The Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) has made three executive leadership appointments, including filling the chief financial officer (CFO) position.
This is in an effort to restore stability and advance the agency’s mandate to deliver universal access to ICT services for all South Africans, it states.
USAASA says Nakisani Matamela has been appointed as CFO, effective 3 February.
Meanwhile, Lerato Petlele joins as executive manager: corporate services, and Thabiso Thukane as executive manager: research, strategy and performance monitoring, both effective 1 March.
“These appointments follow a prolonged period during which USAASA operated without permanent executives due to challenges linked to its disestablishment process, which created uncertainty and hindered operational continuity,” says a statement. “The agency acknowledges the resilience of its staff and stakeholders during this transitional phase.”
According to USAASA, the changes, among others in the agency, follow interventions by communications minister Solly Malatsi, who appointed additional board members in September 2024, to accelerate governance reforms and realign USAASA with its core mandate.
“The appointments form part of USAASA’s renewed commitment to accountability, transparency and service delivery. A stable leadership team is critical to driving the agency’s strategic priorities, including bridging the digital gap, enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring measurable outcomes for the communities it serves.”
Acting CEO Luyanda Ndlovu adds: “Leadership stability is the cornerstone of organisational success. With these appointments, we are confident in our ability to execute our mandate effectively, improve performance and deliver on our promise of universal access. This marks the start of a key strategic transformative chapter for USAASA.”
The agency, which falls under Malatsi’s department, was established to help provide universal connectivity with government and private sector partnerships. It has also been involved in SA's multibillion-rand digital TV set-top box rollout.
However, the entity has previously come under fire for failing to deliver, abuse of funds and low staff morale. In 2018, the public protector issued a damning report against its board of directors following a complaint related to governance, abuse of power and malpractice.
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