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MDDA WELCOMES APPOINTMENT
OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) is Service (SARS) and National Treasury, amongst others. He is
pleased to welcome the recently appointed MDDA Board a Director and Founder of Mpakati Attorneys based in
members, effectively filling three positions that had Pretoria. He has gained good experience in litigation,
become vacant within the Board. The incoming Board investigations, legal compliance, good governance, audit

members were officially affirmed by His Excellency and risk management.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, following recommendations
from the Portfolio Committee on Communications and He serves as a Parole Board Member of the Free State and
Digital Technologies, as an outcome of a rigorous interview Northern Cape Regions under the auspices of the
process by the Committee. Department of Correctional Services (DCS). He also serves
as Deputy Chairperson of the National Association of
The Board members, Ms Jayshree Pather, Mr Thembelani Democratic Lawyers (NADEL) in Tshwane. As a practicing

Mpakati and Mr Qondile Kedama bring with a broad set attorney and human righ activist, he has acquired sufficien
of skills, ranging from Legal, Accounting, Research, Policy skills to be able to represent members of the public and
and Capacity Building, as well as Media and actively mediate in terms of the applicable rules and
Communications, which will help enhance the oversight legislation.
functions of the Board.
Mr Kedama holds an Advanced Diploma in Public
Jayshree Pather is a development and community media Management from the Central University of Technology, a
expert with over 25 years of experience working on the Programme in Management Development for Municipal
intersection of development and the community media Finance as well as Developmental Communications. He
sector. As an independent consultant for the past ten years, holds variety of other certificates covering Digit
her experience spans research, policy, Marketing, Public Relations and Leadership, Feature
training/capacity-building, and materials developmen for Writing, Newspaper Management, Project Management

a range of national, regional, and international and Events Managements among others.
organisations. She has been a trainer at Wits Radio
Academy since 2014, facilitating foundation course on He is currently Head of Communications for the Mangaung
media policy and legislation for the Advanced Radio Metro Municipality and a contributor to the PAN African

Certificate and in she managed training Foundation (PAN), University of the Free State, Centenary

programme on digital campaigning tools for 50 African Public Lectures as well as Eye Witness News (EWN). During
participants in countries with US-based So the course of his career, he has won a number of awards,
Movement Technologies (SMT) on behalf of WoMin. including, PMR Best Marketed 2016 Municipality, 2017
SADC Media Award.
She was the first Project Director at the MDDA between
2006 and 2009 and has served on the boards of Sonke MDDA Board Chairperson Prof Hlengani Mathebula has
Gender Justice Proje and ABC Ulwazi. She has sever also expressed his confidence on the newly appointed

published articles including Future Proofing Guide for members, indicating that their presence and expertise will

Community Radio for the National Association of go a long way in advancing the work of the MDDA as it

Broadcasters (NAB), briefing note on community radio for seeks to position the Agency as a credible and capable
SANEF’s Independent Panel of Inquiry into Media Ethics and entity responsible for advancing development and diversity
Credibility and chapters on community radio in the State of in the community media sector.
the Newsroom (2014 and 2024). Jayshree has a M.SC in
Development Planning from the University of the “We are pleased with the appointment of the new Board
Witwatersrand. members and we look forward to welcoming and working
with them to advance the work and mandate of the
Mr Thembelani Mpakati holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) Agency. We remain committed to exercising due oversight
degree and a National Diploma in Cost and Management of the functions of the Agency including promoting good

Accounting (CCMA) from UNISA and Walter Sisulu corporate governance and finan prudence as we
University respectively. He has worked at the Parliament of continue to undertake our judiciary duties”, said MDDA
the Republic of South Africa, the South African Revenue Board Chairperson.
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