Telkom’s Lunga Siyo: A Master of the Game
The man who will stop at nothing to dominate the mobile market.
Lunga Siyo, CEO of Telkom’s consumer business, has a vision for the future – and it’s a vision of dominance. With Telkom Mobile boasting an impressive 20 million active Sims, Siyo is convinced that the company has cemented its position as a long-term player in the telecommunications market.
And why shouldn’t he be? After all, international studies show that a market share of 15% is the threshold for survival, and Telkom Mobile has already exceeded that. But Siyo isn’t just stopping at survival – he’s going for the jugular.
"We’re not just a third player in the market," Siyo said in an interview with TechCentral. "We’re a sustainable business with a strong brand presence. And our growth demonstrates that customers love what we’re offering."
But don’t think for a second that Siyo is complacent. Oh no, he’s got his eyes on the prize, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
"We’re not going to stop investing in infrastructure," Siyo said. "We’re going to keep pushing the boundaries and innovating to stay ahead of the competition."
And innovate he is. Telkom Mobile has already topped 30% Ebitda margin during the pandemic, and Siyo predicts that as voice revenues continue to decline, the Ebitda margins of Vodacom and MTN will also fall.
But what about market consolidation? Is Telkom looking to buy out its rivals?
"I don’t think consolidation is necessary," Siyo said. "We’re happy to continue competing with our rivals and offering our customers the best service possible."
And how will Telkom achieve this? By sharing infrastructure, of course. Siyo believes that by sharing towers and network equipment, the company can reduce costs and pass the savings on to customers.
"It’s all about efficiency," Siyo said. "We can’t just keep building our own infrastructure – it’s unsustainable. We need to work together to reduce costs and improve service."
So there you have it – Telkom’s Lunga Siyo, a master of the game, a man who will stop at nothing to dominate the mobile market.