MultiChoice Nigeria's South African exec and chief customer officer Martin Mabutho (47) dead after short illness.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Nigeria's chief customer officer Martin Mabutho has died. He was 47.

MultiChoice staff was told of Martin Mabutho's death on Tuesday. 

Martin Mabutho, a South African born Martin Gaone Mabutho, worked in Nigeria for the pan-African pay-TV company and his death comes shortly after the passing of MultiChoice's content boss Aletta Alberts from Covid-19 complications last month

Martin Mabutho died in Cape Town after a short illness after he travelled to South Africa for a vacation. He is survived by his parents, wife Thato, and their four children.

Martin Mabutho joined MultiChoice Botswana as a customer service supervisor in 1999, and later became a brand manager at M-Net in 2003.

"He led the marketing and sales effort for DStv Mobile in Sub-Saharan Africa before his appointment as MultiChoice Nigeria's general manager, sales and marketing in 2013.

In 2018 Martin Mabutho was appointed as MultiChoice Nigeria's chief customer officer, responsible for driving the MultiChoice Nigeria customer group strategy.

John Ugbe, MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, in a memo to MultiChoice staffers said that "It is with deep personal grief that I inform you of the passing of Martin Mabutho, our chief customer officer. Words cannot adequately express our sadness at this moment. We have lost a friend, colleague, mentor and a genuine amazing human being"

"Martin passed away earlier today, Tuesday 24 August 2021, after a brief illness. He was a valued member of our team and an industry stalwart for many years. He will be sorely missed."

"We are grateful for the opportunity we had to work with him and experience his exemplary drive. As colleague and as a business, we will continue to honour his memory in all that we do."

"Martin was not just a colleague but a very close friend and most trusted adviser. He was well-loved by everyone for his energy and hard-work, his warmth, good humour and the creativity and positive attitude he always brought to the team. He will be greatly missed."