Stella backtracks and appoints 6th member of the ICASA Council 

27 August 2020

Note to Editors: Please find attached a soundbite by Phumzile Van Damme MP.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of National Assembly, Thandi Modise, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams backtracks and informs Parliament that she has now appointed the sixth member of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) Council.

In the letter, the Minister backtracks on her decision to only fill five of the six vacancies on the ICASA Council, in contempt of two National Assembly decisions requiring her to fill all six.

Her backtracking follows the Democratic Alliance (DA) beginning the process to have her subjected to disciplinary action in Parliament for contravening the Constitution, ICASA Act, the Executive Members’ Act and the Powers and Privileges Act

Ndabeni-Abrahams’ bizarre and unlawful conduct during the appointment process to fill six vacancies on the ICASA Council has been nothing short of embarrassing.

That she remains a Minister is tragic. We therefore reiterate our call for the President, Cyril Ramaphosa to fire her.

Should she remain Minister, the DA fears that South Africa’s goal to grow and support the digital economy will be put at risk. With the potential help raise South Africa’s GDP by almost $12 billion, elevating current GDP by 3.1 percent, the sector requires a Minister with a head firmly set on shoulders.

Stella must go!

Issued byPhumzile Van Damme, DA Shadow Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, 27 August 2020