The Black Business Council (BBC) has lambasted Telkom South Africa over BCX CEO Isaac Mophatlane's departure from the company, announced this week, and is concerned over what it describes as the ongoing "exodus of black professionals" from the telco.
Despite internal communication by Mophatlane confirming his decision to leave BCX, BBC Chairman Sello Rasethaba says his organisation is "suspicious" of the development and cannot reconcile what Telkom SA had said when Mophatlane was appointed as BCX CEO in June 2016 and what has happened this week, almost a year later.
A quote from a statement issued by the BBC reads: "According to a statement from Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko, Mophatlane resigned. But the BBC believes he was forced out."
"It's very strange...suddenly a year later you are talking about a situation where you are giving this guy an exit. We are trying to reconcile the words that were said upon the appointment and the words that were said upon his departure. We smell a rat," said Rasethaba.
The organisation has also questioned the telco's succession planning, particularly "when a person of Mophatlane's calibre leaves", and in its statement also believes the decision to replace Mophatlane with current Group Chief Transition Officer Ian Russell "is a demonstration that they do not care about Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)."
"There seems to be a tendency in Telkom that there are less and less black professionals...Ian Russell is the head of procurement and not necessarily an IT man," said Rasethaba, adding that the organisation feels Russell does not care about transformation.
"The Information Communication Technology market has produced capable black men and women who can equally do the job with excellence. Isaac could have been replaced by a black professional from the company. But Mabuza and Maseko preferred to replace Mophatlane with a white man."
Telkom SA has not yet formally responded to the comments.
However, in a statement released by Telkom SA confirming Mophatlane decision to leave, the company said he will be consulting to the Group CEO Sipho Maseko in the coming three months "to ensure a seamless transition".
Maseko is quoted as saying, "Together, we have created an African powerhouse of digital solutions, all founded on Ban and Isaac's vision, all those years ago. We wish Isaac and his family all the very best with their future endeavours."
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