The council members will serve a four-year term and execute their mandate in the public interest, while the chairperson will serve the five-year term.

The communications committee snubs minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams’s request to deviate from its recommendation in appointing the ICASA council.

Former ICASA councillors Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng and Peter Zimri are among the recommended nominees to serve on the regulator’s council.

The candidates are Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng, Peter Zimri, Luthando Mkutumela, Yolisa Kedama, Dr Charles Lewis and Dikeledi Mushi.

The departure of an ICASA councillor leaves the regulator’s highest decision-making body at the mercy of only three members, instead of the required nine councillors.

ICT veteran Dr Andile Ngcaba says ICASA’s law in its current state cannot drive digital transformation, amid mooted changes for the telecoms regulator.

Latest figures from telecoms regulator ICASA show SA’s smartphone subscriptions at 53.4 million, putting smartphone penetration at 91.2% in 2019.

Amid SA’s faltering economy, the telecoms sector continues to be the cornerstone for growth, with the fibre network and data centre markets expanding rapidly.

Despite the country’s move to alert level three, the telecoms regulator says its staff will continue with the current remote working arrangements until further notice.

The telecommunications regulator highlights the lack of an enabling funding model as one of the potential risks to delivering on its programmes.

The Portfolio Committee on Communications names eight potential candidates to join the ICASA council, with some familiar names making the shortlist.

The regulator looks to finalise the high-demand spectrum licensing process by auction this year as planned, despite COVID-19 restrictions.