MTN and Vodafone deny link-up talks

MTN has denied reports that Vodafone is in talks to buy a stake in its international operations. ‘The MTN Group can confirm that there is no basis for the speculation about Vodafone buying a stake in MTN,’ the Johannesburg-based company said in an e-mailed statement today. Reports in local newspapers claimed that Vodafone initiated talks with MTN after being blocked by the government from increasing its stake in Vodacom Group, which it jointly owns with Telkom South Africa. However, a spokesperson for the British group said: ‘we have not held meetings with MTN and nor have we requested any.’