Telkom's 'propaganda minister' returns

Telkom's managing executive of retail marketing Steven Hayward has decided to withdraw his resignation from the telecommunications giant, following consultations with the group's senior management.

Last month, the 12-year veteran of Telkom submitted his resignation. The group did not announce Hayward's decision to leave, sparking speculation that it may be trying to stem concerns over the exit of senior people.

Yesterday, the company said Hayward had retracted his resignation and would assume the interim position of managing executive: CEO support, "where he will be responsible for assisting the office of Telkom's CEO with the implementation of various strategic initiatives".

Speaking from a game farm in Mpumalanga, Hayward says he had not sought other employment following his resignation, opting instead to take some vacation time to "clear his mind".

"I didn't have another job lined up; I just wasn't sure where the company was going and what my place would be. I'm a strategic animal and I couldn't see the progress that was being made. I felt I needed to do something different," he explains.

Noting he had not actually departed from Telkom as he was still serving out his notice period, Hayward says several consultations with senior management gave him greater insight into the opportunities at Telkom.

"I had several consultations with people I deeply respect in the company, like acting CEO Reuben September and acting COO Motlatsi Nzeku. They asked me to think about my decision very seriously and shared the company's vision with me. It made me realise that I'm very valued by management and there are a lot of exciting things that need to be addressed in our future," he says.

Hayward also quashed rumours surrounding his exit: "My decision to leave was not about financial returns or fallouts with the management team. I have great respect for our management team and have not experienced difficulties in this regard. Also, it should be noted that my return to the company does not come with a money difference."

While investors welcomed news of Hayward's return, MyADSL founder Rudolph Muller says the response from the broadband community has been "overwhelmingly negative".

"Hayward received the nickname 'Telkom minister of propaganda' after he made a few dubious statements which did not go down well with the broadband community. When word of his resignation came out, some people on our forum thought he may have decided to leave because he was tired of making supportive statements which he didn't believe in. Now that he is back, the sympathy is gone," explains Muller.

In response, Hayward says the telecoms company was in a sad state when he joined.

"I'll be the first to admit that three or four years ago our prices were far too high. I didn't realise I'd picked up that nickname, but then again I'm not a communications person, I'm a strategist. However, I do believe that I managed to effect some tangible changes in my role. We're not perfect, but give us recognition for what we have managed to do. That wasn't propaganda, it was just my effort to focus on the positive changes that were being made," he says.

While Hayward is unable to reveal what he will work on when he returns from his vacation, he notes Telkom has a lot of work to do on its mobility, Internet service provider and IT strategies.

"These are hot buttons and I'll probably be working on these with September," he comments.

In a media statement, September said he had no doubt that Hayward would play a "pivotal role in the future of Telkom".