ICASA Council

Ms Dikeledi Cathrine Mushi has more than 20 years of experience in the electronic communications industry. She specialises in Policy and Regulation development strategy, regulatory dispute and complaints management.

She has an extensive experience in regulatory analysis, regulatory compliance, ICT policy interpretation and application, risk assessment and the development of risk mitigation strategies.

Ms Mushi has extensive knowledge and understanding of the South African legal system and the application of its laws. Over the years, she had a reputable influence in shaping public policies.

Ms Mushi holds a Master of Arts in ICT Policy and Regulation from the University of Witwatersrand, Honours in Industrial Sociology from the University of Pretoria and a Bachelor of Arts from Vista University, now known as the University of Pretoria. She also holds various certificates of competence on Accelerated Leaders in Digital Business Programme, Competition Law and the African Management Programme.

Ms. Thabisa Faye has 10 years of experience in the ICT sector across the African continent, having worked in over fifteen (15) countries. She has contributed to policy formation projects across the ICT sector, including leading the task of drafting the Postal Service Policy Green Paper in South Africa.

Ms Thabisa has experience in ICT regulatory Analysis, Economic Advisory, Renewable, Trust Management, Strategic Repositioning, Public Policy, and Project Management.

Throughout the years, she has played a critical role in the country's technological advancements over the years; where she also served as the company representative to the ICT industry body, South African Communications Forum, by serving on the Policy and the Finance Committee and held two terms on the Board.

Ms. Faye holds a Master's degree in International Development Management from the University of Westminster Business School, an Honours Degree in Development Studies from the University of the Western Cape and a Project Management Certificate from the University of Witwatersrand.

Ms. Yolisa Kedama is a Specialist in the field of frequency planning, and research in new technologies in the satellite environment. She has served as a Spectrum Manager at Transtel; managing spectrum for Transnet. She moved from Transtel to join ICASA as the Manager: Spectrum Licensing, managing the processing and approval of frequency spectrum applications.

Upon leaving ICASA, she served as a Telecoms Regulatory Manager at Transnet. .Ms Kedama served as a Director at Ziko Business Solutions. She later moved to Telkom as the Executive: Technical Regulations where her role included advising, developing and managing the group on, among others, facilities leasing, interconnection, roaming, number source management and WOAN.

Ms. Kedama holds a Bachelor of Science degree, National Diploma in Electrical Engineering, Certificate in Financial Management and a Masters in Management in ICT Policy and Regulation.

Charley Lewis (PhD, MComm) has extensive experience across the field of ICT sector policy and regulation, ranging from telecommunications and broadcasting to broadband and the Internet. His knowledge and expertise covers a wide array of key areas. These range from universal access and service, through the digital divide, consumer protection, quality of service, statistics and indicators, to spectrum management and the 4^th industrial revolution.

Dr Lewis’ varied career includes: High School Teacher of Mathematics and English; Information Systems Analyst; HoD IT at COSATU (Congress of SA Trade Unions); Senior Lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand; and Independent Analyst and Researcher. He has managed and taught professional development and academic courses on ICT policy and regulation to policy-makers, regulators and industry practitioners.

Dr Lewis holds a BA Hons in English, a Higher Education Diploma, an M Comm in Management of Information Systems, and the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. He is a published author, with his book, Regulating Telecommunications in South Africa: Universal Access and Service (Palgrave Press, 2020) following on from the research for his award-winning PhD thesis.

Dr Lewis recently served on the Ministerial Task Team on Post-Covid-19 Economic Response Strategy, having previously been appointed to serve on South Africa’s national ICT Policy Review Panel (2012-2015).

Ms Nontombana has extensive experience in research and strategy, as well as analysis and business planning. Prior to joining ICASA, Ms Nontombana worked as a Manager for Market Conduct at the Competition Commission.

Ms Nontombana has held several positions where she worked as an Economist at the Department of Education. With her refined skills, she worked as a Principal Investigator at the Competition Commission, and later as a Principal Investigator.

She is a powerful force, having been named one of 40 Women in their 40s in Competition Law enforcement in Europe, America and Africa in 2018. With vast experience in her sector, she has written various chapters and coordinated inputs into reviewing internal procedures for the division for which she worked.

Ms. Nontombana holds a Master of Business Leadership from UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership, a Master of Philosophy in Economic Policy from the University of Stellenbosch, Honours Degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Cape Town

Ms. Sithole has acquired vast experience in administration, communications and media, data collection and personnel management in different sectors. She established a business that provides strategic direction and leadership on all project functions based on her years of experience in the public sector. Ms Sithole is a business owner who utilizes her strategic skills to influence and impact society.

Ms. Sithole holds a BTech degree in Public Relations and Communications and an Advanced Management Development Programme and non-financial management certificate.

She started her career as a nurse at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. She later joined the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry as a junior hydrological assistant to the Communications Officer

Peter Zimri is a policy and regulatory specialist with more than 20 years of cross-functional telecommunication/ICT, broadcasting and postal industry experience. Zimri possesses a wide skill set, including corporate governance, public sector, international and local policy and regulation development as well as compliance and enforcement competencies.

He has a proven track record and vast experience in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, including employment periods with the policy maker the Department of Communications (now Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) as the Chief Director: Radio and Satellite Communications and ICASA’s predecessor, the South African Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (SATRA), as Senior Manager: Frequency Management. Zimri also headed the Technical Regulation at Liquid Telecoms South Africa (former Neotel). In the formative years of his career, He served as a trainee in electronic engineering at Telkom South Africa.

As an ICT Policy and Regulatory principle consultant at Pygma Consulting, Peter has been involved, not only in South Africa, but also across various markets on the African continent. He was involved in the acquisition of electronic communications and network service licenses as well as advising licensees on various ICT regulatory and policy compliance matters and the relevant pieces of ICT legislation.

At the recent ITU WRC-19, RA-2019, and CPM23-1, he served as a Vice-Chairman on the Steering Committee, representing and Chaired the ATU/African Group negotiations to successful conclusions and deliberations. Zimri was appointed as the Chairperson of the ATU ITU WRC-2023 preparations and the preceding CPMs. Zimri is still actively involved in the WRC-2023 preparatory work and is participating in the National Preparatory Working Group (NPWG), SADC and ATU meetings and is overseeing the regulatory contributions in developing these position papers.

He championed the regulatory matters as part of several South African delegations, at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, 2018 (PP18), World Telecommunications Development Conference, 2017 (WTDC-17), Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress, 2016 and Pan African Postal Union (PAPU) Plenipotentiary Conference, 2016, Southern African Development Community (SADC) ICT Ministerial and Senior Communication Official Sub-Committee and the Smart Africa Alliance (SAA) meetings.

During the period April 2016 to March 2019, Zimri served as an Executive Committee member of CRASA as well as appointed to as Chairperson of CRASA from April 2017 to March 2018 with the mandate to harmonise policies and regulatory frameworks across SADC.

Amongst various other standards and ICT (Telecoms & Broadcasting) industry bodies, Zimri served on the boards of the South African Council for Space Affairs (SACSA), Number Portability Company (NPC), and South African Communications Forum (SACF). He also served on the various standards development Technical Committees of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). Zimri is a member of the Institute for Directors South Africa.

Peter Zimri holds a Masters degree - Master of Management in the Field of ICT Policy & Regulation (MM/MA (ICT)PR) from University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He also holds various electronic engineering qualifications and credits in specialised ICT related programmes.

Adv. Luthando Mkumatela served at the Department of International Affairs of the ANC in Lusaka as the Senior Legal Resource. He later joined the Centre for the Development of Information and Telecommunications Policy (CDITP) in Johannesburg. Adv. Mkumatela has worked for Telkom as the Manager for Regulatory Affairs. He was appointed a Councilor of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and represented the organisation during the merger between IBA and SATRA to form ICASA.

Post the merger he moved to the Department of Communications and served as a Chief Director in the office of the Director-General. He formed Amalico Investment Solutions and managed all its activities. He was appointed as the Chairperson of the Space Affairs Council of South Africa (SACSA). Adv. Mkumatela also served as the member of the State Security Agency and proceeded to become an advisor to the former Minister of Communications Mr. Yunus Carrim.

He has attended training in ICT Policy Development and Regulation, Management programme offered by Anderson Consulting, and Strategic Direction and Corporate Governance from the Institute of Directors

Adv. Mkumatela holds a Masters in Law specialising in International Law, Masters of Law in Aviation and Space Law. He holds a Certificate in Telecommunications Regulation,