Telkom has issued a statement regarding the Government Gazette 11385, published yesterday (Tuesday 25 January 2022) giving the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) authority to investigate several matters including contracting and possible maladministration regarding the disposals of iWayAfrica, Africa Online Mauritius and Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited.
“As the SIU investigation is now pending, we expect to receive further clarity on the scope of the investigation,” the company states. “Telkom will deal with the investigation on its merits in the appropriate forum, in the appropriate manner, at the appropriate time.
“Telkom follows robust corporate governance principles and has done so in executing the Telkom strategy to consolidate its operations in South Africa,” the statement continues. “The aforementioned matters date back to as far as 2006 and have been repeatedly reported on in respective Telkom reports.
“Matters surrounding the Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited transaction have been reported on previously and certain related issues have been dealt with in various courts with different jurisdictions in South Africa.
“Telkom disposed of Telkom International & Africa Online Mauritius jointly grouped under iWayAfrica. The $1 transaction supported the disposal of liabilities amounting to $8-million.”
In a statement yesterday, Telkom points out that these cases are a matter of public record and its own investigation flagged possible cases of wrongdoing by two employees in one of these transactions and declared this in terms of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act.
Telkom also issued civil summons against an employee with an eye to recovering losses amounting to $5-million relating to activities incidental to the transaction.