The appointment of Loyiso Tyira as the interim chairperson of the B-BBEE ICT Sector Council marks a significant leadership shift for the body overseeing the country’s information and communication technology transformation code.
Communications minister Solly Malatsi has replaced Minki Mazibuko-Thulo with Tyira, according to a statement from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies. William Ledwaba has been appointed as deputy interim chairperson to assist Tyira. The pair will serve jointly for six months while the department reconfigures the council’s leadership structure.
The move comes after a period of severe instability. The council, which previously had a complement of 22 members, was reduced to just 11 following a wave of resignations between December 2024 and April 2026. Two deputy chairpersons were among those who left.
Sources indicate that resignations were driven by alleged poor leadership, including long absences by the chairperson without communication. Internal conflicts between the chairperson and the acting council secretary were also cited as factors contributing to the departures. The operational difficulties became so severe that an audit executive from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies recommended the council be disbanded due to “dysfunctionality.” The minister’s statement notes that the department completed a special investigation into the council and the breakdown of relations between Mazibuko-Thulo and other members.
Related: Kaseya launches autonomous IT management platform
Tyira, who currently chairs the Technology Innovation Agency, brings a background of leadership in the sector. He previously served as chairperson of the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority and was the managing director of the ICT SMME Chamber. The ICT council, established in September 2015, operates as an independent body under the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. It monitors sector transformation by facilitating the implementation of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment ICT Sector Code.
Minister Malatsi stated that the reconfiguration aims to empower the council to fulfill its responsibilities effectively. He thanked Mazibuko-Thulo for her service as chairperson while addressing the serious concerns raised by current and former members, stakeholders, and the findings of the department’s investigation.
The council is currently in its third term of office, with the most recent members appointed in May 2024 under the tenure of the former minister, Mondli Gungubele. Funding for the council’s operations is a joint effort between the private sector and the line department responsible for the sector.
As the interim leadership steps in, the immediate focus will likely be on stabilizing the remaining members and addressing the operational paralysis that plagued the previous term. The six-month timeline for this interim arrangement suggests the department is looking for a temporary fix while determining the long-term structure of the council.
