For many years, Yvonne Muthien was the go-to person for anybody wanting a comment on what MTN was up to.

Now I’m calling her on one of the special numbers that Vodacom issues to the people it’s happy to represent it. Muthien laughs when I ask about that, and says she suspects Vodacom is playing one-upmanship after MTN declined to give any special treatment to its former corporate affairs executive.