Paul

Paul Norman, Group Chief Human Resources Officer

Y’ello leaders,

As the GLG conference kicks off, I would like to take a moment to welcome you to the birthplace of MTN – South Africa (also known as Mzansi).

In 1994, at the dawn of democracy, MTN was born.

Ours was to be a story of excellence, creativity and diligence that saw our beloved Y’ello brand soaring to unimaginable heights.

Today, in 2023, it is my immense pleasure to share some of our outstanding milestones. In taking a snapshot of what we have achieved, it is as Winston Churchill said, we do this not to only dwell on past glories, but rather understanding that success is walking from failure to failure. Throughout our journey, we’ve placed emphasis on doing with intention, to uplift not only ourselves but our communities, and our milestones are reflective of exactly that.

Did you know that in 1995 MTN offered free calls to emergency services for the first time in South Africa? Our efforts to innovate didn’t stop there as in 1998, MTN International was established. We also offered South Africa’s first two-way PC-to-cellphone messaging app as a free and international service.

It would take four years for us to bring General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) to the country, making us the first operator to do so. Then in 2003, MTN took its technological progression to the next level by making South Africa’s first video call, using its new 3G-enabled network.

More than 20 years later and more milestones have been achieved with 5G, as MTN meets its vision of connecting people in all corners of the country. We remain invested in technology and maintain high standards for our infrastructure.

Charles Molapisi, MTN SA CEO