MTN exec suspended over alleged Pule link

Johannesburg - The chief corporate services officer of MTN Group [JSE:MTN] has been suspended allegedly over his role in the diversion of sponsorship funds for the ICT indaba, Business Day reported on Monday.

The newspaper reported that Robert Madzonga was also threatening to take take legal action against former MTN SA managing director Karel Pienaar, human resource director Themba Nyathi and general manager of business risk management Lily Zondo.

Zondo allegedly accused Madzonga of receiving some of the money paid to former communications minister Dina Pule's boyfriend Phosa Mngqibisa, as a management fee for the indaba last year.

Pule faced parliament's joint ethics committee recently following allegations that funds for the event had disappeared, the paper reported.

Madzonga reportedly considers the accusation defamatory.

He also lodged a grievance over the allegation.

MTN confirmed the suspension but gave no details, saying it was "not in a position to divulge the nature of these internal matters".