From 1 to 206 million in 30 years

Vodacom signed up its first customer on 1 June 1994. Thirty years later, it serves 205.6 million customers in South Africa, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

Vodacom’s origins date back to 1991 when an investigation into the potential of cellular networking in South Africa began. The country decided on GSM technology.

In 1993, South Africa’s cabinet ministers authorised two cellular licenses after it decided to create a competitive mobile market.

Telkom was the only game in town at the time, and a competitive telecommunications market was a significant shift from the monopoly that existed for decades.

Vodacom, which was 50% owned by Telkom, 35% by Vodafone, and 15% by Rupert-linked VenFin, was awarded one of the licenses.

In September 1993, Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) was announced as the winner of the second cellular license.

Under the guidance of former Vodacom chief executive Alan Knott-Craig, the operator spent millions on advertising to promote the first mobile services.

This included the operator’s iconic “Yebo, gogo” advertisements.

Vodacom launched its first commercial services on 1 June 1994 and quickly became one of the country’s best-known brands.

The mobile operator’s initial growth projections targeted 250,000 subscribers within ten years. By 2000, Vodacom had over three million users.

Knott-Craig created an exceptional management team, including former Vodacom CEO Pieter Uys, current Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub, and former CTO Andries Delport.

Vodacom expanded its presence to numerous other countries, including Lesotho, Mozambique, DRC, and Tanzania.

The mobile operator, a technology leader in Africa, was the first to launch products like 3G and LTE in South Africa and on the continent.

Today, it is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world, with 205.6 million customers and a network covering more than half a billion people.

Equally impressive is Vodacom’s stable top management. Over the last 30 years, it only had three CEOs — Alan Knott-Craig, Pieter Uys, and Shameel Joosub.

Shameel Joosub comments on three decades in the industry

Joosub told investors that while the company and industry changed, Vodacom’s purpose remained unchanged for the past three decades—to ensure that everyone is connected.

“We have remained resolute in delivering societal value through a wide range of initiatives that change the lives of people,” he said.

“Our m-mama programme is a prime example of what can be achieved when innovative technology is developed and deployed to address societal challenges.”

“Thus far, m-mama has saved many lives by facilitating an emergency transport service for expectant mothers in Tanzania and Lesotho.”

He said their “System of Advantage” ensures they have the right strategy and people to drive the company’s sustainability well into the future.

“At the core of our offering is connectivity, where we remain market leaders and drive digital inclusion,” he said.

He added that Vodacom is a pioneer of mobile financial services, which now contribute significantly to Africa’s financial inclusion.

“We remain ambitious about growing and diversifying our revenues beyond mobile to exceed 25% of group service revenue in the medium term,” Joosub said.

In South Africa, Vodacom services 49.2 million customers. The company has also grown its product offering.

Beyond mobile, which includes digital and financial services, fixed and IoT, contributes 21.1% to group service revenue.

This growth is underpinned by mobile financial services such as payments, savings, loans and merchant offerings.

“Celebrating Vodacom’s 30th birthday, connecting 206 million customers and providing financial services to 83 million customers are milestones I am particularly proud of,” he said.