Ramaphosa increases ICASA salaries

President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved a 2.5% salary increase for the chairperson and councillors of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) for the 2024/25 financial year.

The increases were published in the Government Gazette on Wednesday, 4 December. However, Ramaphosa had already signed the salary determination on 28 May 2024. The increases were effective from 1 April 2024.

At the same time, Parliament has approved a shortlist of six names for communications minister Solly Malatsi to fill four vacancies at Icasa.

The candidates are Ms Karabo Mohale, Dr Charles Lewis, Dr Joshua Tshifhiwa Maumela, Mr Andrew Dibi Matseke, Mr Melusi Mthethwa, and Ms Cassandra Gabriel.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications produced the shortlist after Malatsi wrote to Thoko Didiza, the speaker of the National Assembly, informing her of the impending lapse of the term of office of four councillors.

Malatsi had asked Parliament to initiate the recruitment process to fill the vacancies in August.

A subcommittee of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee interviewed candidates on 22 November.

The subcommittee comprised five members from different political parties and chairperson Khusela Diko. The member from the IFP represented the smaller parties in parliament.

Each party provided a list of six names, and the six with the most support were then placed on the final shortlist.

The subcommittee then reported back to the Portfolio Committee, which presented the report to the National Assembly for adoption.

Diko said the recommended candidates reflect the profound tapestry of South Africa’s diversity and the depth of expertise in its world-class ICT industry.

“These candidates are not only highly qualified, but we are confident that they will be able to grapple with and confront the vexing issues of the day,” Diko stated.

Diko said there were pressing challenges requiring the urgent attention of the regulator, including an outdated regulatory, policy and legislative environment, and seismic disruptions in the broadcasting and telecoms environment.

These disruptions included over-the-top services (e.g. Netflix), next-generation satellites, and artificial intelligence.

She also said the regulator must maintain the dynamic link between the imperatives of transformation and competition in an industry demanding consolidation.

She has called on the incoming candidates, once appointed, to work within the existing Icasa council and regulate without fear or favour in the public interest.

The salaries of the Icasa chairperson and councillors are summarised in the table below.

The issues of next-generation satellites and an industry demanding consolidation were likely referring to the ongoing Starlink saga and Vodacom’s bid to acquire a 30% stake in Maziv.

Malatsi is currently in discussions with Icasa about creating an equity equivalent programme for multinational telecommunications companies.

This is in preparation for issuing a policy direction that Icasa urgently consider implementing such a programme, which would provide an alternative way for overseas companies to meet South Africa’s BEE ownership requirements.

Although Malatsi was careful not to mention the SpaceX-owned Starlink when he first announced the plan in October, his meaning was plain.

“This is part of an initiative to significantly expand access to broadband connectivity to poor South Africans and people living in remote parts of the country,” Malatsi stated.

While any multinational telecommunications operator could benefit from an equity equivalent programme, trying to establish one urgently points to Starlink.

As for the Vodacom-Maziv deal, although Icasa has already approved the necessary licence transfers, the Competition Tribunal has prohibited the acquisition from proceeding.

This has resulted in not only Vodacom and Maziv announcing their intention to appeal the decision, but the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition too.

Minister Parks Tau has said he plans to appeal because he believes the deal is in the public interest concerns.

Tau said he sees positive developments in the deal, such as job creation, access to technology infrastructure, and help with industrialisation.