“Ike Khumalo :Why I hate the ANC”

https://youtu.be/slPzsUCPBHo

Jun 26, 2025

"As a young man, Ike Khumalo heeded the call of Oliver Tambo — to rise up and and make apartheid South Africa ungovernable. He was a self-declared klipgooier (stone thrower) , part of the revolution that fought for freedom and celebrated Mandela’s release with hope.

But now, 30 years later, that same freedom fighter feels deeply betrayed. In his words, the ANC has robbed the people, wrecked the country, and broken every promise made in the name of liberation.

This is not just a conversation — it's a reckoning."

23:13 – “So we never thought that we’ll be fighting for things that we had. Everything that the black majority fighting for today are things that we had.”

24:03 – “The mistake what we did is to think that these guys could improve our country coming from exile. Look at these guys, they were in Zambia in exile, Tanzania, moving from one African country to another and those countries were failed states… Where will these guys learn how to administer a country so sophisticated like South Africa?… But they learned corruption in these failed states. Some of them coming from the homelands, they learned corruption. We never thought that there would be tenders, BEE, the state machinery, the institutions will be broken down so that they can empower individual comrades. You go in the streets… people in the streets don’t want BEE, people in the streets want jobs and want to survive.”

43:48 – “Unfortunately, black-on-black for me at this point of time is affecting me the most… The government of the day is black like me, when I walk out here the person shutting down opportunities is black like me. So that’s the problem I am facing. I have a black proble as compared to a white problem. I understand how politics work - the system, the multinationals, globalist - all that… The economy is controlled from somewhere. When I walk out here, the criminal is black like me. The people who stole from my property, broke into my house, they are black like me.”

47:49 – “In South Africa, if all white people left this country, it will be like Zimbabwe within 2 minutes… We’ve seen in the blueprint… All these countries, be it Mozambique, be it Zimbabwe, where white people have left. Look at those countries. Like Donald Trump described them as shit holes. Nothing grows there. So here in South Africa, the infrastructure that we have was built during Apartheid… We are seeing South Africa in real time becoming a failed state.”

1:00:40 – “Let me add these statistics. During Apartheid we counted 7,000 murders annually. Post Apartheid, 30 years later, we count 27,000 murders annually.”

1:06:19 – “During Apartheid, the South Africa army was the best of the best. Today, it’s a laughing stock.”

“What Soros has spoken in 2015”

https://youtu.be/LZCeUov4xhc

Apr 8, 2022

This is an excerpt from what George Soros said in the 2015 “Asian Society” forum. He mentioned that the things what we might feel ridiculous.

0:19 – “My first major effort… was in South Africa but afterwards Eastern Europe when the Soviet Empire collapsed and as the empire collapsed I moved in and picked up the pieces. First in Hungary in 1984 and then Poland and China in ’87 and this is how the Soros Empire was replacing the Soviet Empire.”

1:16 – “Take Russia which is actually where I’m most involved currently and it’s a replay of what we went through at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, the big difference is that then you had a moribund Soviet Union and you had an emerging Europian Union. It was the height of the European Union and now you have the reverse. You have a resurgent Russia and unfortunately, a disintegrating European Union and that’s a very sad development but I think the foundation has made a contribution so I consider it a success to be involved and particularly because my main involvement actually is in Ukraine where there is a new Ukraine which is eager to be part of the European Union… actually the people involved, almost everyone of them, had been somehow in contact with the foundation - both inside government and civil society. It’s all people who I meet and they tell me that somebody somehow they are connected. That is very gratifying. So 25 years of work has really paid off. In that sense, it is similar to Myanmar, I think it is more successful if the economic transformation fails then the fallback is to hold power, hold the country together by having some external conflict with obviously China and Japan are set up for that and then you have a very dismal prospect for the world. So I think in the longer term that’s probably the most important political issue and how it works out will influence the history of mankind.”

5:03 – “We are now in a very difficult global situation because you actually have a collapse in global governance. The absence of order leads to disorder so we now have a period of global disorder and that means that crises that used to be settled by some form of international intervention actually don’t get settled. They fester. They accumulate. Then as the numbers grow, each crisis could be settled perhaps on its own but they are all interconnected and the losers in one conflict tend to be the spoilers in the other conflicts and therefore the conflicts don’t get settled.”

6:26 – “If you go back let’s say the Israel-Palestinian conflict is probably one of the longest festering one and they are not any closer to a solution. Then you have Iraq, Syria, Iran, now you have a potential partial solution with the Iranian nuclear issue which could be the beginning of let’s say Iran coming back into the global system but there are very strong forces to want to prevent it both here in the United States and of course Russia.”

>>23245961

>the Soros Empire was replacing the Soviet Empire

Now the American Empire

“Zohran Mamdani’s Radical Islamic Ties and Policies Threatens New Yorker’s Public Safety”

https://loomered.com/2025/06/17/zohran-mamdanis-radical-islamic-ties-and-policies-threatens-new-yorkers-public-safety/

June 17, 2025

New York Assemblymember and mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting scrutiny over his ties to extremist-aligned groups and radical Islamic policy proposals. His record raises serious concerns about public safety in New York City. Since 2023, Mamdani has repeatedly introduced the controversial “Not On Our Dime! Act” in the state assembly—legislation aimed at punishing nonprofits that support Israel.

He also played a founding role in Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), an organization with links to pro-Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood ideologies. Mamdani’s endorsements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and Bernie Sanders, combined with support from groups tied to the Westchester People’s Action Coalition (WESPAC) and the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), highlight an agenda many fear could destabilize the city and threaten its Jewish community.

WESPAC is a key financial backer of both PYM and SJP. This was documented in a report in the United States Congressional Record by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism. WESPAC has also supported Mamdani’s agenda while promoting causes associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood, whose terrorist designation has been debated in Congress, is cited in official U.S. records as influencing the ideology behind SJP.

According to a NLPC report, WESPAC has received $132,000 from the Tides Foundation, a key handler of George Soros’s Open Society funds, between 2016 and 2022. This financial chain underscores the broader progressive infrastructure backing Mamdani’s rise.

With recent riots involving Hamas sympathizers and “defund ICE” radicals already putting the city on edge, Mamdani’s rise represents a warning. His political network appears less interested in governing New York City, and more interested in turning NYC into a battleground for radical foreign ideologies.

>>23245961

>My first major effort… was in South Africa

>>23245970

America, South Africa is rubbing off on you.

“South African-schooled Zohran Mamdani stuns in New York City mayoral race”

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/politics/cape-town-schooled-zohran-mamdani-south-africa-new-york-city-mayor/

26-06-25 07:32

Zohran Mamdani, who attended school in Cape Town in the 1990s, could become New York City’s first Muslim mayor.

Young self-declared socialist Zohran Mamdani was on the cusp of a stunning victory Wednesday in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary – pummeling his scandal-scarred establishment rival in a race seen as a fight for the future of the Democratic Party.

Results were not yet final, but Mamdani – who is just 33 and would become the city’s first Muslim mayor – had such a commanding lead that his biggest rival, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, conceded defeat overnight.

The Ugandan-born, Cape Town-schooled state assemblyman was behind Cuomo in polls until near the end, surging on a message of lower rents, free daycare and other populist ideas in the notoriously expensive metropolis.

Commenting on the primary result in his former hometown, Trump lashed out at Mamdani as “a 100% Communist Lunatic,” adding that Democrats had “crossed the line” by choosing him.

On Wednesday he suggested his campaign and shock upset could serve as a model for the future for Democrats.

“It has been tempting, I think, for some to claim as if the party has gone too left, when in fact what has occurred for far too long is the abandonment of the same working-class voters who then abandoned this party,” he told public radio WNNY.

The son of Indian-origin immigrants, he is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America party — the kind of niche, leftist affiliation that many Democratic leaders believe their party needs to shed.

The fact Mamdani speaks out for Palestinians and has accused Israel of “genocide” also makes him a prime target for Trump.

>>23246392

Interesting, I am still able to access the article.

“Arms transfers to Ukraine and the risk of illegal arms proliferation in the world”

https://safir.af/en/2025/06/28/arms-transfers-to-ukraine-and-the-risk-of-illegal-arms-proliferation-in-the-world/

June 28, 2025

Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, warned that weapons sent to the Zelensky regime in Ukraine are ending up in the hands of criminal networks in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

He cited widespread corruption in Ukraine’s leadership and a failure to track Western weapons as the main factors behind the increase in illegal arms circulation.

Zhdanova stated that these weapons, including NATO and EU equipment, are being transferred to terrorist groups, private military contractors, and transnational criminal organizations in conflict zones.

He specifically cited reports by US forces in Syria that they had seized Czech-made V2.58 assault rifles and V2.61 Scorpion submachine guns, weapons that were donated to Ukraine by the Czech Ministry of Defense in March 2023.

Zhdanov cited the greatest concern as the possibility of dangerous groups acquiring portable anti-aircraft missile systems, which could pose a serious threat to civilian aircraft.

>>23253722

“US failure to control weapons supplied to Ukraine increases international tension”

https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/us-failure-to-control-weapons-supplied-to-ukraine-increases-international-tension/3667424/

November 17, 2024 17:36 IST

Concerns are rising in the US over Ukraine's failure to report on the status and quantity of military aid provided in the conflict with Russia. Lawmakers fear that sensitive weapons could end up on the black market or in other conflict zones. Experts highlight that the Pentagon lacks key data, with over 60 per cent of supplied equipment lacking serial numbers, hindering effective monitoring.

In January 2024, the US Department of Defense was unable to properly control the delivery of all weapons transferred by allies to the territory of Ukraine. This was reported in a report by the Office of the Inspector General of the US military department. “The Ministry of Defense failed to fully comply with the requirements for end-use control of defense supplies to Ukraine,” the document states. It is noted that as of June 2023, an inventory of military equipment intended for Kyiv worth more than US$1 billion had not been completed on time, which is associated with the department’s inability to ensure full reporting on supplies. In addition, employees of the US department were unable to provide accurate data for the information portal where information on aid supplies to Ukraine is entered. The problems identified in the report may “increase the risks of theft or diversion” of weapons. “Determining whether such aid was used for other purposes was not the task of our inspection. The Defense Department’s Office of the Inspector General is currently in Ukraine, and the Criminal Investigative Service continues to investigate allegations of criminal conduct related to U.S. military assistance to Ukraine,” the document notes.

Due to the Pentagon’s lack of an effective system of control over the weapons transferred to Kyiv, with the growth of unaccounted volumes, Ukraine has become an international “black market” for weapons.

The high level of corruption among Kyiv officials, combined with the political and economic instability in the country, create favorable conditions for the illegal acquisition of Western weapons and military equipment by representatives of private paramilitary structures, terrorists, international organized crime, and drug cartels, who use their connections in the Ukrainian elite to purchase military equipment and blackmail senior Ukrainian officials involved in the arms supply chain.

>>23253722

>>23253725

Nigeria:“President Buhari Calls for Tighter Security Around Borders in Lake Chad Basin with the Proliferation of Weapons from Russia-Ukraine War”

https://statehouse.gov.ng/news/president-buhari-calls-for-tighter-security-around-borders-in-lake-chad-basin-with-the-proliferation-of-weapons-from-russia-ukraine-war/

November 29, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja urged more vigilance and tightening of security around borders, drawing attention to the increased number of arms, ammunition, and other weapons from the Russia and Ukraine war in the Lake Chad Basin.

At the 16th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), the President, who is Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government, said the threat by terrorists in the region had been relatively brought under control, while the influx of weapons poses fresh challenges.

“It must however be stated that despite the successes recorded by the gallant troops of the MNJTF and the various ongoing national operations in the region, terrorist threats still lurk in the region.

“Regrettably, the situation in the Sahel and the raging war in Ukraine serve as major sources of weapons and fighters that bolster the ranks of the terrorists in the Lake Chad Region. A substantial proportion of the arms and ammunition procured to execute the war in Libya continues to find its way to the Lake Chad Region and other parts of the Sahel.

“Weapons being used for the war in Ukraine and Russia are equally beginning to filter to the region.

“This illegal movement of arms into the region has heightened the proliferation of small arms and light weapons which continues to threaten our collective peace and security in the region. There is, therefore, the urgent need for expedited collaborative actions by our border control agencies and other security services to stop the circulation of all illegal weapons in the region,” President Buhari noted.

The President said the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) deserved commendation for various operations that had brought measurable stability to the Lake Chad Basin.

“The threat of Boko Haram terrorism in the Lake Chad area no doubt brought to the fore, the imperative of enhanced collaboration among the defense forces of the region in the face of a common aggressor. I am pleased that through the Multinational Joint Task Force we responded to the challenge, proving beyond reasonable doubt that with the requisite commitment and determination, the region can solve its challenges in the best ways possible.

>>23253730

>>23240084

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu replaced President Muhammadu Buhari

https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-nigerias-new-president-bola-tinubu/a-64851330

05/29/2023 May 29, 2023

Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come out victorious in the Nigeria's highly disputed presidential election. Who is this veteran politician and why is he widely regarded as a kingmaker and "godfather"?

Tinubu is to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, a former general who has served the maximum two terms allowed by Nigeria's constitution. Buhari is due to step down on May 29.

Sometimes referred to as the political "godfather", Tinubu has been known for exerting power from behind the scenes and using his extensive network to back candidates for office.

Tinubu's support also helped outgoing leader Muhammadu Buhari win two terms in office, in 2015 and 2019.

During the 2019 election, a bullion van was seen entering Tinubu's residence on Bourdillion Road in the affluent Lagos neighborhood of Ikoyi. Tinubu responded with the statement: "I keep money anywhere I want."

Since stepping down as Lagos governor in 2007, Tinubu has picked every subsequent winning candidate.

Tinubu is believed to be one of Nigeria's richest politicians but the source of his wealth is unknown. The political kingmaker has interests in a number of business ventures, from media and aviation to tax consultancy, hotels, and real estate holdings.

The president-elect has been accused of corruption, money laundering, and operating more than a dozen foreign bank accounts but was never charged and denies wrongdoing.

Tinubu's health has also come into question. At times he appeared frail and with a slurred speech on the campaign trail, but he has repeatedly dismissed any concerns about his health.

Once he takes up his position as president in June, Tinubu is expected to deal with a long list of problems including that of security, a currency crisis, fuel and power shortages, and deeply entrenched corruption.

https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/bola-ahmed-tinubu-1952/

June 27, 2025

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the current President of Nigeria, was born into a Yoruba family in Osun State on March 29, 1952. After early schooling in Nigeria, he pursued higher education in the United States, studying at Richard J. Daley College and subsequently Chicago State University, where he excelled academically, graduating with honors in Accounting in 1979. His professional life in the corporate sector, including significant stints at Arthur Andersen, a major accounting firm, and Mobil Oil Nigeria.

>>23253730

>>23253741

>>23240084

>>23235869

>Mcebisi Jonas

>>23235871

>>23235873

>>23235875

>>23240215

>MTN’s Digital Infrastructure Chief Executive Officer, Mazen Mroué, had, on December 14, 2023, while he was still the group’s chief technology and information ofcer, revealed that there were engagements with SpaceX’s Starlink, with enterprise-grade trials under way in Rwanda and Nigeria.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Receives MTN Group Delegation at State House (Photos)”

https://tlm.ng/president-bola-ahmed-tinubu-receives-mtn-group-delegation-at-state-house-photos/

2023-07-09

On July 7th, MTN Group delegates led by the Chairman of MTN Group, Jones Mcebisi paid a visit to the President of Nigeria. Thanking the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after paying the courtesy visit, MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita said,

“We appreciate the warm reception from President Tinubu and his team, and we thank them for their enthusiasm for the role that the telecoms and technology sector can play in driving the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy, and in ensuring broad participation in the new economic era. Our visit is an opportunity to reinforce our long-term commitment to Nigeria and our belief in the immense potential of this great country.

“The principle of shared value is a fundamental pillar of our ‘Ambition 2025’ strategy, which we are actively implementing in Nigeria. Whether through expanding local ownership via retail participation in our domestic listing, our renewed focus on local content, promoting access to connectivity and financial services in rural areas, or deploying innovative technology platforms, we are continuously innovating to ensure a more inclusive digital landscape.”

>>23253730

>>23253741

>>23253773

>>23246565

“MTN execs discuss structural reforms with President Bola”

https://itweb.africa/article/mtn-execs-discuss-structural-reforms-with-president-bola/wbrpOqg25nDMDLZn

09 Dec 2024

The MTN Nigeria delegation, led by Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita, Chairman of Nigerian Operations Ernest Ndukwe, and CEO Karl Olutokun Toriola, recently met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss issues of common interest.

Though little was shared after the meeting, it is widely known that the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria is requesting controlled pricing adjustments from the country's communications regulator.

The MTN team with President Bola on the sidelines of the South Africa-Nigeria Business Roundtable, organised by South Africa's Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, Parks Tau.

MTN Nigeria is a major MTN Group subsidiary, accounting for around 27% of all MTN subscribers and roughly 23% of Group service income.

Dr. 'Bosun Tijani, Nigeria's minister of communications, innovation, and digital economy, and Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, minister of industry, trade, and investment, attended the meeting as well.

MTN said it emphasised its support for Nigeria's structural reforms.

The telco also expressed support of Bi-National Commission's aims, as well as the importance of the digital economy in promoting inclusive growth.

In his opening remarks during the meeting, President Cyril Ramaphosa, said: “South Africa and Nigeria need to work closely to shape a strong developmental agenda that ensures better terms for integration of Africa in global trade.

South Africa and Nigeria seek the same things. We seek a global economic order that is fair, inclusive and rules based.

“We seek to develop our people by expanding investment and trade ties with partner countries.

We see in the relationship between South Africa and Nigeria enormous opportunities to pursue these objectives together.”

‘We invite businesses, state-owned companies, development finance institutions and others to be part of this exciting journey to build a prosperous Africa that meets the needs of all its people.”

>>23253773

>The principle of shared value is a fundamental pillar of our ‘Ambition 2025’ strategy, which we are actively implementing in Nigeria.

>>23246565

>>23253788

“ Strategy: Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress”

https://group.mtn.com/who-we-are/strategy/

Following a comprehensive review of our strategy, the repositioning of our business will ensure sustained growth and greater relevance to 2025. MTN has built strong core operations, which are underpinned by the largest fixed and mobile network in Africa; a large, connected, registered customer base; an unparalleled registration and distribution network, as well as one of the strongest brands in our markets. This is our starting point.

Ambition 2025 frames our strategic priorities

• Build the largest and most valuable platforms

• Drive industry-leading connectivity operations

• Create shared value

• Accelerate portfolio transformation

In the wake of COVID-19, the challenges of reducing the Group’s risk profile and Holdco leverage have been brought into sharper focus. The pandemic has also highlighted the opportunities presented by the shift in the global operating environment. These factors inform the case for change and the need to revise our strategy. In light of the digital acceleration taking place globally, MTN recognises the opportunity to win in digital services in our markets as customers come online for the first time. In so doing, there is also an opportunity for MTN to align our priorities more closely with the development agendas of our operating markets.

Our revised strategy, Ambition 2025, is anchored in building the largest and most valuable platform business with a clear focus on Africa. This will rest on a scale connectivity and infrastructure business, making use of both mobile and fixed access networks across the consumer, enterprise and wholesale segments. The implementation of this growth strategy will be accelerated through selective partnerships and leveraging MTN’s brand as the most trusted and valued in Africa, while it will be supported and funded through enhanced cost and capex efficiencies. The execution of Ambition 2025 is embodied in four clear strategic priorities. We have identified five vital enablers to assist in operationalising our strategy.

5 growth platforms, underpinned by Africa’s largest connectivity network

• Fintech solutions

• Digital services

• Enterprise services

• Network as a service (Naas)

• API marketplace

>>23246565

>>23253773

>>23253788

>>23253907

It is very interesting to look at the Executive Director and Board of Directors and their connections.

“EP.04 | Ralph Mupita on MTN’s Playbook: AI, Fintech, and the Race to Connect Africa”

https://youtu.be/F0EC7VHmZvE

May 19, 2025

9:45 – “Also just making sure that in this time of challenge we’re not also missing the opportunity because I think it’s Warren Buffet who says. “you make money when there’s blood on the streets.” So there’s a lot of blood on the streets but coming back to opportunity, don’t waste a good crisis.”

MTN: Ralph Mupita, Executive Director: Group President and Chief Executive Officer

https://www.mtn.com/boardofdirectors/r-mupita/

Qualifications: BSc. Engineering (Hons) (University of Cape Town); MBA (University of Cape Town); General Management Programme (Harvard Business School).

Appointed: 01 April 2017

Other directorships: Director of various companies in MTN Group. Ralph Mupita is the Group President and CEO of MTN Group, a position he has held since the 1st of September 2020, having previously served as MTN Group’s CFO since April 2017. Prior to joining MTN, Ralph served as the Chief Executive Officer for Old Mutual Emerging Markets, providing financial service solutions to individuals and corporates across 19 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Under its leadership, the Insurance Group’s Emerging Market business serviced 19 million customers and had R1 trillion of assets under management.

Since joining MTN, Ralph has played a pivotal role in the strengthening the Group’s financial position, strategy formulation, exit from the Middle East, refocus on FinTech and digital services and successful listing on the Nigerian and Ghanaian Stock Exchanges. Ralph is passionate about the African continent and the role that mobile operators can play in driving sustainable digital and financial inclusion through fit-for-purpose solutions. He is also an executive Board member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and is a Commissioner on the United Nations Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, and a Champion of the World Economic Forum EDISON Alliance.

Skills, expertise and experience: Ralph is a seasoned business leader with experience in engineering, construction, financial services and telecommunications.

>>23246565

>>23253773

>>23253788

>>23253907

>>23257128

Tim Pennington: “Millicom year-end results: CEO interview”

https://youtu.be/6sEQsmC8zE0

Feb 3, 2015

MTN: Tim Pennington, Independent Non-Executive Director

https://www.mtn.com/boardofdirectors/tim-pennington/

Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Economics and Social Studies (University of Manchester)

Appointed: 1 August 2022

Board committee membership: Chairman: Finance and Investment committee. Member: Audit committee, Risk Management and Compliance Committee and Board Strategy Execution Committee.

Other directorships: Tim is currently serving on the board of various MTN Group Subsidiaries including MTN Nigeria. Prior to Joining MTN Group, Tim was the Chief Financial Officer of Millicom. Previously, he was the Chief Financial Officer at Cable & Wireless Communications plc, Group Finance Director for Cable & Wireless plc and Chief Financial Officer of Hong Kong based Hutchison Telecom International. His first role in telecoms was as the Finance Director at Hutchison 3G (UK), Hutchison Whampoa’s British mobile business. He also has corporate finance experience as a director at Samuel Montagu & Co Limited and was Managing Director of HSBC Investment Bank within its Corporate Finance and Advisory Department.

Skills, expertise and experience: He has a wealth of experience in Telecommunications, Finance & Mergers and Acquisition

https://www.asianinvestor.net/article/hutchison-3g-names-finance-director/29827

Jul 4, 2001

Pennington, who joins from investment bank HSBC after 18 years, was head of the technology group, and had been working closely with Hutchison 3G in relation to 3G licence acquisitions and strategy. Prior to HSBC, Pennington was director of Samuel Montagu.

Hutchison 3G’s major shareholders are Hutchison Whampoa (65%), NTT DoCoMo (20%), KPN Royal Dutch Telecom and KPN Mobile, and is the winner of the United Kingdom’s largest universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) licence.

https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/opa/legacy/2012/12/11/dpa-attachment-a.pdf

1. From the mid-1990s through at least September 2006, HSBC Group Affiliates violated both U.S. and New York State criminal laws by knowingly and willfully moving or permitting to be moved illegally hundreds of millions of dollars through the U.S. financial system on behalf of banks located in Cuba, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and Burma, and persons listed as parties or jurisdictions sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) (collectively, the “Sanctioned Entities”) in violation of U.S. economic sanctions.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/montagu-fine-rattles-city-advisers-fear-more-huge-penalties-1512867.html

Saturday 23 October 1993

Mr Justice Gatehouse ruled that Samuel Montagu had to pay at least pounds 172m in damages to the creditors of the collapsed British & Commonwealth Holdings.

Montagu also advised Robert Maxwell on other deals. However, it contends it did nothing wrong and points out that other firms - such as Rothschild in the US, Hill Samuel, Goldman Sachs and Bankers Trust - were also all too keen to take Maxwell business. Other Montagu clients that have had a less than happy ride include Owners Abroad, Amber Day, Mecca, WPP and London Clubs.

https://globalcapitalism.history.ox.ac.uk/files/case29-robertmaxwellsexpectationsgappdf

Maxwell did not leave his family destitute… His daughter, Ghislaine Maxwell, continued to circulate in high society. Her crimes are now better known than her father’s; she is famous for her work as Jeffrey Epstein’s right-hand woman, procuring victims (often under-age) for Epstein’s “prostitution ring”

The promise of high fees also tempted Samuel Montagu, the merchant bank that later assisted Maxwell with MGN’s flotation… they were willing to publicly endorse Maxwell’s upright character and vouch for his total legitimacy.

>>23257138

>KPN Royal

>>23257128

>>23253788

>>23253773

>>23246565

>>23240233

>Johann Rupert

MTN: Stan Miller, Independent Non-Executive Director

https://www.mtn.com/boardofdirectors/s-miller/

Appointed: 1 August 2016

Board committee membership: Member: Risk Management and Compliance Committee, Social, Ethics and Sustainability Committee and Board Strategy Execution Committee

Other Directorships: Stan currently serves on the board of MTN Group, the largest telecommunication company in Africa, listed on the JSE with 280 million subscribers. He is a member of the strategy, risk, ESG, and corporate governance committees. Since June 2022, he has been a board member of VEON Ltd, a telecom operator with 220 million subscribers (NASDAQ – AEX), and serves on the Strategy, Nomco and Remco committees.

Additionally, he is the CEO and owner of Athena Investment Holdings SPF SA in Luxembourg, Leaderman NV in Belgium, and Leaderman SARL in Luxembourg. Stan is also an investor, shareholder, and director of other private companies he owns. Furthermore, he acts as a senior advisor to private equity and hedge funds in the TMT sector.

Skills, expertise and experience: Stan Miller has over 30 years of experience in the successful start-up, turnaround, significant value creation and management of companies in the telecommunication, media and tech industries (TMT). He has held positions such as CEO, NED, and INED of listed companies on JSE, NYSE, MOEX, AEX, and NASDAQ exchanges. He further has extensive experience serving on committees of listed companies, including audit, risk, compliance, strategy, remuneration, nomination, and ESG committees.

https://www.leaderman.com/Stan.html

• From 2010- 2019 he was a member of the board MTS OJSC- NY / MOEX listed, where he also served on Audit /Risk, Nomco/Remco & Strategy committees. From 2011-2016 he was Executive Chairman, director and minority shareholder of AINMT AB / ICE Group a telecom operator in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Indonesia & Brazil (later listed on Oslo Stock Exchange after split of international operations) - majority owned by Access Industries.

• From 1999 till 2010 he was a member of the board of Royal KPN, CEO KPN Mobile and CEO of the Mobile International Business. He was responsible for the sale of non- core assets when KPN faced a financial ruin in 2000. He was responsible for the successful turnaround in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and building new businesses (MVNO) in France, Spain. He introduced a “Challenger” strategy & business model as Chairman of E-Plus (Germany) and BASE (Belgium) where he introduced – changed the business model, creating significant value of Euro 12 billion for KPN and its’ shareholders from basically bankrupt businesses. He also served as Chief Executive Officer & chairman of BASE N.V. in Belgium, a company that he successfully launched as KPN- Orange in 1998.

• From 1991 – 1997 prior to joining KPN he held leading positions in the pan-European Pay TV operator Nethold (DSTV, MultiChoice) a joint venture between MNET & Richemont [Owned by the Rupert family]. His last assignment being as Chief Executive Officer of its operations in Italy, where the first European digital satellite offering was launched at Telepiu . Nethold was sold to Vivendi / Canal Plus in 1997. Prior to 1991 he held several senior management positions at M-Net / DSTV / MultiChoice Electronic Media pay television in South Africa (part of NASPERS - PROSUS) and was one of the founding executives of MNET in South Africa and General manager of its operations in South Africa – relocating to Europe in 1991 to join Nethold.

• Stan has a deep understanding of different cultures & the diversity of running businesses across Europe, Africa and beyond and the impact that has on business. In Europe he has lived and worked in Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. He also has a deep understanding of emerging markets in Africa, Eastern Europe and beyond.

• He has both Belgian & South African nationalities and is a Luxembourg resident.

>>23246565

>>23253773

>>23253788

>>23253907

>>23257128

>>23257138

>>23257177

>>23050770

>Oppenheimer family

MTN: Nicky Newton-King, Independent Non-Executive Director

https://www.mtn.com/boardofdirectors/nicky-newton-king/

Independent non-executive director

Qualifications: BA LLB Degrees (Stellenbosch University), LLM Degree (University of Cambridge), LLD Degree (Honoris Causa) (Stellenbosch University)

Appointed: 01 January 2023

Board committee membership: Risk Management and Compliance Committee and Social, Ethics and Sustainability Committee.

Other directorships: Nicky is currently serving on the board of various MTN Group Subsidiaries including MTN Group Fintech, Investec plc, Investec Ltd and AngloGold Ashanti plc.

Skills, expertise and experience: Nicky has extensive experience in law, business, capital markets, banking and regulation. Nicky was a partner at Webber Wentzel before joining the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in mid-1996. Nicky was an executive of the JSE for 23 years, of which 8 were as the chief executive officer.

At the JSE, Nicky was responsible for the transformation of the company to a commercially minded modern securities exchange with a diverse leadership and workforce. During her tenure, the JSE also played an influential role amongst its global exchange peers, especially in relation to the then developing area of ESG. Nicky’s passion for sustainability and the role that business can play in achieving a more equitable society has seen her dedicate much of her time to initiatives in this space.

Nicky is also the Chairman of the Council of Stellenbosch University and a trustee of the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre and of the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.

https://www.hbs.edu/creating-emerging-markets/interviews/Pages/profile.aspx?profile=nnking

After taking a year off, she returned to work as a clerk at Webber Wentzel, one of South Africa's “big five” firms. With the JSE as her first client, she worked on the legal processes that led to the deregulation of the stock exchange and professionalization of financial markets in South Africa. After this role, she proceeded to obtain her LLM from the University of Cambridge in the UK in 1994. Newton-King then returned to South Africa and became a partner at Webber Wentzel. She elaborates on her excitement upon coming back, as the country found itself in the middle of a fundamental political and social transformation with the end of apartheid. Furthermore, she defines this period as one that shaped her own leadership style, noting her views that an institution or company’s “social license to operate” is more important than its legal license.

>>23257138

>Maxwell did not leave his family destitute… His daughter, Ghislaine Maxwell, continued to circulate in high society. Her crimes are now better known than her father’s; she is famous for her work as Jeffrey Epstein’s right-hand woman, procuring victims (often under-age) for Epstein’s “prostitution ring”

>>23257177

>>23257206

Is it all connected? Tim Pennington’s ties to Robert Maxwell and the South Africans who control the media and have ties to billionaires while the high profile pedo ring in SA is being protected. They all want to monopolize the communication networks in the world.

“New light on [Apartheid era] island orgies”

https://www.theherald.co.za/news/2018-08-06-new-light-on-island-orgies/

06 August 2018

Ex-journalist gives more dramatic details after book lifts lid on alleged abuse of boys by ex-cabinet ministers

They partied and swam naked on Bird Island before allegedly engaging in sex orgies with little boys – and were “arrogant” enough to sign their names in the visitors book.

Former photojournalist Colin Urquhart, of Port Elizabeth, has revealed details of the depraved trips former National Party defence minister Magnus Malan, environment minister John Wiley, an unnamed government minister who is still alive, and Bay businessman Dave Allen, allegedly made to the island off Port Elizabeth.

Urquhart was speaking on Sunday, the same day that an explosive book, The Lost Boys of Bird Island, was released.

The book, written by former Port Elizabeth policeman Mark Minnie and reporter Chris Steyn, contains details Urquhart also remembers clearly and recalls instantly.

Minnie and Steyn claim in the book that investigations into the alleged paedophile ring were halted by the police.

They allege that Malan, who was called “Ore” (Afrikaans for ears), commandeered air force helicopters to use the island for the purpose of abusing boys, sometimes for days.

They also place Malan in a bathtub in a flat in the city where a young boy was sexually assaulted.

Malan died in 2011 and Wiley and Allen’s deaths in 1987 were officially ruled suicide.

However, neither Minnie nor Urquhart are convinced that they were suicides.

Urquhart, now 71, said he had investigated the paedophile ring claims while working for Weekend Post after he was tipped off by a contact who worked on the island.

The contact, whom Urquhart declined to name citing confidentiality, had “clear vision of what was happening”.

That Malan and Wiley had been dropped off on the island in a military helicopter was confirmed by pilots.

Urquhart also photographed the visitors book.

https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-08-06-apartheid-paedophile-ring-new-light-shed-on-alleged-island-abuse/

“They were so arrogant they even signed the visitors book,” Urquhart said.

However, the story was canned by the editor at the time, who said they didn't have enough evidence to back up the claims.

Another journalist, Gavin Evans, claims he linked Malan to Wiley and Allen years ago.

In an interview with Malan in the 1990s, Evans asked him outright if he knew what had been going on at Bird Island. Malan said he did.

But not before asking Evans: “What are you accusing me of?”

Evans said Malan had been untouchable at the time.

Minnie, who said on Sunday that he had been told by his superiors to drop the investigation, has been bothered by the case for more than 30 years.

“It always bothered me that powerful men were able to hide this horrific [alleged] abuse of vulnerable children."

>>23257278

“SABC EXCLUSIVE: Family believes Mark Minnie did not commit suicide”

https://youtu.be/o72n-RyxAJg

Aug 15, 2018

“The death of Mark Minnie”

https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-08-15-the-death-of-mark-minnie-what-we-know-so-far/#google_vignette

15 August 2018

The death of Mark Minnie, the co-author of controversial book The Lost Boys of Bird Island, has been riddled in suspicion, innuendo and many unanswered questions.

On August 5 details from the book, The Lost Boys of Bird Island, sent shockwaves through the country as authors Mark Minnie and Chris Steyn detailed their investigations into an alleged paedophilia ring that operated during apartheid. The book claimed that three former National Party ministers, including Magnus Malan and one minister who is still alive, were key figures in the operation.

The book named Malan, then minister of environmental affairs John Wiley and Port Elizabeth businessman Dave Allen as being involved in the ferrying of coloured minors to Bird Island in Algoa Bay, where the children were apparently molested. Wiley and Allen committed suicide in the 1980s and Malan died in 2011.

The authors allege that police were halted from conducting investigations into the paedophilia ring and the activities of the ministers, as well as other people who were involved, were swept under the carpet.

Just days after extracts of the book were published and the book was released for sale, Netwerk24 published an interview with one of the alleged victims of the apparent paedophilia ring.

Dubbed as "Mr X" the person claimed that he had been kidnapped, raped and forced to perform sexual acts by Malan.

The publication said it could not verify the allegations but ran the story because of the public interest. Netwerk24 also reported that the family of Malan denied the reports.

IOL reported that co-author of the book Chris Steyn said that any legal action by family members of those named in the book would be welcomed as it would "give us the opportunity to put more information before the court."

Just days before Minnie's death, both he and Steyn alluded to their safety being in question.

https://www.dailydispatch.co.za/news/2018-08-17-sas-top-forensic-sleuth-on-minnie-case/

17 August 2018

His death came just over a week after the book, exposing an alleged paedophile ring involving top-ranking apartheid-era cabinet members, which he co-authored with journalist Chris Steyn, was published.

A bullet wound to the head has been the common denominator linking alleged suicides three decades apart that silenced three people with intimate knowledge of the alleged paedophile ring.

In at least two of the three apparent suicides‚ people close to the victims said they would not have taken their own life.Port Elizabeth businessman Dave Allen and apartheid-era environment minister John Wiley were found dead within weeks of each other with gunshot head wounds in 1987.

This was shortly after Minnie‚ then a policeman‚ arrested Allen on charges of sex with minors and possession of child pornography. The book claims Allen “sang like a canary” and named a “powerful cabinet minister”.

Tafelberg Publishers said Minnie had “successfully followed up on several leads in Port Elizabeth during the past week and was determined to reveal further information”.

The publishers said he was looking forward to an upcoming book festival and there had been no indication that he would harm himself…

>>23246565

>>23253773

>>23253788

>>23253907

>>23257128

>don’t waste a good crisis

>>23257138

>>23257177

>>23257206

“MTN probed for human rights violations in war-torn countries”

https://youtu.be/yOOXwG-6T7U

Feb 26, 2025

Open Secrets is investigating alleged human rights violations in war-torn and autocratic African and Middle Eastern countries by SA mobile giant MTN and its subsidiaries. This relates to internet shutdowns during wars and elections in markets like Afghanistan, Sudan, DRC and Nigeria. Open Secrets investigator and Shutdown Everywhere You Go author Abby May elaborates.

>>23257296

>>23257278

>Is it all connected?

>>23257177

>NASPERS

>>23257138

>Robert Maxwell

Now controlling the narrative through MTN?

“INVESTIGATION | #ShutdownsEverywhereYouGo – MTN and internet shutdowns”

https://www.opensecrets.org.za/investigation-mtn-internet-shutdowns/

#ShutdownsEverywhereYouGo: Exposing MTN’s Role in Internet Shutdowns is a groundbreaking investigative report by Open Secrets. The report reveals how MTN and its subsidiaries have been implicated in human rights violations across Africa and the Middle East, including internet shutdowns during wars and elections, corruption, tax evasion, and enabling terror activities. With case studies from Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Cameroon, Uganda, and Nigeria, #ShutdownsEverywhereYouGo exposes the hidden business practices that allow telecom giants to operate with impunity, calling for urgent accountability.

From the document provided;

MTN’s Early History

March 1993: Mobile Telephone Networks Holdings Limited is incorporated in South Africa through a consortium of businesses including Koos Bekker led Naspers. The initial brand was M-cell Ltd.14

Sept 1993: M-cell Ltd receives one of two national cell phone radio telephone licences by the outgoing National Party government worth R100 million.15

April 1994: South Africa holds its first democratic elections.

June 1994: MTN officially switches on its cell phone networks.16

Nov 1994: MTN Group Limited is officially incorporated in South Africa but still operates under the branding of M-cell Ltd.17

Jan 1995: M-cell Ltd, which owns 25% of MTN, is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.18

April 1998: MTN begins its international expansion with operations in Rwanda and Uganda.

July 1998: MTN begins operations in Swaziland with King Mswati the first to make a call on the network in the kingdom.19

July 2000: M-cell acquires 100% shareholding of MTN.20

Jan 2001: MTN begins operations in Nigeria.21 Irene Charnley is the outgoing chairperson of M-cell Ltd.22

2002: M-cell Ltd re-brands as MTN Group Limited.23 Cyril Ramaphosa begins his term as MTN chairperson.24

>>23257138

>Robert Maxwell

“Robert Maxwell The Downfall” (Old documentary)

https://youtu.be/-YwhnWncTSo

“Robert Maxwell, Israel's Superspy: The Life and Murder of a Media Mogul”

https://fbcoverup.com/docs/library/2003-09-01-Robert-Maxwell-Israel-s-Superspy-The-Life-and-Murder-of-a-Media-Mogul-by-Robert-Younes-Washington-Report-Sep-01-2003.pdf

Maxwell's criminal activities began early in his career, culminating when the collapse of the Eastern Bloc set the stage for a feeding frenzy of fraud, deceit and theft of state assets. KGB and other Eastern Bloc intelligence agents—with whom Maxwell already had established contacts—moved into the business world following the breakup of the Soviet empire, and became the sharks that devoured the assets of state resources for their own ends. The underworld flourished, and Maxwell was there to help himself to a hefty 15 to 20 percent cut as he laundered their money through Bulgaria and Western banks. Soon, Maxwell had links to criminals who dealt in illegal arms, prostitution, money laundering, drugs, and contract killings—all of whom used Maxwell to launder their profits.

Robert Maxwell traveled the world and peddled Promis, software the Israelis stole from Inslaw, the American company that developed the program. Promis could track data on any target subject by querying and integrating information from innumerable electronic databases, without requiring reprogramming. The theft took place when the Mossad's Rafi Eitan traveled to the United States impersonating an assistant prosecutor in the Israeli Ministry of Justice in Tel Aviv and met with William Hamilton, the inventor of Promis, at Inslaw. After his meeting with Hamilton, Eitan immediately went to the Department of Justice, and, through serendipity, acquired a copy of Promis. Eiten then worked through former Mossad agent Ari Ben Menashe, who found Yahuda Ben-Hanan in California's Silicon Valley to construct a back door to the program. This enabled the Mossad to monitor Promis and obtain the information the program developed as it worked for all who used it—friend and foe alike.

With the help of former Texas Senator John Tower, Maxwell managed to sell the software to the Los Alamos Laboratories, thus making Israel's Mossad privy to the innermost secrets of American atomic energy programs. When Promis was sold to Credit Suisse, Israel was able to follow the money flows from any government or business agency that used the bank.

Eventually the Mossad adopted the same process used by the CIA to hide its own money distributions. Maxwell ultimately sold Promis software worth over $500 million to the intelligence agencies of Zimbabwe, South Africa, Guatemala, Colombia, Nicaragua, Bulgaria, Egypt, East Germany, Poland, Belgium, Turkey, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and China, to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the KGB—all of whom the Mossad monitored as Promis developed intelligence for the benefit of the owner—and, unknowingly, the Mossad.

Eventually, however, all of Maxwell's life trajectories ended in financial collapse and disaster. In his public life, his highly leveraged business ventures finally caught up with him, and he teetered on the edge of bankruptcy for almost a year. Because of this, the authors argue, he hit on the idea of threatening his Mossad handlers with public disclosure if the Mossad did not find a way for him to get out of his financial crisis. Concluding that Maxwell had outlived his usefulness, Thomas and Dillon believe the Mossad ordered his assassination. Three months later, on Nov. 5, 1991, Maxwell met his end some time after 4:45 a.m. on the aft deck of the Lady Ghislaine, as, on Mossad instructions, she cruised off Gran Canaria Island. Maxwell assumed that the Mossad was planning to deliver his requested $1 billion to be used to bail him out of his financial troubles. Instead, Israeli kidon slipped aboard and injected a lethal nerve agent into Maxwell's neck behind his right ear. He was then thrown overboard.

Robert Maxwell was buried on Jerusalem's Mount of Olives after Israel provided him a state funeral.

>>23261712

>Maxwell ultimately sold Promis software worth over $500 million to the intelligence agencies of Zimbabwe, South Africa, Guatemala, Colombia, Nicaragua, Bulgaria, Egypt, East Germany, Poland, Belgium, Turkey, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and China, to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the KGB

PROMIS: “PRISM’s Controversial Forerunner”

https://consortiumnews.com/2013/07/11/prisms-controversial-forerunner/

July 11, 2013

Long before Edward Snowden’s claims or revelations that the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency were monitoring and tracking the Internet, cell phones, e-mails and any other electronic communication they could get their hands on using a program known as PRISM, there existed PROMIS [Prosecutors Management Information Systems].

PROMIS was designed in the late 1970s and ‘80s to bring Department of Justice criminal case management from the dark ages into the light of the computer age. In the spring of 1981, the Reagan Administration hailed PROMIS as one of law enforcements greatest assets. By 1983, PROMIS had morphed into the behemoth of intelligence gathering. It was not state of the art it was the art.

Over the ensuing decades PROMIS is reported to have been used by the DOJ, CIA, NSA, and several foreign intelligence agencies including Israel’s Mossad. The ownership of PROMIS has been the subject of federal court hearings and a congressional investigation.

The odyssey began in February 1983 when Dr. Ben Orr, an Israeli prosecutor, came to Hamilton’s office for a demonstration. He left, never placed an order and was never seen again. This was just one of the many demonstrations the company provided potential customers and the press. There was no shroud of secrecy about PROMIS or its capabilities.

Shortly after Dr. Orr’s visit, DOJ terminated payments to Inslaw, but refused to return the software. The company soon [June 1986] found its way into bankruptcy court. Inslaw put forth the claim that DOJ had stolen their software and made a concerted effort to drive them out of business. Bankruptcy Judge George Bason agreed.

As the PROMIS odyssey continued, information began to surface that DOJ had provided the NSA and CIA with the enhanced 32-bit PROMIS. Stories began to circulate that friends of the Reagan Administration were selling black-market versions of PROMIS to anyone willing to pay the price.

The Brooks report dated Aug. 11, 1992 not only agreed with Bason’s findings but went further: “High government officials were involved individuals testified under oath that Inslaw’s PROMIS software was stolen and distributed internationally in order to provide financial gain and to further intelligence and foreign policy objectives.”

The report includes scathing comments about former Attorney General Richard Thornburgh and several ranking DOJ staffers. Brooks recommended a settlement of Inslaw claims for damages and the appointment of a special prosecutor. Neither happened. Brooks said in an interview at the time, “[Inslaw] was ravaged by the Justice Department.” They were, he said, “treated like dogs.”

By this time nothing in the report surprised the Hamiltons. Seven months earlier they had discovered that their 1983 visitor, Dr. Ben Orr, was in fact Rafael Etian, chief of the Israeli Defense Force’s [IDF] anti-terrorism intelligence unit. They further learned he left Washington carrying a copy of PROMIS.

And much more information.

>>23257138

>HSBC

>>23261712

>The underworld flourished

>>23257336

>>23246565

MTN Shareholders and Analysts who Cover MTN’s Stock

Attached shareholder images from https://www.investing.com/equities/mtn-group-ltd-ownership

Attached BBBEE Certificate image from https://www.mtn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/B-BBEE-Certificate-MTN-Group-Limited.pdf

https://www.mtn.com/investors-shareholders/

If you’re thinking about investing in MTN shares, you can contact the following analysts who cover our stock:

• ABSA, Jono Bradley

• Avior, Michael Steere

• Barclays, Maurice Patrick

• BofA, Cesar Tiron

• Citi, Rohit Modi

• Goldman Sachs, Anna Osenchugova

• HSBC, Madhvendra Singh

• Investec, Louise Pillay

• JP Morgan, Funeka Maseko

• Nedgroup Securities, Preshendran Odayar

• New Street, Chris Hoare

• Prescient Securities, Jonathan Kennedy-Good

• RMB Morgan, Jared Hoover

• SBG Securities, Nadim Mohamed

>>23257336

> Koos Bekker led Naspers

>>23257177

>NASPERS

“A deeper look at Koos Bekker's $1.5bn Naspers bounty”

https://youtu.be/QsoFPeySsO4

Sep 23, 2015

Koos Bekker: “How the third richest man in South Africa turned a small pro-apartheid era newspaper into a multi-billion dollar business empire”

https://businessempires.africa/how-the-third-richest-man-in-south-africa-built-a-newspaper-into-a-multi-billion-empire/

• January 31, 2024

In the heart of Stellenbosch, South Africa, where the roots of Naspers were planted in 1915 as a humble newspaper publisher, a remarkable story of growth, innovation, and global impact has unfolded.

At the helm of this journey is Koos Bekker, a name synonymous with the company’s evolution into a global media and technology powerhouse.

Previously notorious as a pro-apartheid propaganda newspaper, it wasn’t until the 1990s, with the arrival of Koos Bekker, that Naspers not only changed tact but embarked on a journey of unprecedented growth and digital innovation.

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/business/593496-the-man-who-transformed-a-south-african-newspaper-business-into-a-trillion-rand-tech-giant-without-taking-a-salary.html

6.05.2025

During the 1970s, he studied for his undergraduate and honours degrees in law at Stellenbosch University before completing his LLB at the University of Witwatersrand.

Bekker and his wife, Karen Roos, sold their house and borrowed money to relocate to New York during the early 1980s.

During those years, Bekker studied for a Masters in Business Administration at the Columbia Business School.

His experience abroad would be pivotal in the first of his two most important contributions to Naspers’ evolution — the founding of M-Net.

Exposure to HBO inspired Bekker to bring pay-TV to South Africa. The platform introduced the concept of selling a premium channel to viewers for an extra monthly fee.

Bekker’s immense success with M-Net and MultiChoice won him the appointment as Naspers CEO in 1997.

In 2001, Bekker would make his second instrumental decision at the company — buying a 46.5% stake in Chinese firm Tencent for $32 million (R266 million).

As of 2024, Naspers’ stake in Tencent was worth roughly $100 billion (R1.83 trillion).

https://whownsafrica.com/koos-bekker-meet-south-african-billionaire-behind-naspers-multichoice-and-media24/#google_vignette

November 30, 2024

Naspers, which has operations in 130 countries and is listed on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges, is the largest media group outside the US, China, and India.

According to Forbes, Koos Bekker has a net worth of $3 Billion, making him the 9th richest person in Africa.

For instance, he owns the iconic Babylonstoren wine estate, which he acquired in 2007. The estate is located in the Cape Winelands of South Africa.

https://babylonstoren.com/blog/post/our-tower-of-babel

Have you ever wondered where the name Babylonstoren comes from? Well, the koppie (or hill) on the farm made the first owners think about the Tower of Babel, so named it Babylon’s Toren in the 1700’s, and we think that it’s a perfectly good name.

>>23261773

It is curious that he renovated Emily Hobhouse’s home.

“The South African billionaire building luxury estates around the world: The Story of Emily”

https://dailyinvestor.com/south-africa/79646/the-south-african-billionaire-building-luxury-estates-around-the-world/

26 February 2025

Koos Bekker has been steadily building a series of luxury estates around the world, ranging from Franschhoek to Amsterdam, the UK, and Italy.

Located in St Ive, Cornwall, The Story of Emily is well out of Bekker and Roos’s wheelhouse, as it is not a working estate, farm, or hotel.

Rather, it is the restored house of Emily Hobhouse, who famously defied the British Empire to expose the horrors of concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer War.

Branded a “hysterical woman” and “traitor”, she refused to be silenced, saving thousands of Boer women and children.

She didn’t just speak out – she published damning reports, led social reforms, and single-handedly challenged an empire at war.

The house today contains the Rectory, first designed and constructed between 1852 and 1854, where Emily and her siblings grew up.

Living on the estate until she was 34 years old, the Hobhouse family was firmly part of the landed elite and had numerous servants.

One would never have foreseen that Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies, would, in years to come, say, “The Empire was not threatened by a hysterical spinster of mature age,” in reference to Emily.

Nor that she would become such a festering wound in the side of Lord Herbert Kitchener while the Anglo-Boer War was raging that he would call her: “That bloody woman!”

The Story of Emily offers travellers the chance to travel back in time to follow Hobhouse’s story and reveal how she would have grown up during the Victorian era.

The home now also includes the aptly named The Restaurant, which cooks traditional South African food using ingredients grown in the nearby garden.