Mr. Themba Phiri was appointed as the Chairperson of the Sentech Board, on 10 December 2025. Mr. Phiri has been serving as the interim Chairperson of the Board since May 2025, following his appointment to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in December 2021.

Themba is a seasoned telecommunications and public policy professional with extensive experience in telecoms regulation, frequency spectrum management, broadcast policy, and government stakeholder relations. His expertise spans more than two decades in both public and private sector leadership roles, shaping strategic, regulatory, and policy frameworks in South Africa’s communications landscape.

He currently serves as Managing Executive and Information Officer at Cell C Limited, where he leads regulatory strategy, governance, and information compliance. Prior to this, Themba served as Deputy Director-General at the Department of Communications, overseeing national policy formulation and regulatory alignment within the ICT sector.

His previous governance roles include serving as a Non-Executive Director at SITA SOC Ltd, and he continues to contribute to key committees at Sentech, including the Technology, Strategy and Regulatory Committee.

Themba holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Pretoria, and qualifications in Telecoms Policy and Regulation Management from the University of the Witwatersrand and Wits Business School. He also holds a Certificate in Directorship from the Institute of Directors South Africa (IoDSA).

With a career grounded in policy development, economic impact assessment, and governance excellence, Themba brings strategic vision and regulatory insight to Sentech’s mission of advancing connectivity and digital inclusion.