The decision of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) to rescind its ruling on Telkom South Africa’s sale of its Vodacom shares to Vodafone was welcomed by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Friday.
”The Congress of South African Trade Unions congratulates the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa for rescinding its previous decision to allow Telkom’s sale of a R2,5-billion stake in Vodacom to the British company Vodafone to go ahead,” the trade union federation said in a statement.
”This is a great victory for the people of South Africa,” Cosatu added.
In early May 2009, Cosatu filed court papers asking for Icasa to set aside its decision.
”Icasa has very wisely decided, following Cosatu’s application to the court asking for their previous decision to be set aside,” the federation added.
Cosatu said it was still consulting with its lawyers on possible court action to interdict the deal but hoped that in the light of the Icasa decision, the whole issue would be ”reconsidered”.
It added that it wanted Vodacom to remain in South African hands and it wanted workers’ jobs to be safeguarded.
Earlier on Friday Icasa issued a statement saying that Telkom South Africa needed its approval to dispose of its Vodacom shares. — Sapa