by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – MTN has reaffirmed a pledge to partner the South African government to enable growth and opportunities for citizens.
It is the official mobile and connectivity partner to the government.
The commitment pledged by Charles Molapisi, Chief Executive Officer of MTN South Africa, comes days after President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address, which underscored the government’s commitment to driving inclusive growth, creating jobs and building a capable developmental state.
“These are ideals that resonate with us at MTN South Africa, where we are committed to sustainable development and transformational growth to achieve a prosperous South Africa,” Molapisi said.
“MTN’s story mirrors that of our country. From the dawn of our democracy in 1994, we have been driven to bridge divides, connect people and enable progress,” the executive added.
He noted when MTN began, only 1 percent of black South Africans had access to phones but today, the MTN Group connects 288 million people across 17 countries.
In 2024, MTN’s Digital Skills for Digital Jobs’ programme invested R14 million providing IT skills training to 900 unemployed youth in South Africa.
Through its Connecting Every Child initiative, MTN is donating 30 000 devices to underprivileged learners.
Through the digital education programmes, MTN has reached hundreds of thousands of learners, trained countless teachers and established over 500 multimedia facilities.
Molapisi said as MTN celebrated the past 30 years of innovation and impact, it looked ahead with optimism towards a South Africa where technology is at the core and where opportunities are accessible.
“United in purpose, let us continue to transform South Africa into a nation where possibilities become reality,” Molapisi said.
– CAJ News