Universal Services and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA)
1 December 2006
The Minister of Communications, Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has appointed the
new Chairperson of the board of the Universal Services and Access Agency of
South Africa (USSASA). The Minister appointed Ms Cassandra Gabriel as
chairperson of USSASA board, effective from Friday, 1 December 2006. The new
appointment comes after the term of Mr Chose Choeu ended today.
The USSASA was established in 1996 as one of the implementing institutions
of the Department of Communications, which ensures that they make the necessary
interventions in the under-serviced communities to enable access to Information
and Communications Technologies services. Ms Gabriel brings a wealth of
knowledge and experience to steer the agency in the new communications era
ushered by the Electronic Communications Act.
Cassandra Gabriel profile
Cassandra Gabriel founded Gabriel Consulting, a division of JKT Investments
(Pty) Ltd, in 2005. JKT Investments is a 100% black-owned and 51% women-owned
company. Gabriel Consulting is currently managed by Cassandra Gabriel.
Cassandra has strategic management experience at an executive level in
government, the telecommunications and defence industries. Previously,
Cassandra worked for Denel as the Chief of Staff (Executive) in the Office of
the CEO. She was a Director on the Board of South Africa's Aerospace, Maritime
and Defence Industry Body (AMD). While at Denel, Cassandra represented the
company in national defence delegations to Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and
India and during a Presidential State visit to France.
Cassandra worked as the Media Officer for the African National Congress
(ANC) in the Natal Midlands Region, KwaZulu-Natal province, in 1993. She worked
for a non-governmental organisation (NGO) Culture and Working Life Project at
the University of Natal Durban, before heading the Education Programme of the
Constitutional Assembly, national Parliament in the KwaZulu-Natal province in
1995, during the drafting of the country's Constitution.
She then became spokesperson for Minister Pallo Jordan, then Minister of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism, as his Media Liaison Officer in 1996, before
joining Telkom's Government Relations and later Regulatory and Public Policy
divisions in 1998.
During her six years at Telkom, Cassandra managed Telkom's Parliamentary
Liaison Office in Cape Town as a Senior Manager; was promoted to Executive to
form a new unit - e-Society Initiatives; was made responsible for Cabinet
Liaison and later managed the team of Telkom's regulatory lawyers in the
Regulatory and Public Policy division.
She was also seconded twice to the Ministry and Department of
Communications, firstly to support Minister Jay Naidoo during Africa Telecom 98
and secondly to support the Director General Andile Ngcaba with the policy
preparations for the Initial Public Offering of Telkom and the appointment of
advisors for the introduction of the Second Network Operator. Cassandra also
participated in the South African delegation to the World Summit on Information
Society (WSIS), organised by the International Telecoms Union, United Nations
in Geneva.
In November 2006, Cassandra was appointed as the Chairperson of the
Universal Service and Access Agency (USAASA), by the Minister of
Communications, Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri. The mandate of the Universal Service
Agency is to promote, facilitate and monitor the achievement of universal
service and access in under-serviced areas, in respect of communications and
also to manage the Universal Service Fund.
Cassandra has a Degree in Fine Art, an Honours Degree in Gender Studies and
has completed numerous courses on literacy facilitation, adult education,
management, telecommunications and mobile and satellite technology in South
Africa, Mauritius, London, Bath and Cyprus. She is currently completing her
Masters in Business Leadership at the University of South Africa.
Cassandra is the Chairperson of JKT Investments (Pty) Ltd, Chairperson of
JKT Telecoms (Pty) Ltd and Director of Atesang (Pty) Ltd and EVEolution Group,
women's investment companies. She has established a co-operative of previously
disadvantaged artists called Mosaic Studio (http://www.mosaicstudio.co.za), currently
serving as Artistic Director in an advisory capacity.
Enquiries:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Issued by: Department of Communications
1 December 2006
