The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) is no longer fraught with scandals that saw chairman Paris Mashile accused of being incompetent. Nor is it being slammed for being ineffective. However, the regulator still faces some seriously tough times in the coming year.

"The EC Act has changed a lot of things, giving Icasa a lot of power and a lot of responsibilities. They have serious deadlines and a number of cans of worms," says Cuasa spokesman Ray Webber. Cuasa is the Communications Users' Association of South Africa.