The process to find new councillors to sit on the Independent Communications Authority of SA's (ICASA's) council has reached the interview stage.
This after the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications opened the call for nominations in September last year.
Democratic Alliance MP and shadow minister of communications and digital technologies, Phumzile Van Damme, took to her Twitter page this week, noting the start of the interview stage.
ICASA councillors are appointed by the communications and digital technologies minister on the recommendation of the communications committee. The committee is looking to fill five vacancies on the council of the telecoms regulator, in terms of the ICASA Act.
Among the list of candidates are veteran independent analyst and researcher Dr Charley Lewis, as well as Peter Zimri and Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng, who already have a history with the regulator.
Modimoeng has been serving in the capacity of acting chairperson of the ICASA council since last March, following the axing of fraud-convicted chairperson and councillor, Rubben Mohlaloga.
Zimri is a frequency spectrum specialist who was senior manager for spectrum at the authority between 2002 and 2004. Following his two-year tenure at ICASA, Zimri served as director at the then Department of Communications for three years.
The South African telecoms regulator defines its council as its highest decision-making body. It consists of eight members and the chairperson.
The council is currently made up of Paris Mashile, Thembeka Semane, Nomonde Gongxeka-Seopa, Botlenyana Mokhele, Zimri, Palesa Kadi, Dimakatso Qocha and Modimoeng.
According to the ICASA Act, those appointed to the regulator's council must be individuals who:
- Are committed to fairness, freedom of expression, openness and accountability on the part of those entrusted with the governance of a public service.
- Are representative of a broad cross-section of the population of SA.
- Possess suitable qualifications, expertise and experience in the fields of (among others) broadcasting, electronic communications and postal policy or operations, public policy development, electronic engineering, law, IT, content in any form, consumer protection, education, economics, finance, or any other relevant expertise or qualifications.
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