Former Vodacom Group CEO Alan Knott-Craig is “fully satisfied” that he has “done no wrong” and “acted properly at all times” during his tenure at the cellular group.
Knott-Craig was responding to allegations, published in a weekend newspaper, that he exploited Vodacom’s resources for the benefit of his family.
In a tersely worded statement issued to TechCentral on Monday, Knott-Craig said: “Various allegations have been made by former disgruntled Vodacom employees against Vodacom employees, including myself.
“After my retirement on 30 September 2008, I received a letter from the Vodacom Group chairman on 3 December 2008, which said, and I quote, ‘the shareholders felt it necessary as a matter of good governance to engage in a publicly defendable independent process to investigate the allegations … and (after considering the report) the board has decided to close the matter.’
“I am fully satisfied that I have done no wrong, and have acted properly at all times,” Knott-Craig said.
The Sunday Times reported that a range of charges had been levelled against Knott-Craig, but didn’t name the source of the allegations.
“Among the charges levelled against Knott-Craig Sr are that his son, Alan Knott-Craig Jr, was given office space and millions of rands to build and promote his buisnesses; that a company owned by his niece and nephew, and which was on the verge of bankruptcy, was awarded an exclusive multimillion-rand three-year marketing and advertising contract without a proper tender process; and that he arranged for Vodacom to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a call-centre employee to be trained as a magician,” the newspaper said.
Vodacom responded by saying that the group’s then-shareholders, Vodafone and Telkom, had commissioned an independent report from KPMG to investigate 18 allegations that had been brought to them.
“All 18 allegations were examined closely and two were deemed worthy of more detailed review,” Vodacom said. “Through this independent process, both of these cases were reviewed to the satisfaction of Vodacom’s shareholders and in neither case was it deemed necessary to take any action against any individuals.
“We would like to reiterate that Vodacom’s board acted quickly and decisively, that correct procedures were followed, and that Vodacom’s shareholders were kept fully apprised of all developments in relation to these allegations.
“Vodacom takes all corporate governance issues extremely seriously and we regularly review our policies and procedures to ensure adherence to the highest standards of business integrity, ethical values and professionalism,” the group said. — Staff reporter, TechCentral
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