Report of the Portfolio Committee on Communications on the filling of a vacancy on the Council of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, dated 22 February 2011:

The Portfolio Committee on Communications, having considered the letter from the Minister of Communications, dated 22 October 2010, informing the Assembly that the term of office of Dr M Socikwa, a councillor of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), will expire on 31 March 2011, and requesting the Assembly to commence with the process of filling the vacancy in terms of section 5 of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act, No 13 of 2000, reports as follows:

The request from the Minister to fill a vacancy on the Icasa Council was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Communications on 4 November 2010. The Committee interviewed the following candidates on 15 February 2011:

1. Mr Cornwell Ishmael Dauds
2. Dr Marcia Socikwa
3. Ms Kathryn Leigh Berman
4. Prof Sadhasivan Perumal; and
5. Ms Nomonde Pearl Gongxeka.

After having interviewed the candidates, the Committee recommends, in order of preference, that the House, in terms of section 7 of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act, No 13 of 2000 – as amended, submits to the Minister a list of suitable candidates at least one and a half times the number of councillors to be appointed, namely:

1. Dr Marcia Socikwa; and
2. Ms Nomonde Pearl Gongxeka.

Report to be considered.