It is important for the public to realise that one of the primary purposes of the Wholesale Fee is to sustain and enhance a critical piece of Internet infrastructure. The risks of not adequately supporting a robust and well functioning SLD space far exceeds the costs and charges associated with a single domain name registration. The Wholesale Fee is essentially an investment into bridging the digital divide and sustaining a highly competitive, relevant and secure digital space for South Africans. If the Wholesale Fee is set to increase or decrease, the decision should largely be informed by the operational and administrative costs associated with running the SLD namespace. Not much information has been provide on these costs, including whether the regulator anticipates that they will increase or decrease in the coming financial year.
