Speaker, the report of the Portfolio Committee on Communications before the House deals with the performance management system to monitor and evaluate the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, its chairperson and councillors.
Section 6A(1) of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act, Act No 13 of 2000, as amended, stipulates that the Minister must, in consultation with the National Assembly, establish a performance management system to monitor and evaluate the performance of the chairperson and councillors. Up until now, this section has not been implemented. The committee welcomes the fact that the performance management system is now to be implemented.
The performance management system monitors and evaluates the performance of the chairperson and councillors. It also has to set key performance indicators, measurable targets and a procedure to measure and review its performance at least once a year.
I would like to indicate briefly how this performance management system will operate. Firstly, the Act requires that the Minister, in consultation with the National Assembly, constitute a panel to evaluate the performance of the chairperson and councillors. The panel must consist of at least five members, one of whom must be the designated chairperson, and it is proposed that the panel should consist of the following: a retired judge, a representative from the Office of the Auditor-General, respected experts from academia, a representative from an organised consumer group, and independent experts in the electronic communications or broadcasting sector.
None of those who serve on the panel should have any conflict of interest at all during their term of office. The term of office for each member is three years from the date of appointment. A member may be removed by the Minister in consultation with the National Assembly due to, inter alia, misconduct or inability to perform his or her duties efficiently or effectively. The chairperson and councillors must sign performance agreements with the Minister by 1 April of each year, and the performance review, undertaken by the evaluation panel, must be completed by no later than 28 February of each year. The performance evaluation report of the evaluation panel must be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration after completion of the evaluation.
The Committee on Communications therefore presents this report to the House. Thank you very much.
There was no debate.
Mr Speaker, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.