recommendation
and inform bidders at the
same time as it was made to Ivy
MatsepeCasaburri, the communications
minister.
MatsepeCasaburri would not
implement the recommendation
until after five days of receiving
it, the period within which
bidders could request a review.
In its application, NextCom
included details of claims against
Satra including alleged inconsistencies
and factual errors in
reaching its decision.
CellC said: ``The contention
by NextCom that the process will
not be fair unless NextCom itself
is selected as the winner smacks
of opportunism.``