{"id":608089,"date":"2025-08-25T07:58:55","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T05:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=608089"},"modified":"2025-08-25T07:59:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T05:59:55","slug":"dark-clouds-gather-over-mtn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/cellular\/608089-dark-clouds-gather-over-mtn.html","title":{"rendered":"Dark clouds gather over MTN"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MTN and its chairman, Mcebisi Jonas, have avoided questions about the national impact of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into its Irancell operations and its former subsidiary in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MTN is embroiled in five active U.S. lawsuits involving the Anti-Terrorism Act, while Jonas was appointed special envoy to the superpower by President Cyril Ramaphosa in April 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mobile operator also disclosed that it was cooperating with the grand jury inquiry<\/a> in its half-year financial results released last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, to fully appreciate the precarious diplomatic position South Africa finds itself in with the U.S. and MTN\u2019s role in it, a summary of \u201cProject Snooker\u201d and recent political events is necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order<\/a> in February 2025 that mentioned South Africa\u2019s \u201creinvigorated\u201d relations with Iran and genocide accusations against Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The order stated that South Africa and Iran were developing commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements \u2014 allegations that SANDF General Rudzani Maphwanya\u2019s recent visit to Iran did not assuage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran\u2019s potential nuclear capabilities are a sensitive subject for the U.S. It bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to South Africa\u2019s relationship with Iran, Trump\u2019s executive order also criticised South Africa for bringing genocide charges against Israel, and not Hamas, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The order stated that the United States could not support the South African government undermining U.S. foreign policy, as it posed threats to national security, its allies, its African partners, and its interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the executive order, the Trump administration announced that it intended to impose 30% tariffs on South African imports to the country as part of the U.S. President\u2019s \u201cLiberation Day\u201d plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That same month, on 14 April 2025, Ramaphosa appointed Jonas as special envoy to the U.S., with the mission to mend fences with the Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liberation Day, Jonas special envoy, \u201cTurn down the lights\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The meeting at the White House on 21 May 2025 when Donald Trump asked staffers to “turn down the lights”.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jonas was appointed after former U.S. ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was expelled from the country for saying Trump and the MAGA movement were partly the result of a \u201csupremacist instinct\u201d during a webinar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Jonas\u2019 appointment was quickly criticised. Although he has a sterling reputation as a State Capture whistleblower, he had previously made disparaging remarks about Donald Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the keynote speaker at the annual Ahmed Kathrada Lecture in 2020, Jonas referred to Trump as a \u201cracist, homophobic, and narcissistic right-winger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following his appointment and the resurfacing of his comments, Jonas told Radio 702 that he was not in government at the time and speaking as an activist. He also suggested that his views had evolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five weeks later, Ramaphosa led a delegation to Washington, where he met with Trump in a publicly broadcast meeting<\/a> with government officials, celebrities, and businessmen in attendance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, Jonas was absent. It would later emerge that the U.S. had denied Jonas\u2019 visa and rejected his diplomatic credentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among those in the room where billionaires Johann Rupert and Elon Musk, golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and government ministers Ronald Lamola, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and John Steenhuisen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infamously, Trump asked White House staffers to \u201cturn the lights down\u201d and wheel out a TV screen on which they played a supercut of Julius Malema singing \u201cKill the Boer\u201d and people protesting farm attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Snooker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
General Rudzani Maphwanya, chief of the SANDF, meeting with Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces in August 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mcebisi Jonas is not the only reason MTN is entangled in the geopolitical storm between South Africa and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old allegations brought by a rival bidder for Iran\u2019s first cellular network licence, Turkcell, have returned to haunt the mobile network operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkcell\u2019s allegations included that MTN bribed Iranian officials, arranged meetings for Iran with South African leaders, and promised Iran weapons and United Nations votes in exchange for the Irancell deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Court documents filed in the United States show that MTN referred to Iran as \u201cSnooker\u201d and its Iranian expansion as \u201cProject Snooker\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among Turkcell\u2019s allegations were that MTN had helped fund the travel of Iran\u2019s nuclear negotiator to meet former President Thabo Mbeki in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This allegedly led to South Africa abstaining from an International Atomic Energy Agency vote declaring Iran non-compliant with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MTN has denied facilitating such meetings, bribing officials, or having any influence over South African government policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkcell\u2019s original dispute with MTN is ongoing through its subsidiary, the East Asian Consortium (EAC). When they filed the case in South Africa, they sought damages of $4.2 billion (R75 billion), excluding interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Supreme Court of Appeal recently ruled that South African courts could hear some of EAC\u2019s complaints. MTN has applied for leave to appeal in the Constitutional Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the allegations from EAC, five lawsuits have also been filed against MTN in the U.S. for alleged violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act to claim damages from the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the allegations are that MTN paid protection money to the Taliban<\/a> to allow it to operate its former network in Afghanistan without its infrastructure being attacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also claim that MTN was culpable in the casualties of hundreds of American soldiers and civilians while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2006 and 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MTN said it would file motions to dismiss the cases on jurisdictional grounds. None of the merits of these cases have ever been heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMTN has deep sympathy for those who have been injured or lost loved ones as a result of the tragic conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Group conducts its business in a responsible and compliant manner in all its territories and will defend its position where necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grand jury investigation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Nicholas Reddick, former U.S. civil rights prosecutor and partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Department of Justice’s pursuit of a grand jury investigation into MTN adds another dimension to the geopolitical turmoil surrounding the mobile operator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former U.S. civil rights prosecutor Nicholas Reddick, who now helps represent over 500 military veterans and their families in Anti-Terrorism Act cases against MTN, said grand jury investigations aren\u2019t pursued lightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the Department of Justice opens a grand jury investigation, it\u2019s because they believe they have well-founded evidence of wrongdoing. The legal standard is probable cause,\u201d Reddick said<\/a> in an interview with BizNews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe fact that the U.S. government has impanelled a grand jury means that they believe there is probable cause that MTN or individuals at MTN may have violated certain criminal statutes in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reddick works for Willkie Farr & Gallagher, which, together with the law firm Sparacino, filed the Anti-Terrorism Act lawsuits against MTN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reddick said they were encouraged that the U.S. government was taking the matter seriously and that they looked forward to any evidence that emerges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe would encourage anyone with information that might be relevant to MTN\u2019s criminal liability to contact the U.S. government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reddick said it was difficult to predict the investigation’s outcome, adding that it could take weeks or months to determine whether criminal charges were warranted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey happen in secret. So, we don’t know and may never know the exact details of what\u2019s presented to the grand jury,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online publication National Security News, where veteran South African journalist Linda van Tilburg is deputy editor, reported<\/a> that grand juries were among the most powerful tools of the American justice system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe investigation will reveal the full extent of the illicit partnership structured between Ramaphosa\u2019s ANC and Iranian generals and their proxies,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt explains why Mcebisi Jonas was rejected as special envoy to the US \u2014 he was already under criminal investigation by the US Justice Department when Ramaphosa nominated him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This latter statement is strange considering that Jonas\u2019 rejection was already explained by his disparaging remarks towards Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MyBroadband contacted MTN and Mcebisi Jonas for comment regarding the report. We asked two questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Is Mr Jonas under investigation by the grand jury? Does he feature in any of the current active cases against MTN?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Did the grand jury investigation impact Mr Jonas\u2019 ability to enter the U.S. as the President\u2019s special envoy, as alleged by the article?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Jonas was only appointed MTN chairman in 2018, fourteen years after MTN obtained its licence in Iran and long after the first lawsuits were brought against the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Regardless, MTN avoided the first question, reiterating statements made when it released its interim results last week. It said it could not comment on matters related to the second question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MTN did not refer or forward our questions to Jonas, and Jonas did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Information war and treason<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    Mcebisi Jonas, MTN chairman and special envoy to th United States<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    While Jonas did not respond to our questions, he broke his silence<\/a> in an interview with the Sunday Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jonas reportedly said his work as special envoy was different from that of a diplomat and more behind-the-scenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    He said the attacks against him were a dirty tricks campaign of \u201cdefamatory allegations and treasonous actions of certain South Africans that must be challenged\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jonas said the scale of the information war being waged was much larger than even the Guptas had launched with PR firm Bell Pottinger to distract from their cosy relationship with former president Jacob Zuma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That campaign had used fake Twitter accounts to stir up racial tension by weaponising fringe terms like \u201cwhite monopoly capital\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThe nefarious characters involved, their command of resources and their stranglehold over decision-making in South Africa under their cloak of legitimacy make the Bell Pottinger project look like a Sunday school picnic,\u201d Jonas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThese non-state actors have appointed themselves as spokespeople and negotiators on behalf of South Africa to service certain political and business interests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Jonas said the people behind the campaign were attempting to usurp authority over South Africa\u2019s foreign policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThey prey on the issues that divide us and our internal weaknesses to render South Africa a pariah state,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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