The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) told Parliament it called in the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to help it implement government`s Minimum Information Security Standards.
A letter from ICASA chairman Paris Mashile was read out to members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications by its chairman Godfrey Oliphant of the ANC on Friday, which was sent in reply to questions by the politicians.
Last week several members of Parliament, including Dene Smuts (DA) and Elizabeth Yengeni (ANC), asked questions about media reports that the regulator had called in the NIA following the publicised leaks of the former employees` exit interviews.
The letter says the NIA, "which offers a consultancy service to government departments" was called in to help implement the standards, as ICASA "has access to confidential and competitive information that could benefit the wrong people if it fell into their hands".
In reaction, the politicians said they were satisfied with ICASA`s response.
"It is a very plausible reason for ICASA to have called in the NIA," Smuts said.
Paul Swart, another DA member of Parliament and who also sits on the intelligence oversight committee, said: "I am glad they are taking steps to implement [the standards], because we have found getting government departments to comply with it has been a problem."
The Minimum Information Security Standards is the government directive detailing how confidential information in the public service should be protected and the NIA has been tasked with helping various state-owned enterprises and departments implement it.
During Friday`s meeting, the committee members submitted the names of the candidates they want to interview for the five vacant ICASA councillor positions. The short list of those who will be interviewed will be released on Wednesday, 23 August, by the chairman of the committee.
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