Urgent call on Icasa to fill post
THE telecoms regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa), has moved swiftly to plug the hole in its leadership by agreeing to appoint an acting chairperson next week.
This followed the decision of Parliament this week to support the report of the communications portfolio committee to axe chairperson Rubben Mohlaloga, who was appointed in 2017.
He was convicted of fraud last year. Last month, the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment.
This relates to the Land Bank scam which involved Mohlaloga, former chief executive of the bank Phil Mohlahlane, and attorney Dinga Rammy Nkhwashu.
Icasa spokesperson Paseka Maleka said yesterday it would meet next week to appoint an acting head.
The Icasa Act requires that one of the councillors must act in the position in the absence of the chairperson.
Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams had ordered Icasa to urgently move and appoint the acting head.
However, it appears the position will be filled once the new Parliament is elected after the May polls.
Mohlaloga had previously served as an ANC MP and as a member of the communications committee. He also chaired the portfolio committee on agriculture.
This week, the National Assembly also endorsed the report of the communications committee to appoint eight members of the SABC board. They will join four non-executive directors who had remained at the public broadcaster after mass resignations a few months ago. SABC chairperson Bongumusa Makhathini is one of the four nonexecutive directors who had not quit.