Molotsane moved on

ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa), 9 April 2007

Telkom announced last Thursday that it’s CEO, Papi Molotsane, has left office. While it’s unclear whether he was fired or not, his departure couldn’t have come sooner, since he was for at least 18 months a thorn in the flesh of many South Africans.
 
The SENS report said: “Telkom wishes to announce that Mr. LRR (Papi) Molotsane, the Chief Executive Officer, has left it’s employ with effect from 5 April 2007” (Telkom CEO leaves, MyADSL, 5 April 2007).
 
In other words, it was the best news coming from Telkom in quite a while.
 
Was Molotsane fired?
 
While ADSL South Africa can’t prove this, although we tend to agree with Duncan McLeod of the FMTech Blog that the Telkom board in fact fired Molotsane.
 
McLeod wrote: “Molotsane’s departure follows just weeks after the resignation of two of his lieutenants, chief sales and marketing officer Wally Beelders (who is joining Vodacom) and chief technical officer Thami Msimango” (Telkom CEO leaves, MyADSL, 5 April 2007). Also, “It is understood that tensions between top management at the company have been rising in recent months. Relations between September and Molotsane have apparently been rocky, to the extent that the two men have barely been on speaking terms” (Telkom CEO leaves, MyADSL, 5 April 2007).
 
In other words, chances are good that Molotsane was indeed fired because he clearly overstayed his welcome.
 
Who’s going to replace him?
 
ADSL South Africa doesn’t know who’s going to replacement him but hope it’s going to be someone decent, because it’s about time a real leader takes the reigns at Telkom.
 
‘Mr. RJ (Reuben) September has been appointed as the Acting Chief Executive Officer and Mr MJ (Motlatsi) Nzeku has been appointed as Acting Chief Operating Officer until further notice’ (Telkom CEO leaves, MyADSL, 5 April 2007).
 
In other words, while Telkom is in the process of finding a suitable replacement, Mr. September and Mr. Nzeku, will step in and help out in the mean time. 
 
ADSL South Africa (Broadband South Africa) is happy Molotsane is no longer calling the shots at Telkom.