* Had planned sale of the 51 stake in DRC
* Is in disputes with local shareholder, consultant
* Has invested in a 3G licence in Congo
By Helen Nyambura-Mwaura
JOHANNESBURG, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Vodacom no longer
plans to exit the Democratic Republic of Congo and wants to
resolve a longstanding dispute with its local partner to tap a
fast-growing market, the new chief executive of the South
African mobile operator said on Friday.
The South African unit of Vodafone previously said
it was looking to exit the business in sub-Saharan Africa’s
third-most populous country, where it has been locked in a row
with Congolese Wireless Network (CWN) over fees.
“We are working with the local partner to resolve the
issues. We are confident the issues are resolvable,” Shameel
Joosub said at a briefing.
Joosub, 41, was speaking to reporters for the first time
since taking over as the company’s chief executive at the start
of this month.
“Certainly for a group like Vodacom, it’s preferable to
remain in the DRC because it is a market that offers excellent
growth potential,” said David Lerche, a telecoms analyst at
Avior Research in Johannesburg.
Continued…
