It appears that South African mobile phone group Vodacom won’t be able to begin operating in Mozambique on April 1 as planned.
The South African group, which is 50% owned by recently-listed fixed line telephone operator Telkom, was granted a 15-year licence last August to operate Mozambique’s second mobile network and agreed to start operating in the territory on April 1.
But reports emanating from the former Portuguese colony on Monday said there were no signs of preparations being made to enter the market in April as planned and that the Mozambican government was hoping that the South African company would ”Honour its word and start up operations”.
There were also charges that Vodacom had not yet paid the $15-million it was required to pay to the Mozambican government in terms of the deal.
However, approached for comment Monday, Vodacom’s Group Executive, Mthobi Tyamzashe, said: ”We are unable to comment as this issue is in the hands of the Mozambican authorities.”
Vodacom deputy CEO Andrew Mthembu was quoted by an international wire service as saying that the Mozambican government had failed to deliver on certain commitments crucial to the deal, but declined to state what they were.
He told the news agency the Mozambican authorities wanted more time to be able to deliver on the commitments, adding that Vodacom would not be able to begin operating in the neighbouring state on April 1 as planned. – I-Net Bridge