Apparently worried about calls for attacks on South African business interests in the country, the management of MTN has condemned the current wave of xenophobic attacks targeted at foreigners in South Africa.
The company, in a statement issued by its Corporate Services Executive, Akinwale Goodluck, on Tuesday, said the attacks amount to an assault on “the much-celebrated, common” African humanity.
“The recent spate of xenophobic violence in Johannesburg and Durban focusing on foreigners and their businesses is unwarranted, and indeed worrisome. In Africa, we are our brother’s keeper; and at MTN, we align with the concerted efforts of the South African government in stopping the attacks and protecting the lives and properties of foreign nationals, most especially Nigerians,” he said.
According to Goodluck, MTN, as a mark of its support to the victims of the attacks, had made provisions for financial support to the transit camps, where many were presently being sheltered. He added that the money provided would be used to purchase food, medicals, bedding, clothing and other necessities.
The company had earlier reacted to calls for reprisal against known South African business interests in Nigeria, claiming such a move will be counterproductive, as it will affect Nigerians more.
The company’s spokesman said: “MTN Nigeria is a Nigerian business employing 99 per cent Nigerians. Out of our over 6,000 staff, only 12 are expatriates; the rest are Nigerians. Also, when you look at our value chain, over 500,000 Nigerians are gainfully employed indirectly by MTN. So, you see that attacking us or boycotting our services will negatively impact Nigerians, the very people we seek to serve and empower.”
He argued that MTN’s commitment to Nigeria through continuous investment is not in doubt.
“To date, we have sunk over $15bn in Nigeria through network infrastructure, and we have spent over N10bn on corporate social responsibility. We have built our business based on sustainability in the long term because we are wholly Nigerian,” he said.
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