The MTN Group will co-operate fully in the Hawks’ investigation relating to a mobile phone licence in Iran, an official said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“As we have previously noted, MTN has a zero tolerance for corrupt or unethical practices,” spokesman Xolisa Vapi said in a statement.<\/p>\n
He said MTN’s board of directors had appointed the Hoffmann Committee to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations made by Turkish operator Turkcell.<\/p>\n
Turkcell filed a US4.2 billion (about R35.5bn) civil claim in March in which it accused MTN of bribing Iranians and South Africans to get the licence, which was originally awarded to Turkcell.<\/p>\n
Hawks’ spokesman McIntosh Polela earlier confirmed that the elite police unit was looking into the claims.<\/p>\n
“There are allegations. We first did an assessment [to test] the strength of the allegations. After this we decided to do a follow-up investigation,” said Polela.<\/p>\n
Democratic Alliance MP David Maynier said in a statement on Tuesday that allegations against a high ranking former MTN executive had emerged.<\/p>\n
The executive, who was named by Maynier in his statement, allegedly engaged in “unprecedented corrupt acts” in order to win the mobile operating licence in Iran.<\/p>\n
Maynier claimed: “A payment of US400,000 (about R3.38m) was made by MTN to Iran’s former deputy foreign minister Javid Ghorbanoghli for assistance in securing the mobile operating licence.”<\/p>\n
Maynier said MTN also allegedly made a payment of US200,000 (about R1.69m) to a South African diplomat — also named by the DA MP — to assist with the delivery of a pro-Iran position at the International Atomic Energy Agency.<\/p>\n
“MTN financed a trip by Iran’s nuclear negotiation chief Hassan Rowhani to meet former President Thabo Mbeki, to discuss South Africa’s position on Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Maynier charged.<\/p>\n
Related articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n Hawks swoop in on MTN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n MTN denies intimidating former employee<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Turkcell will struggle to bring MTN case in US<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n