Why was MTN's Social and Ethics Committee only established two years after the crackdown on political opposition in Iran?

The response by Mr Sifiso Dabengwa, Chief Executive Officer of the MTN Group (Ltd), to my request for information concerning alleged human rights violations raises more questions than it answers on the company's business practices in Iran.

The fact is the MTN Group (Ltd) has not produced any evidence that the company took action to deal with alleged human rights violations in Iran. In fact, the response reveals that the company's Social and Ethics Committee, which was supposed to deal with ethical dilemmas relating to possible human rights violations, was only established two years after the crackdown on the political opposition in Iran.

Last month I wrote to Mr Dabengwa, requesting him to provide me with the following information: 

• The name of the chairperson/s of the MTN Group (Ltd) Social and Ethics Committee of every year between 2003 and 2012;
• the names of all persons who served on the MTN Group (Ltd) Social and Ethics Committee of every year between 2003 and 2012;
• the number of times that the MTN Group (Ltd) Social and Ethics Committee met to discuss issues relating to Iran of every year between 2003 and 2012; and
• a summary of the recommendations made by the MTN Group (Ltd) Social and Ethics Committee on issues relating to Iran of every year between 2003 and 2012.

In addition, I submitted a request, in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (No. 2 of 2000), for the following:

• Copies of all records in the possession of the MTN Group (Pty) Ltd Board relating to possible human rights violations in Iran; and
• copies of all records in possession of the MTN Group (Ltd) Social and Ethics Committee relating to Iran.

I did this because of allegations, which emerged in a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court of Columbia in Washington DC, suggesting that the MTN Group (Ltd) may have undertaken to facilitate the installation of "eavesdropping technology" on its devices in Iran. 

The MTN Group (Ltd) was not prepared to furnish me with any of the requested information beyond the names of the members of the company's Social and Ethics Committee. The company stated that it had no legal obligation to furnish me with the information.

The MTN Group (Ltd) has claimed on several occasions that it respects human rights and that it has a Social and Ethics Committee to assist with its ethical framework and management practices.

However, it has now emerged, in the company's response to my request for information, that the Social and Ethics Committee was only established in 2011. 

That means the Social and Ethics Committee was only established six years after the MTN Group (Ltd) began operating in Iran. 

And it means that the Social and Ethics Committee was only established two years after the crackdown on the political opposition in Iran.

The Social and Ethics Committee could not therefore have dealt with alleged human rights violations during the crackdown on the political opposition in Iran.

In the end, the MTN Group (Ltd) has not produced any evidence that the company took action to deal with alleged human rights violations during the crackdown on the political opposition in Iran.

The DA will therefore take legal advice and consider appealing against the company's decision not to comply with my request for information relating to alleged human rights violations in Iran.

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Defence & Military Veterans, May 7 2012

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