EX-MINISTER MACFORD JOINS SWAZI MOBILE MANAGEMENT

MBABANE – Members of the public queueing to get inside the Swazi Mobile Experience Centre after it was opened yesterday. (R) A consultant assisting a customer. (Pics: Ntombi Mhlongo)

MBABANE – Just a few years ago, he was chauffeured around as a respected Cabinet minister but today his focus is to make sure that the brand of a new mobile company, its services and customers, resonate.

That is the story of former Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Macford Sibandze, who has been announced as the Brand and Communications Manager for Swazi Mobile.
The announcement was made during the official opening of the company’s classy experience centre, which is situated at the plush building in town.

Announcing Sibandze was Swazi Mobile’s Chairperson Victor Gamedze, who mentioned that the once popular Kip Kip Director had already gone through an intense training in order to gain knowledge on the affairs of the company.
Dressed in a navy blue suit during the function, Sibandze was welcomed by the Minister of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT), Dumisani Ndlangamandla.

“We are happy to announce that Macford has joined us and the media will now have someone to deal with whenever they have questions about Swazi Mobile. We are optimistic that he is going to help the company,” said Gamedze.
Sibandze joined politics in 2008 when he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Manzini North Inkhundla.

He was later appointed a Cabinet minister.
Four years into his term, he was fired in February 2012, following allegations that he had used proceeds from the E10.5 million sale of Nhlangano Sun Hotel when taking external trips.
During the same event, the company also made it official that experienced telecoms mastermind Jeff Penberton was the company’s Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Ever since the company won the license to join the local mobile communications industry, most people have been asking as to who was going to take the hot seat of CEO.
There were talks of some well-known prominent figures who were said to be earmarked for the post but nothing official was confirmed by the company.

The 52-year-old Penberton has a lot of experience in the mobile communications industry and holds a Business and Finance Degree, which he attained in England.
He set up his own company which became a major distributor for cellphone giants Vodacom and Cellnet in the United Kingdom in the late 80s and these were the first major networks in that part of the world at that time.
He became a consultant for Mobile Telecommunication Services (MTS), which was the first private network in Nigeria in the years between 1992 and 1994.

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