Cabinet endorses Telkom chairman

By Damaria Senne for Telkom

Johannesburg, 09 Nov 2007

Parliament has endorsed the appointment of Shirley Lue Arnold as the chairman of incumbent fixed-line operator Telkom.

Arnold was appointed in October last year, following the early departure of Nomazizi Mtshotshisa.

Mtshotshisa`s term was due to expire in 2008.

Joe Makhafola, spokesman for communication minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, says Cabinet`s endorsement of Arnold`s appointment was a normal part of government processes.

"Telkom`s memorandum of association gives government, as a class A shareholder, the right to appoint the chairperson," he says.

The right is delegated to the communications minister who made the appointment, with Cabinet approving it afterwards.

Arnold is an experienced executive, having served as a non-executive director and chairperson of the empowerment committee of Peermont Global since July 2004, and non-executive director of NAI Finlay since 2003.

She is also a member of the Chairpersons Forum of the Gordon Institute of Business, a member of the Independent Directors Initiative and the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa.

Sentech renewal

Parliament also renewed the employment contract of Sentech CEO Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane for a period of two years and six months. The renewal goes into effect from 1 April next year.

Mokone-Matabane was appointed as Sentech CEO in March 2001.

She joined Sentech as executive consultant in 1997. She was later promoted to group executive of corporate relations and development, followed by a stint as acting MD of Sentech before taking on the state entity`s leadership.