Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) councillors came in for some sharp criticism in the national assembly on Tuesday afternoon. “I must point out that the committee is not satisfied with the overall performance of Icasa councillors,” ANC MP Ismail Vadi, who chairs the communications portfolio committee, told members of parliament.

But this did not mean the council would be dissolved, he said, speaking after announcing the names of two candidates for a vacant post on the regulatory body’s council. Vadi said the performance of Icasa councillors was not up to standard, and a matter for concern. “The committee is continuously receiving negative feedback on administrative efficiencies within Icasa.”

This included councillors’ failure to process regulatory decisions on the basis of proper and legally defensible procedures; and an absence of organisational cohesion between the councillors and Icasa’s senior executive management.

“And we are receiving reports of a number of councillors undertaking international trips that have little or no bearing on their core responsibilities.”

Vadi said former communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri — who passed away earlier this year — had not established a system to rate the performance of Icasa councillors. “Consequently, Icasa councillors have not been fairly and properly evaluated, though anecdotal evidence from the public suggests that the situation is less than satisfactory.”

He called on communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda to formalise a performance management system for Icasa councillors.

The two candidates announced by Vadi are William Stucke, treasurer for the Internet Service Providers’ Association; and Khulile Boqwana, a senior manager for regulation at Telkom Media. “The minister must now decide on either one of the two candidates,” he said.  — Sapa