Communications minister Solly Malatsi has welcomed the adoption by the national assembly of the appointment of four new councillors at sector regulator Icasa.

Malatsi said in a statement on Wednesday that the four candidates were selected based on a careful evaluation of their qualifications and experience and that they offer a balanced mix of continuity and insight.

“Icasa plays a critical role in ensuring fair regulation of South Africa’s telecommunications, broadcasting and postal services. A fully constituted council is essential to enabling effective oversight, driving innovation and protecting consumers in a rapidly evolving digital environment,” said Malatsi.

The four councillors, who were recommended by Malatsi to the national assembly in February, are:

Karabo Mohale: Mohale holds a master’s degree in development studies from the University of Sussex, a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Mancosa, a BTech in marketing from Tshwane University and a national diploma in marketing. She has served as the executive deputy chair of the National Youth Development Agency and chairs the board of the Tshwane Institute for Continuing Education. She is also pursuing an MSc in economic policy at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Charley Lewis: Lewis holds a PhD and a master’s degree in the management of information systems from Wits. He has extensive experience in ICT policy, legislation, regulation and markets, as well as education and training. He previously served as a councillor at Icasa and currently works as a consultant in the ICT sector.
Joshua Tshifhiwa Maumela: Maumela holds a PhD and a master’s degree in artificial intelligence from the University of Johannesburg as well as a master’s degree in economics from Waseda University in Tokyo. He is a registered professional engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa and works as a senior machine learning engineer at Vodacom.
Andrew Dibi Matseke: Matseke holds a BSc in electrical and electronics engineering and has an MBA from the University of Cape Town. He has a postgraduate diploma in project management and is a member of various professional engineering bodies. He currently works as an independent consultant.

The four successful candidates were whittled down from an initial list of 20 prospects shortlisted for interviews by parliament last November.

Portfolio committee chair Khusela Diko said in December that challenges in the ICT sector that the new councillors will have to wrestle with include an outdated policy and legislative environment; the need to contend with the fast pace of technological change; the advent of streaming services that have disrupted the broadcasting sector; the regulation of postal services; and the fast-expanding e-commerce landscape.

Read: Council shake-up at Icasa

Diko said the new councillors will need to have “awkward conversations on behalf of the people of South Africa” and stand firm in the commitment to deploy spectrum in a way that benefits “the interest of our people as a whole”. – © 2025 NewsCentral Media

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