On Thursday, Vodacom Group announced the appointment of Jabu Moleketi (60) as Non-Executive Chairman and Saki Macozoma (60) as a lead Independent Director with effect from 19 July 2017. Jabu Moleketi will succeed Peter Moyo (54), who will have served as Chairman for eight years when he retires and steps down from the Vodacom Board on 18 July 2017. At the same time, Saki Macozoma will fill the role effectively vacated by Jabu Moleketi.

Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group Chief Executive, says: “I would like to thank Peter for his leadership and dedicated service to the Vodacom Group over the last eight years. I wish him much success in his future endeavours. The appointment of Jabu and Saki is the outcome of an intensive search process coordinated by an external search firm and the Nomination Committee. I look forward to working with Jabu in his new role and welcome Saki to the Vodacom fold. Jabu has deep knowledge of the company and the industry whilst Saki brings with him in-depth financial services experience and corporate governance expertise.”

Jabu Moleketi joined the Vodacom Board in November 2009. Outside of his Vodacom tenure, he has extensive financial services and corporate finance expertise as a director on company boards with interests across multiple industries in the private sector including Remgro, MMI Holdings and Brait. Jabu Moleketi also served as South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Finance between 2004 and 2008. He will assume the role of Chairman of Vodacom’s Nomination Committee while stepping down from the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee.

Saki Macozoma is a prominent businessman in South Africa and is currently the Chairman of Safika Holdings, Tshipi e Ntle and Ntsimbintle Mining in addition to holding a directorship in Volkswagen South Africa. Saki Macozoma was formerly Chairman of Liberty Holdings, Chairman of Standard Bank and President of Business Leadership South Africa. In 2012 he was recognised for his work in civil society where the University of South Africa (Unisa) bestowed on him one of its highest honours – the Calabash Award – for his fight against oppression during the apartheid regime. He will be appointed to Vodacom’s Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee.

Incoming Vodacom Chairman, Jabu Moleketi, says: “I look forward to taking up the position as Chairman of the Vodacom Group at such an exciting time in the company’s journey. The business is poised to conclude its biggest acquisition in its history, the R35 billion Safaricom transaction, which will make Vodacom a serious financial services player on the continent. It is therefore fitting that Saki Macozoma joins our Board at this time, given the pivotal roles that he played at Liberty Holdings and its parent company Standard Bank. I am confident that we have the right strategy and leadership team in place to deliver on our vision of becoming a leading digital company, empowering a connected society.”