The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Tuesday welcomed the National Assembly’s decision to withdraw the portfolio committee’s report recommending eight candidates for the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) council.
The African National Congress (ANC) had agreed to postpone the matter following the DA’s declaration in the House that suggested one of the candidates‚ Mr Thami Ntenteni‚ had a criminal record that rendered him ineligible for the ICASA council‚ DA shadow minister of communication Gavin Davis said.
In its declaration to the National Assembly‚ the DA objected to two of the eight names to be recommended for appointment to the council.
"The first is Mr Lumko Mtimde who is openly and unapologetically supportive of the Media Appeals Tribunal first proposed by the ANC back in 2007. We object to his appointment on the grounds that ICASA needs councillors whose instincts are to promote media freedom‚ not to curtail it.
"The second candidate we object to‚" said the DA‚ "is Mr Thami Ntenteni‚ who we believe is ineligible for the council on account of a criminal record.
"Reports in the public domain indicate that‚ in 1998‚ the BMW that Mr Ntenteni was driving on the Ben Schoeman Highway crashed into a Volkswagen Passat from behind at high speed. One woman was killed and three others were injured. The courts found Mr Ntenteni guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol and culpable homicide. It is understood that he was sentenced to at least three years in prison‚ which would explain the gap on his CV between 1998 and 2001."
The DA said the ICASA Act stated that a person may not be appointed to the council if they were sentenced to a period of imprisonment exceeding one year without the option of a fine.
"It is therefore highly unlikely that Mr Ntenteni is lawfully eligible to serve on the ICASA council."
DA welcomes Parliament’s decision to withdraw ICASA nominations
The African National Congress (ANC) had agreed to postpone the matter following the DA’s declaration in the House that suggested one of the candidates‚ Mr Thami Ntenteni‚ had a criminal record that rendered him ineligible for the ICASA council‚ DA shadow minister of communication Gavin Davis said.
In its declaration to the National Assembly‚ the DA objected to two of the eight names to be recommended for appointment to the council.
"The first is Mr Lumko Mtimde who is openly and unapologetically supportive of the Media Appeals Tribunal first proposed by the ANC back in 2007. We object to his appointment on the grounds that ICASA needs councillors whose instincts are to promote media freedom‚ not to curtail it.
"The second candidate we object to‚" said the DA‚ "is Mr Thami Ntenteni‚ who we believe is ineligible for the council on account of a criminal record.
"Reports in the public domain indicate that‚ in 1998‚ the BMW that Mr Ntenteni was driving on the Ben Schoeman Highway crashed into a Volkswagen Passat from behind at high speed. One woman was killed and three others were injured. The courts found Mr Ntenteni guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol and culpable homicide. It is understood that he was sentenced to at least three years in prison‚ which would explain the gap on his CV between 1998 and 2001."
The DA said the ICASA Act stated that a person may not be appointed to the council if they were sentenced to a period of imprisonment exceeding one year without the option of a fine.
"It is therefore highly unlikely that Mr Ntenteni is lawfully eligible to serve on the ICASA council."
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