Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has now recommended six candidates for appointment to the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) council.
This comes amid reports that Ndabeni-Abrahams, who is to appoint new councillors to the ICASA council, has questioned the suitability of some of the shortlisted candidates.
The Sunday Times reported Ndabeni-Abrahams had written to National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise saying she is only accepting four out of the 10 names shortlisted by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications.
The minister cited lack of skills set that would position the regulator to effectively execute its mandate among the areas of concern, reported the Sunday newspaper, adding that these are skills in digital economy/economics, cyber security and emerging technologies.
According to the minister’s correspondence, ICASA’s current skills set, including the proposed names, is in finance, legal, engineering and public relations.
In the letter dated 13 July, which ITWeb has seen, the minister informs the speaker of Parliament that she is putting forward two more names to the initial list of four potential candidates for appointment in the event that Parliament decides to proceed with the six names identified.
The recommended candidates for the ICASA council are Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng, Peter Zimri, advocate Luthando Mkutumela, Yolisa Kedama, Dr Charles Lewis and Dikeledi Mushi.
Ndabeni-Abrahams says she has noted that the National Assembly has referred the request to reconsider the recommended candidates for appointment to serve as ICASA councillors to the Portfolio Committee on Communications for further deliberation.
She also added that she has noted the media reports purporting that the ministry is “playing political football with a Chapter 9 institution.
“As a member of the executive and that of the governing party which establishes the laws governing such institutions, I have a responsibility to work with Parliament to ensure the optimal functioning of these institutions.
“Once again, the ministry wishes to assure your office of its commitment to support ICASA to execute its responsibility of regulating the telecommunications, broadcasting and postal industries in the public interest and ensure affordable services of a high quality for all South Africans.
“It is also in our interest to ensure that ICASA delivers on its responsibility to issue licenses to telecommunications and broadcasting service providers, enforces compliance with rules and regulations, protects consumers from unfair business practices and poor quality services, adjudicate disputes and complaints brought against licensees and controls and manages the effective use of radio frequency spectrum.
“However, as technology advances and the world migrates services to the digital platform, it becomes imperative for ICASA to be capacitated fully in order to be effective in regulating without hindering innovation that helps to deliver digital services via the different platforms created every day.”
The minister also reiterates that she believes the council must be representative of a broad cross-section of the population of the country and possess suitable qualifications, expertise and experience in the fields of amongst others, broadcasting and telecommunications policy, engineering, technology, frequency band planning, law, marketing, journalism, entertainment, education, economics, business practice and finance or any other related expertise or qualifications.
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