Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      ‘System offline’ scourge to end, says Schreiber – but industry must pay

      23 June 2025

      Why the spectrum gold rush may soon be over

      23 June 2025

      Tech stability key to getting South Africa off damaging financial grey list

      23 June 2025

      Naspers shifts to an AI-first strategy – and it’s paying off

      23 June 2025

      Letter: South Africa risks missing AI wave while world surges ahead

      23 June 2025
    • World

      Watch | Starship rocket explodes in setback to Musk’s Mars mission

      19 June 2025

      Trump Mobile dials into politics, profit and patriarchy

      17 June 2025

      Samsung plots health data hub to link users and doctors in real time

      17 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025

      China is behind in AI chips – but for how much longer?

      13 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E3: Behind Takealot’s revenue surge

      23 June 2025

      TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again

      23 June 2025

      TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis

      18 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025
    • Opinion

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Ex-MTN CEO Sifiso Dabengwa joins Gijima

    Ex-MTN CEO Sifiso Dabengwa joins Gijima

    By Duncan McLeod26 May 2016
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Sifiso Dabengwa
    Sifiso Dabengwa

    Former MTN Group CEO Sifiso Dabengwa and two other well-known ICT industry executives, Alan Farthing and Clive Butkow, have joined the board of the recently delisted technology group Gijima.

    In an exclusive interview with TechCentral, Gijima CEO Eileen Wilton revealed that the three men had joined the board as nonexecutive directors in order to bulk up the group’s expertise and to help it introduce “relevant new offerings to the market”.

    Dabengwa left MTN in November last year after 17 years of service to the telecommunications group.

    He left before his contract ended after the imposition of a US$5,2bn fine by regulators in Nigeria after its subsidiary there failed to cut off more than 5m unregistered Sim cards. The fine was later reduced to $3,9bn.

    MTN has been criticised by some of its shareholders for paying Dabengwa a R23,7m golden handshake.

    In the group’s 2015 annual report, published in April, MTN revealed that it had paid Dabengwa R40,6m in the 12-month period to 31 December 2015.

    This was made up of R23,7m for “compensation for loss of office”, along with a salary of R8,4m, post-employment benefits of R1,1m, other benefits of R2,9m and share gains of R4,5m.

    Speaking at MTN’s 21st annual general meeting of shareholders on Wednesday, MTN interim executive chairman Phuthuma Nhleko defended the package, saying that what it paid Dabengwa was in line with corporate governance requirements.

    MTN nonexecutive director and chairman of the group’s remuneration committee, Alan Harper, also defended Dabengwa’s payout, saying he had access to a significant volume of confidential information on the group.

    “Investors would have criticised the company severely if he had not been restrained and two months later had appeared at one of our competitors,” Harper said, adding that the restraint payment served to protect shareholders’ best interests.

    Eileen Wilton
    Eileen Wilton

    Wilton on Thursday declined to say what responsibilities Dabengwa, Farthing and Butkow will have on the Gijima board as these will only be communicated to other board members next week.

    Farthing is a former financial director of Business Connexion. After he stepped down in 2007, he provided financial management services, consulting and turnaround assistance to various South African companies. He also owns and manages a corporate travel company.

    Butkow, meanwhile, is a former chief operating officer of Accenture who has 28 years of management consulting experience.

    The three men join several other nonexecutive directors on Gijima’s board. They are Ashwin Trikamjee, Sindi Zilwa, Jac van der Walt, Malcom Macdonald and Mark Bussin.

    Executive directors are Wilton, Gijima executive chairman and controlling shareholder Robert Gumede, chief financial officer Ernst Röth and chief operating officer Maphum Nxumalo.  — © 2016 NewsCentral Media



    Accenture Alan Farthing Alan Harper Business Connexion Clive Butkow Eileen Wilton Gijima MTN Phuthuma Nhleko Robert Gumede
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleMTN gets into television broadcasting
    Next Article The world hates Donald Trump: new poll

    Related Posts

    Listed: All the MVNOs in South Africa – 2025 edition

    19 June 2025

    MTN CEO edges Vodacom rival in pay stakes – but just barely

    18 June 2025

    TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

    16 June 2025
    Company News

    IoT connectivity management in South Africa – expert insights

    23 June 2025

    Let’s reimagine Joburg using the power of tech, data and AI

    23 June 2025

    Netstar doubles down on global markets while backing SA growth

    23 June 2025
    Opinion

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    AI and the future of ICT distribution

    16 June 2025

    Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

    13 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.