DIGITAL DZONGA ADVISORY COUNCIL: NEW MEMBERS’ PROFILES

20 August 2010

  1. Professor Mamokgethi Setati holds three professorships. She is full time professor and executive Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology at the University of South Africa; honorary professor of mathematics education at Wits University and professor extraordinaire at the Tshwane University of Technology. She obtained a PhD in Mathematics Education from the University of the Witwatersrand in June 2002. She is a C1-NRF rated scientist and a much respected mathematics education researcher and mathematics teacher educator both nationally and internationally. She has published four edited volumes and over 40 reviewed articles published in local and international journals, conference proceedings and book chapters.

She is a chairperson of Lilitha Strategic Investment Limited; non-executive director of the Shanduka Group, trustee of the Telkom and First Rand Foundations and Vice Chairperson of the South African Board of the International Council for Science (ICSU). She is the past national president of the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA); past chairperson of the Board of The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF); the South African representative to the International Commission for Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) and has served as a member of the executive committee of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education.

  1. Mr. Ruddy Rashama is currently a Chief Executive Officer of Khemano Productions; the company has been running since 2008. Some of the key projects he has been involved in include the ANC national election campaign, Official state events for department of Public Works, Freedom day celebrations for both Gauteng and Free State governments.

He was key in the Digital Terrestrial trails with the African Union Communications for most broadcasters in Africa and locally including the SABC, Sentech, Multichoice and on digital media to name a few. He was spearheading the process of broadcast Antenna installations for 2010 Soccer World Cup stadiums on behalf of SANTEC. He has vast experience in business development with background in Cost and Management Accounting.

He is Deputy President of the Catholic Society at Wits Technikon, Deputy President of Nafcoc Gauteng, Member of the Gauteng Education and Training Council, Co-Chair of Nafcoc/SACOB economic affairs committee; also a JCCI member and board member for TETA. He is also a Marketing director and shareholder of African Union Communications and Director of Ilangabi Investments. Mr. Rashama is a strategic thinker who is able to work with individuals at both executive and operational level, he has excellent verbal, liaison and written communication skills.

  1. Mr. Richard Charles Poulton is an Operations Manager in Telkom, but has been released by his employer to do fulltime union work. He is the National Treasurer of the Communications Workers Union, has technical, labourrelations, policy development, project management and negotiations experience. He served on the Board of Information Systems Electronics Telecommunications and Technology SETA (ISETT) and its EXCo and remuneration subcommittee. He also served as a member of the Digital Dzonga Advisory Council as well as chair of its Monitoring and Research Working Group. He is a member of COSATU’s Financial Committee and an ex member of its Free State/Northern Cape PEC.
  1. Ms. Julia Ntombikayise Hope has aMasters Degree in Science and Engineering (Telecommunications) and is a member of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE). Ms Hope has an extensive experience in Telecommunications and Broadcasting, having worked in the electronic communication industry in South Africa for over 14 years.

She has worked in the broadcasting industry for over six years, responsible for signal distribution and satellite operations involving the use and maintenance of Uplinking, Downlinking and Satellite News Gathering (SNG) equipment. She also worked as a Councillor at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for 4 years.

Since 2005 she has been the Managing Director of HopeLafleur Communications Networks, and serves on the Telkom board she is also a member of Ministerial Task Team which developed a turnaround and funding strategy for the SABC and Sentech.

  1. Mr. Llewellyn Charles Jones has a Cum Laude in B.Sc. Eng (Elec) degree. He has worked in the computer systems industry both as a consultant and as a manager in the corporate world. He was appointed Managing Director of TekLogic (Pty) Ltd in 1982, then he started another company called ISIS (Pty) Ltd as a subsidiary of TekLogic to address the information systems market.

In 1993 he was appointed Managing Director of Altech Telecomms , then he moved to Plessey in Cape Town as head of electronics and manufacturing businesses. Later in 1997 he became the Managing Director of Plessey South Africa and director of the Australian subsidiaries, Plessey Asia Pacific Ltd.

In 1998, he was appointed Chief Executive of Tellumat then in 2004 he was contracted as a consultant by CSIR to help in the establishment of the African Advanced Institute for ICT. He was also a non-executive director of the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), and served as its CEO for 9 months. He is currently a non-executive director of Denel, and non-executive chair of Denel Saab Aerostructures.

  1. Ms. Masodi Nkosazana Xaba holds a Telecommunications regulation and policy certificate through Wits School of Public and Development Management, has a Public Relations Diploma also a B.Comm degree from the University of North West (former Bophuthatswana).

She is a member of the Black Management Forum (BMF), Technology for Women in Business (TWIB), South African Communications Forum (SACF). She is currently a Managing Partner of the Bonolo IT & Consulting Solutions a solutions service provider. Worked for Lekgari & Associate in 2008 as a Shareholder and Consultant, she has worked as the DDG: Corporate Services in the Department of Labour.

Also has experience in regulatory body Gauteng Gambling Board as a non-executive board member, other boards she has served on: Prov-tech (Pty) Ltd as the Managing Director/Indirect Shareholder, Gijima Technologies Group, and other organisations in the telecommunications industry such as Cell C Director Marketing and Communications, Sentech Client & Communications Manager, The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as the Deputy Financial Administrator (PWV), Trust Telephone Corporation as an Accountant as well as working for International Business Machines (IBM) as an Assistant System Engineer.

  1. Mr. Dingane Dube has a B Juris from the University of the North, Bachelors of Law Degree (LLB) Uni. Of the North, Certificate in Telecommunications, Regulation and Policy Management (TPRM) and LLM in Communications from Wits University.

Mr. Dube is an admitted attorney currently employed at Sentech as an Executive: Regulatory and Government Affairs from 17 April 2004 to current. His role is to taking lead in policy formulation proposals related to regulatory and policy issues. He supervises the formulation of responses to discussion papers and drafting guidelines and to further attend to hearings as a Regulator.

  1. Mr. Calvo Mawela has BSc Engineering (Electrical) from the University of KwaZulu Natal (former Durban Westville). In 2000, he was employed by Sentech as an RF Engineer, in the Engineering Department, whereby he designed, implemented and commissioned the network for the organisation.

He was then employed at ICASA in 2004 as a Manager: Broadcasting Spectrum. He was responsible for planning of the broadcasting spectrum for the country, and drafting of broadcasting spectrum regulations. He also served as an advisor to the Council on technical matters. He served as an International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Planning Expert during (RRC-06).

In 2007, he got appointed as Regulatory Affairs General Manager at Orbicom. Then in 2008, he was elected to serve as a Chairperson of TC80 working group on Broadcasting, with the South African Bureau of Standards. During

his tenure he assisted in development of a set top box standard SANS 862.

Mr. Mawela has also served in the Digital Dzonga Advisory Council, a body established by the Minister of Communications and tasked with overseeing the migration to digital in South Africa.

  1. Mr. Zubair Munshi joined e-tv in 2008 as Group Executive: Business Development and Strategy. Prior to this appointment, he was employed at MTN’s strategic investment division where he focused on alternative business opportunities to complement MTN’s core offering. He later moved into a programme management role for the MTN Iran network.

During a nine year service at the signal distribution company, Orbicom, Zubair was primarily involved with the launch of the DStv network and the management of the technical expansion of the DStv platform. At Orbicom, he was also involved in technical and operational management, project management, project implementation, systems and network planning, business development, regulatory management and overall strategic management.

Zubair holds a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering as well as a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). He is a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE).

  1. Hlukanisa Richard “Jossy” Zitha, he was born Mr HR Zitha at Bushbuckridge, Agincourt Region, affectionately known as comrade. He started schooling at John Mdluli Primary and later appendage his studies at Cyril Clarke Secondary. He completed his Matric at Sitintile High. Mr Zitha furthered his studies in Journalism and Information Technology and toiled into the night whilst his friends were fast asleep during struggle. Katlehong and Thokoza townships still yearning for his Computer Architectural skills he transferred at Literacy Colleges.
  1. Nomvuyiso Batyi matriculated at Sandisiwe High at Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape in 1994, has a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Procurationis with University of Fort Hare. Her computer literacy is in par with new world of ICTs. She started her working career as a tutor in Criminal Law and procedure at Fort Hare University in 1999 then moved to University of Port Elizabeth later in the year where she was appointed an Assistant Co-ordinator in the Law Department. She worked for the Competition Commission of SA between 2000 and 2003 as an investigator, and then she joined the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in April 2003, moved up the ranks until she was appointed one of the nine Councillors to date.

Her portfolio is Markets and Competition. Amongst her responsibilities, she has to ensure that regulations are developed within the ambit of the Electronic Communications Act, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act and other related legislations. She leads a number of council committees, to mention a few: South African Table of Frequencies, Carrier Pre-Selection, Interconnection and Facilities Leasing also the licensing of I-Electronic Communication Network Service Licences largely dealing with an ex ante regulatory framework for postal, broadcasting and electronic communication licensees.

  1. Sabelo Isaac Bulelani Silinga born in 15 September 1963. He has higher diploma- Post Graduate in Education, B Comm. Degree, and Honours in Economics with Western Cape University in Bellville, Cape Town. He also has Diploma in Project Management with Varsity College in Rondebosch in Cape Town and Masters in Economics- International Trade acquired from Stellenbosch University still in Cape Town in 2002. In 1985 he joined Transkei Small Industry Development Organisation as Project Administrator till 1989. He later moved to Independent Development Trust as project controller between 1994 and August 1998. A month later he joined Theewaterskloof Municipality at Grabouw in the Western Cape as Town Treasure until June 2001. Umsobomvu Youth Fund Management in the Eastern Cape appointed him a provincial manager to tackle their Monitoring and Evaluation and Stakeholder Management between 2003 and May 2005.

In the same month of May in 2005, he joined the public broadcaster as an executive manager in Auckland Park. He is responsible for heading administration in the content Enterprises division. The unit is tasked with procurement and selling of local and international content in the areas of sport and entertainment. He has accumulated over the year’s solid experience in Strategy development and Implementation, Stakeholder Management and many more expertise.

  1. Karen Willenberg is an attorney by profession. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Cape Town, majoring in Drama and English Literature and a Bachelor of Laws degree, also from UCT. She is currently completing a post-graduate diploma in Economics for Competition Law at King’s College in London.

Ms Willenberg is one of a few South African attorneys who have specialised in entertainment and media law. She was a practising attorney for some time, representing South African and international clients in predominantly commercial matters. As an attorney, Ms Willenberg was a regular contributor to various media publications and lectured on copyright issues relevant to entertainment industry.

In 2004, she left private practise to join M-Net in the position of Director of Regulatory and Legal Affairs. While at M-Net, she has been primarily involved in broadcasting policy and regulation.In recent years, she has been critically involved in South Africa’s planning for digital migration. She held a co-chairing position in the Ministerial Working Group on Digital Migration and served on the, recently dissolved, Digital Dzonga Advisory Council.

Ms Willenberg continues to make a contribution to the broadcasting sector in her role as Deputy Chairperson of the National Association of Broadcasters and Deputy Chairperson of the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa.

  1. Advocate Cawe Mahlati has an LLB.B, MA (International Law & Diplomacy is the Founder and Chairman of the South African Health Tourism Congress. She is the past CEO of Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA). Adv. Cawe Mahlati has accumulated a wealth of vast skills and expertise in both the public and private sectors on three continents, South Africa, Europe and The United States of America.

Adv. Cawe Mahlati has been priviledged to work with world icon, former President Nelson Mandela. She was advisor to President Mandela on formation of the Post Apartheid Censorship Board. Advisor to former Hon. South African Minister of Communications Mr. Jay Naidoo on Convergence of Technology, advised the late South African Hon. Minister Cassaburi Matsepe on Broadcasting Digital Terrestrial Migration. She is President of the Constitutional Committee of National African Federation of Chambers of Commerce (NAFCOC), Director of Colliers International Property Management Consultants (SA). She is also Chairman of Sebilo Investments.