Responses to mobile termination rate (MTR) changes proposed by the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) influenced the standing of SA's top mobile operators in this year's list measuring the reputations of the largest JSE-listed companies.
This is according to the Reputation Institute, which compiles the National RepTrak Pulse survey that ranks companies based on scores out of 100.
Vodacom slipped from top spot last year to sixth in the latest list with 64.83 points. MTN's score of 65.13 placed it fifth on this year's list - a position unchanged from 2013.
Trevor Ndlazi, Reputation Institute's country manager for SA, says the drop in Vodacom's reputation - from a "strong" score of 74.17 in 2013 to a "moderate" rating of 64.83 in 2014 - is significant and "is largely attributable to its dispute with ICASA over mobile termination rates".
The regulator recently proposed cheaper inter-connect rates between operators, which prompted MTN to launch a court bid opposing the process - a move later backed by Vodacom.
Telkom did not feature in last year's list, but placed 13th this year with 59.66 points.
Ndlazi notes the biggest driver of reputation locally in 2014 is products and services at 15.2%, with citizenship only slightly behind at 15%.
Methodology
According to the Reputation Institute, the survey is conducted annually in January and February among 1 462 unique respondents, from whom 3 860 rates were obtained. Respondents' distribution was balanced to the country population on age and gender, according to the institute.
To be included in the survey, companies had to be among the Financial Mail's 2013 top companies listed on the JSE based on total revenues, and they needed to be "somewhat familiar to the economicaly active segment of the general public", according to the Reputation Institute.
This year's full list is as follows:
1. Woolworths (74.31)
2. Standard Bank (68.77)
3. Spar (66.90)
4. Pick n Pay (66.90)
5. MTN (65.13)
6. Vodacom (64.83)
7. Sasol (62.70)
8. Absa (61.83)
9. Shoprite (61.63)
10. Old Mutual (61.40)
11. Nedbank (61.24)
12. Sanlam (59.91)
13. Telkom (59.66)
14. SABMiller (58.72)
15. Liberty Holdings (50.80)
16. Anglo American Platinum (45.62)
17. Sappi (44.70)
18. Anglo American (42.79)
19. AngloGold Ashanti (41.29)
20. Goldfields (37.98)
21. ArcelorMittal (35.36)
22. BHP Billiton (28.87)
23. Kumba Iron Ore (27.80)
24. Aveng (26.40)
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