Virgin Mobile is closing shop in South Africa after 15 years and will cease trading from the end of November 2021 according to the group’s chief executive officer, Zak van de Merwe.
This comes after the group voluntarily entered Business Rescue last year in a bid to recapitalise the business and rehabilitate it after the impact of the global pandemic.
In a tweet, Virgin Mobile SA said: “After 15 amazing years, our Virgin Mobile story is coming to an end. It has been our pleasure connecting our customers with their loved ones and we’d like to thank each of you for being part of our family in these past years.”
After 15 amazing years, our Virgin Mobile story is coming to an end. It has been our pleasure connecting our customers with their loved ones and we’d like to thank each of you for being part of our family in these past years.
Visit https://t.co/VGvJQ8PMZx for more info pic.twitter.com/9mj4rJiqC9— Virgin Mobile SA (@virginmobilesa) September 3, 2021
Meanwhile, the group said in a statement that “Negotiations have progressed well and the team is optimistic that it will conclude the process during September 2021.”
According to BusinessTech, the directors announced in the statement that it will cease trading as Virgin Mobile South Africa from the end of November 2021 and that the Virgin Mobile brand will be withdrawn from the South African market.
“Virgin Group had taken the decision to cease using the Virgin Mobile brand in South Africa as part of the sale of the business in 2019,” it adds.
But Twitter users were not surprised that the business will be exiting the country, sharing that they didn’t even know the group was still in South Africa.
Here’s what some of the Twitter users said:
“Hawu! They’re still in SA?! I thought they left a long time ago. Anyway, toodles.”
“I too am surprised Virgin Mobile still exist”
“Virgin mobile was in South Africa?”
“i forgot about them”
“who was their target market..when people were busy with data must fall not even 1 person mentioned them.
“Are we supposed to pretend that they were actually operating a business here?”
” I’ve never seen anyone using it.”
Picture: Unsplash