Former director-general of the department of communications Mamodupi Mohlala says she is eager to get started in her new position as head of the new National Consumer Commission.
Trade & industry minister Rob Davies announced Mohlala’s appointment earlier this week. However, it still needs to be approved by parliament.
Mohlala has been in limbo for several months after communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda sacked her, citing a breakdown in their working relationship.
The matter was taken to court, where Mohlala and Nyanda reached a settlement that required public service & administration minister Richard Baloyi to find her an alternative position in government.
After an unsuccessful attempt to appoint her as an administrator of one of the public sector training authorities, Baloyi appears finally to have found a position that agreeable to Mohlala.
“It is a chance for me to build a new entity from scratch and it is a show of good faith by minister Davies in my capabilities,” says Mohlala.
The commission will be one of the regulatory bodies created under the Consumer Protection Act.
It will be empowered to investigate complaints and refer them to the courts or the Competition Tribunal. It will also keep an eye on companies’ compliance and conduct awareness and education campaigns to keep consumers informed of their rights.
“It is exactly where I need to be. I see things in black and white and I think this position calls for someone like that,” she says.
Mohlala is no stranger to regulation. She served as a councillor at the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) and later was Pension Funds Adjudicator.
She was responsible for the licensing of underserviced-area licensees and the development of fixed-line broadband regulations.
However, during her tenure at Icasa, Mohlala, a qualified attorney, was accused of moonlighting through her legal practice and subsequently resigned.
Mohlala says her experience in the legal and regulatory fields will allow her to bring what is needed to her new position.
She says she expects her appointment to be wrapped up in about two weeks time. — Candice Jones, TechCentral
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