<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>
<body>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
Hi Ben,</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
<br>
</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
I speak only for myself. I reviewed the message, agree with it, and stand behind it. Similar wording does not prove shared identity or automation.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
<br>
</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
If you have evidence of impersonation, submit it to the co-chairs. Otherwise, please address the policy rather than speculate about participants.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
<br>
</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
I will not continue this side discussion.</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
<br>
</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
Regards,</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">
Tshepo</div>
<div id="ms-outlook-mobile-body-separator-line" data-applydefaultfontstyles="true" dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div dir="auto" style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<br>
</div>
</div>
<div dir="auto" style="font-family:Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(33, 33, 33)" id="ms-outlook-mobile-signature">
<span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">Get
<a href="https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg">Outlook for Android</a></span></div>
<hr style="display:inline-block;width:98%" tabindex="-1">
<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> ben.roberts@frinic.net <ben.roberts@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, 21 July 2026 18:02:36<br>
<b>To:</b> Tshepo Masuku <TshepoMasuku26@hotmail.com>; Gugu Dhlamini <gugudhlamini343@gmail.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> rpd@afrinic.net <rpd@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [rpd] Policy supremacy</font>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
So you used the same prompt into the same AI tool and emailed the same reply ? Excuse my skepticism, but are you the same person with different personas ? Or just AI agents running the same script ?</div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
I think thats a fair question to ask given the circumstances?</div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Kind Regards,</div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Ben</div>
<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div id="x_ms-outlook-mobile-signature">
<div class="x_MsoNormal" style="direction:ltr">Get <a href="https://aka.ms/GetOutlookForMac" data-outlook-id="5bb01f1e-69e5-47dd-aaf3-05aa470f06f8">
Outlook for Mac</a></div>
</div>
<div id="x_mail-editor-reference-message-container">
<div style="padding:3pt 0in 0in; border-width:1pt medium medium; border-style:solid none none; border-color:rgb(181,196,223) currentcolor currentcolor">
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="text-align:left; font-family:Aptos; font-size:12pt; color:black">
<b>From: </b>Tshepo Masuku <TshepoMasuku26@hotmail.com><br>
<b>Date: </b>Tuesday, 21 July 2026 at 17:55<br>
<b>To: </b>Ben Roberts - AfriNIC <ben.roberts@afrinic.net>; Gugu Dhlamini <gugudhlamini343@gmail.com><br>
<b>Cc: </b>rpd@afrinic.net <rpd@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [rpd] Policy supremacy<br>
<br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
Hi Ben,</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
The similarity is not mysterious. We addressed the same phrase, and drafting assistance can produce similar wording. I reviewed my message, agree with it, and stand behind it.</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
Your profile provides context, but it does not confer a higher status in an open PDP. If affiliation disclosure is to be required, it must be a clear rule applied equally to everyone.</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
I will not engage further in authorship speculation.</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
Regards,</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
Tshepo</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
<br>
</div>
<div id="x_ms-outlook-mobile-body-separator-line" dir="auto" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">
<div style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">
<br>
</div>
</div>
<div id="x_ms-outlook-mobile-signature" dir="auto" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">
<span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">Get
</span><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"><a href="https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg" data-outlook-id="74e0570b-b2b1-451a-8262-c192e4694de4">Outlook for Android</a></span></div>
<hr style="display:inline-block; width:98%">
<div id="x_divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; font-size:11pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b>From:</b> Ben Roberts - AfriNIC <ben.roberts@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, 21 July 2026 17:47:59<br>
<b>To:</b> Tshepo Masuku <TshepoMasuku26@hotmail.com>; Gugu Dhlamini <gugudhlamini343@gmail.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> rpd@afrinic.net <rpd@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [rpd] Policy supremacy</span>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Gugu and Tshepo,</span> </div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Perhaps you can explain to us how you ended up thinking of near identical opening sentences to your emails ? </span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">“Introductions can be helpful, but they are voluntary. They should not become an informal test of who qualifies as a “genuine” community member.”</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">“</span><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt"> introductions can provide context, but they should not become a test of whether someone
is a “genuine” community member.”</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">By way of introduction, my profile can be found here.
</span><a href="https://btw.media/en/governance/rir-watchdog/afrinic/benjamin-mark-roberts" data-outlook-id="e0a95384-1929-4804-962f-b7fa99bd6478">https://btw.media/en/governance/rir-watchdog/afrinic/benjamin-mark-roberts</a><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Kind Regards</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Ben</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>
</span></div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
Sent from my iPhone</div>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<br>
</div>
<blockquote>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
On 21 Jul 2026, at 17:15, Tshepo Masuku <TshepoMasuku26@hotmail.com> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
</div>
<p class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px">
<span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">Hi Ben,</span></p>
<p class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">Introductions can provide context, but they should not become a test of whether someone is a “genuine” community member.</span></p>
<p class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">An open process cannot presume that familiar participants belong while newcomers must prove themselves. If affiliation disclosure
is important, it should be a clear and equal rule covering everyone, including employers, clients, funding, and organisational interests.</span></p>
<p class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">Until such a rule exists, contributions should be judged by their substance and conduct, not by whether the established circle
recognises the sender.</span></p>
<p class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">Regards,<br>
Tshepo</span></p>
<p class="x_ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message x_skipProofing" style="direction:ltr">
<span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)"><br>
</span></p>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>