[rpd] RDP Discussion

[Nonjabulo Sphilile]

Dear Ben and Hendrik,

Ben, Mandla can answer for himself. Unless he expressly says he is
authorised to represent NRS, his comments should be treated as his own. An
affiliation gives context; it is not a power of attorney. My responding to
that general principle on a public mailing list does not mean I speak for
Mandla or share his affiliation.

Hendrik, similar wording, new email accounts, or an AI system’s opinion
about writing style do not prove astroturfing. A civil standard of proof is
applied by an authorised decision-maker to actual evidence. It is not a
label that one mailing-list participant may declare proven because Claude
produced a probability.

Operational experience is valuable, but it does not give established
operators exclusive authority over participation. New participants may ask
questions, raise objections, and challenge the scope of a policy. They are
not required to arrive as apprentices seeking permission from familiar
voices.

Any KYC requirement would need a formal basis, demonstrated necessity,
privacy safeguards, and equal application to everyone. It cannot be
improvised selectively for unfamiliar objectors. Otherwise, “community
protection” becomes a way for a small circle to decide who qualifies as the
community.

I am a real participant. I choose my position, review what I submit, and
take responsibility for it. If either of you has evidence of impersonation,
automated flooding, or a specific breach, submit it to the co-chairs. I
will not engage further with personal speculation about my identity or
writing tools.

Please return to the policy and address the arguments themselves.

Regards,
Nonjabulo

On Thu, 23 Jul 2026, 09:17 Ben Roberts - AfriNIC, <ben.roberts at afrinic.net>
wrote:

> Nonjabulo,
> Let’s wait for what Mandla has to say?  Since he has a job as a policy
> insights contributor for NRS, he may want his policy insights to be on
> behalf of NRS right ?
>
> Kind regards
> Ben
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On 23 Jul 2026, at 08:23, Nonjabulo Sphilile <
> nonjabulosphilile at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > Dear Ben,
> >
> > I believe in open participation. That means contributors speak for
> themselves unless they expressly state that they are authorised to
> represent an organisation.
> >
> > Mandla’s affiliation with NRS provides context, not a mandate. Assuming
> every employee speaks for their organisation confuses participation with
> representation and turns an open PDP into a contest between institutions.
> >
> > Please assess Mandla’s contribution as his own.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Nonjabulo
>
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