MTN is currently facing significant internal challenges, including disputes among its top executives and a notable departure of senior leaders from its South African division.
The Sunday Times has highlighted dissatisfaction with the direction of the company under CEO Ralph Mupita, who assumed leadership on September 1, 2020. Reports suggest that executives are considering leaving the company in protest against Mupita’s leadership style, which has been criticized for a perceived lack of accountability and allegations of favoritism.
Central to the controversy is Mupita’s close relationship with a high-ranking female executive, leading to concerns about the redistribution of authority within the company. This situation has escalated to the point where the MTN board has initiated an investigation into the allegations, contracting a law firm to delve into the matter.
Further complicating the situation, MTN South Africa is reportedly clashing with group executives over Mupita’s decisions, particularly regarding the transfer of certain business functions to the group level, a move resisted by the local operation.
Sources suggest that the issues reported by the Sunday Times are part of a broader leadership crisis within MTN, extending beyond the relationship between Mupita and the mentioned executive. MTN South Africa has seen a significant turnover in its executive ranks in recent years, contributing to an unstable working environment.
Notably, former MTN South Africa CEO Godfrey Motsa resigned in December 2021, a departure that marked the beginning of a wave of executive exits. Motsa was credited with revitalizing MTN and surpassing Vodacom as South Africa’s top mobile network. Following his departure, other high-profile executives, including Bradwin Roper, Giovanni Chiarelli, Calvin Collett, and Marco Gagiano, have also left the company.
Insiders attribute these departures to leadership issues, with many executives leaving without securing new positions, underscoring the depth of dissatisfaction within the company.
These developments suggest deep-rooted problems within MTN, affecting both its group and South African operations. Despite reaching out to MTN Group for comments on these issues, responses were deferred to the investor relations team, which had not provided feedback at the time of reporting.
