Former IEC chairwoman Pansy Tlakula has been recommended as the chair of the newly formed Information Regulator.
Tlakula was recommended for the top post during a meeting of the justice & correctional services committee on Tuesday.
According to legal firm Michalsons, the Information Regulator is a new regulator that has been created by the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popi). The act gives the new regulator teeth — it has extensive powers to investigate and fine responsible parties — and it will regulate both Popi and the Promotion of Access to Information Act.
The parliamentary committee also recommended Johannes Weapond and Adv Lebogang Stroom to serve full time on the Information Regulator board, and Sizwe Snail and Tana Pistorius on a part-time basis.
Tlakula, who resigned from the IEC in 2014 following allegations of compromised integrity, was interviewed for the position last week.
During the interview, she faced questions regarding findings of misconduct against her in relation to the lease of a building.
Before the elections on 7 May 2014, several political parties took Tlakula to court, claiming her integrity had been compromised.
This followed an investigation by public protector Thuli Madonsela into procurement of the IEC’s Riverside Office Park building in Centurion, Pretoria.
The national treasury had found the process was neither fair, transparent, nor cost-effective. It found Tlakula did not give guidance or formally inform various individuals of what was expected of them in the process.
She told MPs during the interviews in Johannesburg that she had never been found guilty.
The committee received 39 nominations and 10 candidates were interviewed for the Information Regulator.
The justice committee also recommended Andre Gaum and Edward Lambani to fill two commissioner vacancies on the South African Human Rights Commission.
The recommendations would be sent to the national assembly for adoption.
