ATC241204: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies on the filling of four (4) vacancies in the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) Council, dated 4 December 2024
Communications and Digital Technologies
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies on the filling of four (4) vacancies in the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) Council, dated 4 December 2024.
The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies (the Committee), having considered the request from the Minster of Communications and Digital Technologies to initiate a process of filling four (4) vacancies in the ICASA Council, reports as follows:
A letter dated 7 August 2024 was received from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza. She had received a letter from the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies informing her of the impending lapse of the term of four (4) Councillors and requesting Parliament to initiate the recruitment process to fill the vacancies. The four (4) ICASA Councillors whose term of office will expire are namely:
- Dr Charles Lewis (term ending on 23 August 2024)
- Mr Peter Zimri (term ending on 23 August 2024)
- Adv. Luthando Mkumatela (term ending on 31 August 2024); and
- Ms Yolisa Kedama (term ending 14 September 2024).
Ms Kedama, Adv. Mkumatela and Dr Charles Lewis have each served one term and are eligible for re-appointment. However, Ms Kedama has since submitted her resignation notice effective 14 September 2024. In her letter, Ms Didiza urged the Committee to fill the vacancies expeditiously in accordance with the urgency it deserves.
The Committee met on 23 July 2024 to receive briefings about the 6th Parliament Legacy Report. The Secretariat reported on the upcoming vacancies, and the Committee decided that as soon as the matter was referred to it, the Secretariat should proceed with publishing an advertisement in the media calling for nominations to fill the four (4) vacancies in the ICASA Council. The advertisement was published in all eleven South African official languages and closed on Friday, 6 September 2024. The Committee received 270 nominations.
On Tuesday, 20 August 2024, the Committee established a seven (7) member Subcommittee on Appointment of ICASA Councillors, constituted as follows: African National Congress (ANC) x 3, Democratic Alliance (DA) x 1, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) x 1, uMkhonto weSizwe (MKP) x 1 and Smaller Parties x 1. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) represented the smaller parties in the Subcommittee.
On 22 and 23 October 2024, the Subcommittee met to consider the criteria and skills required to fill four vacancies in the ICASA Council. They took into account the existing skills and demographics and resolved to recommend to the Committee that the following 17 candidates be shortlisted for interviews: Dr. Charles Alistair Lewis, Adv. Luthando Simphiwe Mkumatela, Dr. Mandisa Nompumelelo Khumalo, Dr. Tshifhiwa Joshua Maumela, Mr. Dick Andries Sono, Ms. Cassandra Cordelia Gabriel, Mr. Demetrios Nikos Martinis, Mr. Andrew Dibi Matseke, Mr. Mathibela Selepe, Dr. Neil John Croft, Mr. Jean-Pierre Murray-Kline, Prof. Ndivhoniswani Aaron Tshidzumba, Mr. Mzwamadoda Mxakwe, Mr. Thabiso Thukani, Prof. Mpho Primus, Ms. Karabo Mohale, and Mr. Melusi Mthethwa.
On 29 October 2024, the Committee deliberated on the names proposed by the Subcommittee. It resolved that the following 20 candidates be shortlisted for interviews for vacancies in the ICASA Council: Dr Charles Alistair Lewis, Adv. Luthando Simphiwe Mkumatela, Dr Mandisa Nompumelelo Khumalo, Dr Tshifhiwa Joshua Maumela, Mr Dick Andries Sono, Ms Cassandra Cordelia Gabriel, Mr Demetrios Nikos Martinis, Mr Andrew Dibi Matseke, Mr Mathibela Selepe, Dr Neil John Croft, Mr Jean-Pierre Murray-Kline (Klein), Prof. Ndivhoniswani Aaron Tshidzumba, Mr Mzwamadoda Mxakwe, Mr Thabiso Thukani, Prof. Mpho Primus, Ms Karabo Mohale, Mr Melusi Mthethwa, Ms Mariza Jurgens, Ms Zintle Dyantyi-Zwakala and Ms Ditshego Lydia Tsebe.
As part of the public participation process, the names of the candidates were published on all parliamentary media platforms for public comment. The Committee received 21 comments (messages of support for candidates). The following three candidates withdrew from the appointment process before the interviews: Prof. Ndivhoniswani Aaron Tshidzumba, Mr Mzwamadoda Mxakwe and Dr Niel Croft.
On 21 and 22 November 2024, the Subcommittee conducted interviews of the remaining 17 candidates. The interviews were held at ICASA Headquarters in Centurion.
On 29 November 2024, the Subcommittee met to deliberate on the outcome of the interviews and resolved to recommend that the Committee forward the following six names to the Minister, for the appointment of four candidates to serve in the ICASA Council: Ms Karabo Mohale, Dr Charles Lewis, Dr Joshua Tshifhiwa Maumela, Mr Andrew Dibi Matseke, Mr Melusi Mthethwa and Ms Cassandra Gabriel.
On 4 December 2024, the Committee met and considered the recommendation of the Subcommittee. The Committee resolves that the following six names be forwarded to the Ministers, in terms of section 5(1A)(a) of the ICASA Act, to appoint four candidates to the ICASA Council:
Ms Karabo Mohale
Ms Mohale is a 33-year-old black female. She holds a Master of Arts in Development Studies from the University of Sussex, a Bachelor of Commerce Honors Degree in Marketing from Mancosa, Bachelor of Technology Degree in Marketing from Tshwane University and National Diploma in Marketing. Ms Mohale previously served as the Executive Deputy Chairperson of the NYDA and currently chairs the Board of the Tshwane Institute for Continuing Education and is also reading for a Master of Science in Economic Policy with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS - University of London).
Dr Charles Lewis
Dr Lewis is a 72-year-old white male. He holds a PhD and a has Master’s in Management of Information Systems from Witwatersrand University. He has professional experience in ICT Policy, Legislation, Regulation & Markets, Education & Training. Dr Lewis previously served as a Councilor at ICASA. He currently works as a consultant in the ICT sector.
Dr Joshua Tshifhiwa Maumela
Dr Maumela is a 35-year-old black male. He holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Masters in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Johannesburg. He also holds a Masters in Economics Degree from Waseda University in Tokyo. He is registered with the ECSA Professional Engineer. Dr Maumela currently works for Vodacom as a Senior Machine Learning Engineer.
Mr Andrew Dibi Matseke
Mr Matseke is a 59-year-old black male. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Cape Town. He also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management and is holds membership with various Engineering professional bodies. He currently works as an Independent Consultant.
Mr Melusi Mthethwa
Mr Mthethwa is a 63-year-old black male. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Africa, Postgraduate Diploma in Project Programme Management from Cranefield College of Programme Management and a National Higher Diploma in Business Administration from UNISA. He currently works as a Business Development Executive at Telkom SA.
Ms Cassandra Cordelia Gabriel
Ms Gabriel is a 54-year-old Indian female. She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa School of Business Leadership. She also holds an Honours Degree in Gender Studies and a Bachelor of Arts both from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and a Postgraduate Programme in Telecommunication, Regulation, Policy and Management from Witwatersrand University. Ms Gabriel is currently a Managing Director of Gabriel & Associates.
The EFF objected to the recommendation of the returning candidate.
The names are submitted in no order.
Report to be considered.