Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, has ordered what is described as a “wide ranging probe” into Telkom’s activity since 2006.

In the official Proclamation the president has asked the country’s Special Investing Unit to examine Telkom for “serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of Telkom” as well as improper or unlawful conduct by employees or agents of the company. Among other things, the SIU must investigate the unlawful appropriation of expenditure of public money.

The Proclamation, published in the Government Gazette on January 25th, is to investigate and examine:
· serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of Telkom;
· improper or unlawful conduct by employees, officials or agents of Telkom;
· unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property;
· unlawful, irregular or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure or practice having a bearing upon State property;
· intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property;
· offence referred to in Parts 1 to 4, or section 17, 20 or 21 (in so far as it relates to the aforementioned offences) of Chapter 2 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (Act No. 12 of 2004), and which offences were committed in connection with the affairs of Telkom;
· unlawful or improper conduct by any person, which has caused or may cause serious harm to the interests of the public or any category thereof.

Local reports talk of mounting tensions between the government and Telkom and not helped by the recent squabble with telecommunications regulator ICASA over an upcoming auction of wireless capacity.

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Categories: Articles, Policy, Regulation

Tags: icasa, south africa, Telkom