Communications minister Dina Pule has appointed a new board for the controversy-plagued Universal Service & Access Agency of SA (Usaasa), the state-owned agency that is charged with ensuring all South Africans have access to communications infrastructure.

The appointment of a new board follows a string of suspensions of senior management, including former CEO Phineas Moleele.

The new Usaasa board has been tasked with appointing a CEO for the agency and focusing on its goal of ensuring every citizen has access to information and communications technology, Pule says.

“The appointments are in line with minister Pule’s commitment to acting with speed to stabilise the top leadership of the state-owned Companies that report to the department of communications,” her office says in a statement.

Usaasa’s new directors are Phumla Radebe (chair), Angie Maseko (deputy chair), Charlotte Mampane, Sam Ledwaba, Raj Lalbahadur, Seadimo Chaba, Maxwell Nonge, Kenosi Moroka and Lerato Ndoro.

The appointments follow news last month that suspended Usaasa executive manager for business development services Molefi Mollo had tendered his resigation following what the agency called “months of interrogation around his suspension”.

Mollo was one of four Usaasa executives managers and two senior managers who were suspended as part of a forensic and disciplinary process. He was suspended in September 2011 along with his colleagues Andrew Hlubi (chief financial officer) and Archie Mbatha (senior manager for supply chain management).

The three suspensions were followed by the suspensions of then-CEO Moleele, executive manager for performance management Thandeka Mngadi and senior manager for technology Thato Matsepe.

At the same time, Pule has named nonexecutive directors to the SA Postbank’s inaugural board.

“The board has the immediate task of completing the corporatisation of the Postbank and appointing an MD for the bank,” says Pule. “The board will have to expedite a process of ensuring that the bank is able to secure a banking licence.”

“With its extensive network, including its unrivalled rural footprint, the Postbank is poised to help improve the quality of life of citizens by bringing banking services to them, especially those who are part of the estimated 15m people who are unbanked.”