Telkom has received dual recognition at the 2026 Institute of Risk Management South Africa (IRMSA) Awards, with two of its risk professionals taking top honours in their respective categories.

Malebu Makgalemela Mogohloane was named Risk Leader of the Year 2026, while Mighty Mhlanga received the Risk Specialist of the Year 2026 award at the ceremony held on 2 October 2026.

The two accolades recognise excellence at both leadership and specialist level and reflect the depth of expertise within Telkom’s risk function. They also underscore the increasingly important role that effective risk management plays in helping organisations navigate uncertainty, strengthen resilience and make informed decisions that support sustainable business performance.

As organisations contend with an increasingly complex operating environment, risk management has evolved beyond identifying and mitigating threats. It has become an important strategic capability, enabling businesses to anticipate change, understand emerging challenges and opportunities, and make better-informed decisions.

“Effective risk management is ultimately about enabling the organisation to make sound decisions with a clear understanding of both the risks and opportunities ahead. In a rapidly changing environment, that capability is critical to building resilience and supporting sustainable performance,” said Malebu Makgalemela Mogohloane, Group Executive: ERM, , Forensics, & Insurance at Telkom.

Malebu’s recognition as Risk Leader of the Year acknowledges her contribution to advancing risk management within Telkom and strengthening the integration of risk considerations into the organisation’s strategic and operational decision-making.

“Risk leadership requires more than strong frameworks and processes. It requires collaboration across the organisation, a forward-looking mindset, systemic risks that require collaboration with the external stakeholders and a culture in which people understand the role they play in managing risk. This recognition reflects the collective effort of colleagues across Telkom who continue to strengthen that culture,” added Makgalemela Mogohloane.

Mhlanga’s recognition as Risk Specialist of the Year highlights the importance of deep technical expertise within a modern risk function and the contribution specialist risk professionals make in helping organisations understand and respond to an evolving range of business risks.

“The risk landscape is becoming increasingly interconnected, which makes specialist expertise more important than ever. Our role is to translate complexity into insight that can support better decisions and help the business respond proactively to change,” said Mighty Mhlanga Manager: ERM & BCM at Telkom.

“This award is an acknowledgement of the work being done across the risk function to strengthen our capabilities and ensure that Telkom is well positioned to navigate both current and emerging risks,” added Mhlanga.

The recognition of both a risk leader and a risk specialist in the same year demonstrates the breadth of capability within Telkom’s risk function – from strategic leadership and risk culture to the specialist expertise required to identify, assess and respond to complex risks.

For Telkom, this capability forms part of the organisation’s broader approach to resilience. By embedding risk thinking into decision-making, the business is better equipped to anticipate change, respond to uncertainty and pursue opportunities with greater confidence.

The awards also highlight the calibre of talent within Telkom and the contribution its people make to strengthening the organisation.

As the business environment continues to evolve, Telkom remains focused on building the leadership, expertise and organisational capabilities required to manage risk effectively, protect long-term value and support sustainable performance.