Ructions have emerged at the B-BBEE ICT Sector Council, with operational challenges, resignations and allegations of lack of leadership among the issues it faces.
The council, which had a total complement of 22 members, now sits with 11 following an exodus of council members, from December 2024 to April 2026.
Among the resignations is that of two deputy chairpersons.
Some of the reasons for the resignations, based on a report seen by ITWeb, are alleged poor leadership, including long period of absence by the chairperson without communicating with the council; internal personality conflicts, including conflict between the chairperson and acting council secretary; and the inability to focus on its business and work.
There is also the issue of an alleged vote of no confidence in ICT sector council chairperson Minki Mazibuko-Thulo.
In addition, an internal investigation into the affairs of the council was conducted by an audit executive from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), with a key recommendation that the council be disbanded due to “dysfunctionality”.
A council in limbo?
ITWeb understands that a unanimous vote of no confidence was taken in late February, which was subsequently communicated to DCDT minister Solly Malatsi and chairperson Mazibuko-Thulo. It’s also understood that the communication was acknowledged.
A council member, who spoke to ITWeb based on anonymity because these issues are ongoing, said the vote was taken after several weeks of meetings and issues raised by the council.
The minister was informed on the basis that the council does not have the powers to disallow the chairperson to continue in her role.
However, no action has been taken, in terms of the chairperson’s role.
On the internal investigation, the council member explained that some members challenged the report’s outcomes because they felt it was not “a proper version of the two accounts of events within council”.
“We’re in limbo because of the decision that was taken, while at the same time the report has suggested the council be disbanded,” says the council member.
Former deputy chairperson Katharina Pillay confirms that she resigned from the council in April and explained the reason for her resignation.
“The council, on 26 February, took a unanimous vote of no confidence in the chairperson. The decision was communicated to the minister of communications and digital technologies and the chairperson on 27 February,” she says.
“By the beginning of the April, the minister had not suspended the chairperson or acted on the decision of the council − this created an untenable position for the council and myself. Therefore, on advice received, I was compelled to resign from the B-BBEE ICT Sector Council. The vote of no confidence was not taken lightly and was the culmination of a series of events.”
ITWeb asked minister Malatsi about the operational challenges and decision of a vote of no confidence taken by the council members. He responded: “The B-BBEE ICT Sector Council’s primary role is to oversee implementation of the ICT Sector Code, monitor compliance and provide guidance on B-BBEE matters in the sector, including equity equivalent investment programmes (EEIPs).
“I am aware that the council has not effectively fulfilled its role in monitoring and evaluating EEIPs. There has been no functional monitoring and evaluation framework in place, and no performance reports have been provided on EEIPs in the sector.
“The department has recently concluded an investigation into the functioning of the council, and I am considering its findings with a view to determining appropriate next steps.”
Similarly, Mazibuko-Thulo acknowledges challenges within the council and clarifies that she remains the chairperson.
“I can confirm that the council has experienced internal governance challenges in recent months, which are being addressed through the appropriate institutional and oversight processes. The matter [vote of no confidence] you refer to has not concluded through a properly constituted council process, and I remain the chairperson of the B-BBEE ICT Sector Council.
“As with any institutional reform process, realignment is often necessary, both internally within an institution and externally within the broader governing structures it operates under,” comments Mazibuko-Thulo.
“I see the current period as part of a broader realignment toward stronger institutional practice and sustainable economic growth, through inclusive representation, responsible participation and ownership of South Africa’s local economy by its citizens.
“The minister of communications and digital technologies holds the statutory authority to consider how the council is structured and capacitated to deliver effectively on its mandate, and I trust that any such consideration will be guided by what best serves the B-BBEE mandate and the sector it is intended to transform.”
Council responsibilities
The ICT council was officially set up in September 2015. It is tasked withmonitoring transformationof the sector by facilitating the implementation of the B-BBEE ICT Sector Code.
The council acts as independent body that operates under the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. Its members are approved by the line minister, who sits at the DCDT, as recommended by the sector stakeholders.
Funding the council’s operations is a joint effort between the private sector and the line department responsible for that sector.
The council is currently in its third term of office since it was established, with the most recent council members appointed in May 2024. They were appointed under the tenure of former DCDT minister, now deputy minister, Mondli Gungubele.
The recent iteration of council was initially made up of 22 members, including the chairperson and deputy chairperson. Being part of the council is voluntary, and its members are not compensated.
The council functions through sub-committees, including the guidance and monitoring committee, which is responsible for the monitoring of the BBBEE ICT Sector Code, including the assessment of EEIPs.
There is also the finance sub-committee, which is responsible for financial oversight, including raising funding for the council; the review and amendment sub-committee; and the communicationssub-committee, which is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of the council’s communication strategy.
The council meets a minimum of four times a year, while the sub-committees hold meetings once a month. The work of the committees goes to the council, which operates like a board, once a month.
In instances where there are pressing matters that require urgent attention, the council will address those earlier.
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