According to an independent report, Ralph Mupita, the group CEO of MTN, acted appropriately. The report was conducted after an unnamed source declined to cooperate with the inquiry.
The accusation
This comes after a report that claimed Mupita was favouriting an unidentified female executive, citing numerous anonymous sources within the organisation. One of the accusations against Mupita was that she attempted to give a female executive some of the responsibilities that MTN SA CEO Charles Molapisi oversees.
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It was brought up at a group board meeting in China earlier this year, with concerns regarding Mupita’s relationship with the executive being of particular concern. Additionally, it was the focus of an anonymous whistleblower complaint, which led the board to designate a separate legal firm to investigate the claims.
Executives allegedly threatened to resign in droves due to Mupita’s leadership style amid the accusations. However, the paper also featured a former MTN executive who said that most executives were too scared to speak up.
This is consistent with the whistleblower’s claim that MTN currently has a fear-based culture. A former MTN executive said internal conflicts and a toxic workplace atmosphere drove the poor performance.
They claimed that while two or three executives resisted Mupita, others were reluctant to speak up for fear of losing their positions. According to a Friday Bloomberg report, ten out of fifteen CEOs had reportedly signed a memorandum endorsing Mupita. The report mentioned sources with firsthand knowledge of the issue who requested anonymity.
Mupita informed staff members earlier this week that MTN has governance procedures for handling employee concerns, including those involving top leadership. “The group board will address the matters and is going through the necessary processes to understand them,” he said.
MTN said in a statement sent to the media on Friday that the issue had been investigated and resolved.
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The outcome of the investigation
It said, “On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, the group board convened a special meeting to discuss a report by an independent law firm, aided by counsel, tasked with verifying allegations contained in an anonymous complaint against members of the MTN executive.”
“The independent report found no evidence of improper conduct by those cited in the complaint and stated that attempts to engage with the complainant were unsuccessful.”
The board stated that it considered and approved the report’s conclusion. It stated, “The board believes the issue has been resolved and is now closed.”
“The board further declared that it fully supports the MTN strategy and the Group Chief Executive Officer.”