MPs on Tuesday urged the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to act speedily to reduce the high cost of cellphone call charges in South Africa.

During a National Assembly communications committee meeting, the ANC's Johnny de Lange called for Icasa to use its powers to set a concrete timetable for this.

He also proposed that the cellphone industry appear before the committee — possibly in October — to explain the problems they faced, the costs they charged, and to account for the profits they made.

It seemed that the industry had a "friendly regulator" in Icasa, which was not the way it was supposed to be, he said.

The industry was doing "terrible things" to the people of South Africa because of their high charges. Every minute's delay in action by Icasa allowed the industry to continue to make exhorbitant profits.

De Lange's ANC collegue, Eric Kolwane, criticised Icasa for allowing the industry to "negotiate among themselves".

The outcome of negotiations for lower charges could not be determined by the industry alone.

Icasa had to take the shortest route possible to reduce charges and this had to be done by December at the latest, Kolwane said.

The Independent Democrats' Patricia de Lille also wanted Icasa to act immediate to reduce charges and the "obscene profits" being made by the industry.

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