schedule to reach over 1.5 billion bundles sold this year . According to Joosub , this positively reflects on customer satisfaction scores . By providing customers with greater value , South Africans seem to be voting with their feet - with Vodacom ’ s latest active subscriber numbers rising to 36.4 million .
“ It ’ s a complex balance to strike ,” says Joosub . “ On the one hand , we need to continue to invest in our infrastructure so that we meet the exploding demand for data and maintain our network and customer service advantage . On the other , there is a pressing social need in South Africa to bring down the cost to communicate for people who can least afford it .”
On the White Paper , Joosub said it is important for the government and private companies to work together to find a balanced solution . “ While it is still early days in the entire process , we have been involved in a number of constructive engagements to find a workable solution to make broadband even more accessible and affordable for South Africans . These engagements are ongoing and have the clear intent of contributing to the implementation of the White Paper ,” said Joosub .
The White Paper is also focused on driving transformation in the ICT sector . Vodacom believes that more transformation is required in the ICT sector and agrees that new players with strong BEE credentials should have access to spectrum . Additionally , the DTI ’ s new ICT sector codes have put stringent requirements on companies from a BEE and ownership perspective . Vodacom says it is committed to achieving these goals .
According to recent speculation and a Bloomberg article published in January 2017 , Vodacom is currently considering a BEE transaction that will boost black participation in the South African economy .
Without being drawn into commenting on the transaction , Joosub said : “ Vodacom is committed to delivering on the ideals of black economic empowerment and continues to explore a variety of options with the primary objective of broad-based inclusivity and employment equity . Any transaction of this nature will be conducted through a well-governed , highly-transparent process .” ■
“ Vodacom is committed to delivering on the ideals of black economic empowerment and continues to explore a variety of options with the primary objective of broad-based inclusivity and employment equity .”