GUGU LOURIE: Picking Zimbabwean Sitho Mdlalose as Vodacom SA boss raises eyebrows 🔒
The Zimbabwean diaspora seems to be discovering many vertical opportunities in corporate SA, notably in financial services, mining, and lately the telecoms sector. There is nothing wrong with it, but it raises eyebrows given the transformation agenda.
Under pressure from the government to demonstrate a visible, tangible executive leadership transformation, some corporates are resorting to pushing SA-born black executives on the back burner. On Tuesday, Vodacom, owned by British mobile phone giant Vodafone, disclosed that Sitho Mdlalose, an executive born and educated in Zimbabwe, had been appointed as CEO of its key SA operation. He replaces the incumbent, Indian national Balesh Sharma, on July 1.
Later on Tuesday, I discussed this with some black professionals. Despite the rising anti-African migrant sentiment in SA, we agreed that the likes of Mdlalose, Mupita and other black executives from the diaspora are highly experienced and educated. “Yes, experienced and educated just like black South Africans,” I said cheekily.
Two years ago, Vodacom recreated a standalone SA operating company. The company decided to move key SA black leaders to the local operation, where they reported to Sharma.
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