Four members of the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) board have vacated their posts, the communications ministry has announced.
USAASA is an entity under the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) portfolio, which is led by minister Solly Malatsi.
In a statement on Friday, the DCDT said Malatsi had received letters of resignation from four USAASA board members. The department further said the minister is focused on ensuring that, in the interim, the entity is fully equipped to execute its mandate.
Responding to ITWeb’s request for further information, DCDT ministry spokesperson Kwena Moloto says the four members who resigned are Mapuleng Marope, Buhle Tonise, Mpho Sadiki and Palesa Makobe.
Their exit means just three board members remain in office at USAASA, Moloto confirms. “The board’s reduced capacity poses functional challenges, and the absence of a permanent CEO adds to the governance and stability concerns at the entity.”
Makobe and Sadiki were among the last three board members Malatsi added to the board last September, with part of their initial work being prioritising the recruitment of a permanent CEO and filling all the other critical management positions.
While some key executive leadership roles have been filled, the entity hasn’t been able to fill its CEO vacancy. It joins other department entities − the State IT Agency, Film and Publication Board and SA Post Office − that are without permanent heads.
“The process to appoint a permanent CEO is already under way, and the minister will communicate the steps required to ensure USAASA is stabilised and placed on a sustainable path to fulfil its mandate effectively,” states Moloto.
USAASA was established to help roll out universal connectivity with government and private sector partnerships, as well as manage the Universal Service Fund in the promotion of universal service and universal access to electronic communications services. It has also been involved in SA's multibillion-rand digital TV set-top box rollout.
However, the entity previously come under fire for failing to deliver, abuse of funds and low staff morale. In 2018, the Public Protector issued a damning report against its board of directors following a complaint related to governance, abuse of power and malpractice.
While it currently has an acting CEO − public service chief information officer Luyanda Ndlovu − USAASA’s chief executive role has previously been an area of contention.
Former CEO Zami Nkosi’s appointment was widely criticised following allegations that he was hired irregularly. The Special Investigating Unit probed these allegations and called for Nkosi to leave his post. However, he stayed in his role until the then-Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services did not renew his contract.
The agency has been without a permanent chief executive since the departure of Lumko Mtimde, who left after his employment contract expired in May 2019.
Following Mtimde’s exit, the CEO position has been occupied by executives in an acting capacity, including Sipho Mngqibisa and Dr Mashilo Boloka.
In January 2020, former DCDT minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams appointed Basil Ford as an administrator at the agency, meaning he was acting as CEO, while also fulfilling the role of the board.
There was controversy surrounding Ford’s appointment, but the DCDT stood firm on the USASSA administrator’s placement. USAASA confirmed to ITWeb that Ford left the agency in February 2021.
While it’s unclear who took over following Ford’s departure, the agency advertised for two key vacancies – CEO and CFO – in May 2021. The vacancies were noted as contract-based for 18 months.
Up until May 2024, Chwayita Madikizela was noted as the agency’s acting CEO on the DCDT’s X (formerly Twitter) social media page.
Share