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<span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"></span>Dear Ben,</div>
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<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">You are drawing more from my reply than it said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is a public policy forum. Responding to a point does not mean I am answering for Mandla, speaking for NRS,
or clarifying anyone’s affiliation. Mandla can answer for himself. I challenged the assumption that a person’s employment automatically turns an individual contribution into an organisational position.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Open participation means participants may engage with arguments wherever they appear in the discussion. Unless
someone expressly claims authorisation to represent an organisation, their contribution should be treated as their own.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Please do not convert ordinary participation into inferred affiliations or relationships. Let us return to the
policy.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Regards,<br>
Nonhlanhla</span></p>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> Ben Roberts - AfriNIC <ben.roberts@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, 23 July 2026 08:08:40<br>
<b>To:</b> Petronella NP <NPertuniaPetronella@outlook.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> rpd@afrinic.net <rpd@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [rpd] RDP Discussion</font>
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<p><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt">Nonhlanhla,</span></p>
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My mail was clearly and unequivocally addressed to Mandla asking him a valid question.
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<div>It was not a general point for discussion, so there was no need to answer for him. But thanks for stepping in to clarify affiliations. We now fully understand. </div>
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<div>Kind regards</div>
<div>Ben<br>
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<div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div>
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<blockquote type="cite">On 23 Jul 2026, at 07:51, NP Petronella <NPertuniaPetronella@outlook.com> wrote:<br>
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<p><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><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">You certainly make a lot of assumptions about people.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">No, I do not speak for Mandla or NRS. I responded to a general point on a public mailing list. Supporting another participant’s
argument does not create an affiliation, agency relationship, or shared identity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">Mandla’s job title also does not mean every contribution he makes is an assigned organisational statement. Unless he expressly
says he is authorised to represent NRS, his contribution is his own. You may ask Mandla about his capacity, but you should not invent one for either of us.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">That is the basic distinction between participation and representation. Please address the argument instead of constructing
relationships between the people raising it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_MSFontService,-apple-system,Roboto,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">Regards,<br>
Nonhlanhla</span></p>
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<div id="x_divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" color="#000000" style="font-size:11pt"><b>From:</b> Ben Roberts - AfriNIC <ben.roberts@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, 23 July 2026 07:45:30<br>
<b>To:</b> Petronella NP <NPertuniaPetronella@outlook.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> rpd@afrinic.net <rpd@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [rpd] RDP Discussion</font>
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<div dir="auto">Nonhlanhla,
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<div>Can I assume you know Mandla and/or NRS well enough to speak on his or their behalf. ?</div>
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<div>He has clearly stated that he is a policy insights contributor at NRS. So if he then contributes policy insights, you can see why it appears that he is doing is assigned job for his employer ? </div>
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<div>Kind regards</div>
<div>Ben</div>
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<div>Previous message from Mandla…</div>
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<div dir="auto" style="">Good day,
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<div dir="auto">Mandla,Policy insights contributor at NRS.</div>
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<div dir="auto">Regards </div>
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<span style="">_______________________________________________</span><br style="">
<span style="">RPD mailing list</span><br style="">
<span style=""><span dir="ltr">RPD@afrinic.net</span></span><br style="">
<span style=""><span dir="ltr">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo/rpd</span></span><br>
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<div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div>
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<blockquote type="cite">On 23 Jul 2026, at 07:36, NP Petronella <NPertuniaPetronella@outlook.com> wrote:<br>
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Dear Ben,</div>
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Mandla’s position is straightforward. AFRINIC’s PDP is open to anyone and imposes no qualification for participation. A contributor does not automatically represent their employer merely because an affiliation is known. </div>
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Unless Mandla expressly states that he is authorised to speak for NRS, his contribution is his own. Employment is context, not a power of attorney.</div>
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Assuming otherwise confuses participation with representation and suggests a misunderstanding of how an open PDP works. Please assess Mandla’s argument as Mandla’s argument.</div>
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Regards,</div>
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Nonhlanhla </div>
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