SA’s biggest mobile phone operator, Vodacom, fired over 630 staff members and contractors, while 15 were arrested for alleged fraud and other irregularities over its past financial year.
The telecoms giant said in its annual report released last week; that from April 2023 to March 2024, its corporate security divisions probed 8 652 cases, of which 6 872 were external and 1 780 internal.
“The end result ensured the arrest of 15 suspects and the dismissal of 631 staff and contractors.”
“These cases were reported and identified through various channels, including direct reports received from customers, service providers, online reports, referrals from business, the fraud management system and external whistleblowing,” Vodacom said.
The group said that its audit, risk and compliance committee “held a number of deep dive sessions on compliance-related matters” over the period.
These sessions focused on the “Doing What’s Right” online ethics programme for employees, contractors and suppliers, as well as the “Speak Up” are to allow concerns about possible irregularities in financial reporting or other issues to be raised.