SNO licence may be put on hold

Nexus Connexion, part of the alliance that was awarded South Africa’s second national operator (SNO) concession last week, is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow in an appeal to put the issuing of the licence on hold. Nexus claims that the government should not have included CommuniTel or Two Consortium – two other consortium members – in the process, as both failed to qualify when they initially entered bids; if Nexus wins the injunction the licence will be frozen pending a review into the process. The company has come under increasing pressure to drop the case, and last week attended a meeting to try and settle the differences with its fellow shareholders, but it has refused to comment on the outcome. Nexus holds a 19% in the SNO.