5. Long-term assets
5.3 Impairment of goodwill and cash-generating units
 

Significant accounting judgements, estimates and assumptions

CGU impairment assessment
IAS 36 (Impairment of Assets) requires assets to be assessed for impairment when impairment indicators are evident. This standard also requires goodwill to be assessed for impairment on an annual basis. IAS 36 also requires an assessment at the end of each reporting period of whether there is any indication that an impairment loss recognised in prior periods for an asset, other than goodwill, may no longer exist or may have decreased. If any such indication exists, the entity shall estimate the recoverable amount of that asset.

In determining the recoverable amount of the Group's CGUs, the Group considered several sources of estimation uncertainty and made certain assumptions or judgements about the future.

Management uses the cash flow projections based on the Board-approved business plans. These cash flow projections are based on a five-year outlook for the current year-end. Management applied the following key assumptions in the discounted cash flow valuation model:

  • Revenue growth
  • EBITDA margins
  • Discount rates
  • Terminal growth rates

Summary of material accounting policies

Measurement
Goodwill is measured at cost less accumulated impairment losses and is not amortised. Goodwill is tested for impairment annually or when an indication of impairment exists.

Goodwill impairment assessment
Goodwill arising in a business combination is recognised as an intangible asset at the date of acquisition.

Goodwill is measured as an excess of the sum of the consideration transferred, the amount of any non-controlling interests in the acquiree, and the fair value of the acquirer's previously held equity interest in the acquiree (if any) over the net fair value of the acquiree's identifiable net assets.

If the Group's interest in the fair value of the acquiree's identifiable net assets exceeds the sum of the consideration transferred, the amount of any non-controlling interest in the acquiree and the fair value of the acquirer's previously held equity interest in the acquiree, the excess is recognised immediately in profit or loss as a bargain purchase gain.

On disposal of a subsidiary, the attributable amount of goodwill is included in the determination of profit or loss on disposal.

The Group's goodwill balance is as follows: 31 March
2026
Rm
31 March
2025
Rm
Closing balance 1 295 1 295

Description BCX CGU
Rm
Total
goodwill
recognised
Rm
Carrying amount 1 295 1 295

Impairment considerations

The Group tests impairment at a CGU level. As a right-of-use (ROU) asset does not generate cash inflows largely independent from other assets, the ROU asset is tested for impairment together with the CGU to which the asset belongs. From an IFRS 16 perspective, the assumptions assume the reinvestment of the ROU asset, i.e. cash flows to replace the ROU asset have been included in the model. Management adjusted the value in use model by excluding the cash outflows in respect of the lease payments as they relate to financing and including the cash outflows to replace the ROU asset.

The Group's CGUs consist of Telkom Consumer, Openserve and BCX. BCX is the only CGU that has goodwill. In accordance with IAS 36 (Impairment of Assets), management has performed an annual impairment assessment of the CGUs as of 31 March 2026.

Management identified impairment indicators for the Telkom Consumer, Openserve and BCX CGUs, with further details noted below.

The Group utilised value in use, using the discounted cash flow method, as the valuation basis for all CGUs. Based on this, the income approach was applied. A five-year period was used for the discounted cash flows, which was approved by senior management and/or the Board of the Group. The CGUs were valued using a sum-of-the-parts approach. The valuation was performed on an enterprise value basis.

BCX CGU

Impairment on the BCX CGU is performed annually to fulfil the requirements of IAS 36 since the CGU has goodwill amounting to R1 295 million.

The BCX CGU was valued using a sum-of-the-parts approach. The valuation was performed on an enterprise value basis.

The value in use calculation took into consideration the following key assumptions:

EBITDA margin
The budgeted EBITDA margin was used, based on past experience and management's future expectations of business performance.

Growth rates
The growth rates were consistent with publicly available information relating to long-term average growth rates for the market in which the CGU operated. The compound annual growth rate used for revenue is 7.0% (31 March 2025: 5.3%) and EBITDA ranges between 12.2% and 13.9% (31 March 2025: 11.5% and 11.6%).

Terminal growth rates
A terminal growth rate of 3.8% (31 March 2025: 4.9%) was applied. The terminal value was determined at the end of year five of the cash flow forecasts. The growth rate considered steady state of growth rates to extrapolate revenue beyond the forecast period cash flows.

Discount rate
The discount rate used reflects both time value of money and other specific risks relating to the entity. The discount rate was calculated based on comparable companies in the industry. An equity market risk premium was applied to account for the additional risk associated with equity investments, in excess of the risk-free rate.

The pre-tax discount rate for the BCX CGU is 15.0% (31 March 2025: 20.8%). An in-perpetuity calculation was also included after five years as per the terminal growth rate disclosure.

Based on the value in use calculation and economic risk resulting from the global energy shock due to geopolitical conflict and budget assumption, as at 31 March 2026, there is no impairment loss.

Sensitivity to changes in assumptions
Given the significant headroom computed, no further sensitivity analysis has been performed.

Telkom Consumer CGU

Telkom Consumer operates in South Africa, where the economic climate is under strain due to numerous factors. Telkom Consumer's business is dependent on technology, and in some of its operations, the legacy assets (old technology) are still being utilised.

The value in use calculation took into consideration the following key assumptions:

EBITDA margin
The budgeted EBITDA margin is based on experience and management's future expectations of business performance.

Growth rates
The growth rates were consistent with publicly available information related to long-term average growth rates for the market in which the CGU operates. The compound annual growth rate used for revenue is 6.5% (31 March 2025: 5.2%) and EBITDA is 10.4% (31 March 2025: 5.4%).

Terminal growth rates
A terminal growth rate of 3% (31 March 2025: 3%) was applied. The terminal value was determined at the end of year five of the cash flow forecasts. The growth rate considered steady-state growth rates to extrapolate revenue beyond the forecast period cash flows.

Discount rate
An equity market risk premium was applied to account for the additional risk associated with equity investments, in excess of the risk-free rate. The pre-tax discount rate for the Telkom CGU is 17.0% (31 March 2025: 17.8%). An in-perpetuity calculation was also included after five years as per the terminal rate disclosure.

Based on the value in use calculation and economic risk resulting from the global energy shock due to geopolitical conflict and budget assumption, as at 31 March 2026, there is no impairment and no impairment reversal.

Sensitivity to changes in assumptions
The recoverable amount is most sensitive to the discount rate and terminal growth rate:

  • A 17.6% pre-tax discount rate would result in the recoverable amount of the Consumer CGU to approximate its carrying amount while all other variables remain the same.
  • A 2.6% terminal growth rate would result in the recoverable amount of the Consumer CGU to approximate its carrying amount while all other variables remain the same.

Openserve CGU

Openserve operates in South Africa, where the economic climate is under strain due to numerous factors. Openserve's business is dependent on technology, and in some of its operations the legacy assets (old technology) are still being utilised.

The value in use calculation took into consideration the following key assumptions:

EBITDA margin
The budgeted EBITDA margin is based on experience and management's future expectations of business performance.

Growth rates
The growth rates were consistent with publicly available information related to long-term average growth rates for the market in which the CGU operates. The compound annual growth rate used for revenue is 5.9% (31 March 2025: 5.6%) and EBITDA is 9.7% (31 March 2025: 8.5%).

Terminal growth rates
A terminal growth rate of 3.0% (31 March 2025: 3.5%) was applied. The terminal value was determined at the end of year five of the cash flow forecasts. The growth rate considered steady-state growth rates to extrapolate revenue beyond the forecast period cash flows.

Discount rate
An equity market risk premium was applied to account for the additional risk associated with equity investments, in excess of the risk-free rate. The pre-tax discount rate for the Openserve CGU is 15.2% (31 March 2025: 16.4%). An in-perpetuity calculation was also included after five years as per the terminal rate disclosure.

Based on the value in use calculation and economic risk resulting from the global energy shock due to geopolitical conflict and budget assumption, as at 31 March 2026, there is no impairment and no impairment reversal.

Sensitivity to changes in assumptions
The recoverable amount is most sensitive to the discount rate and terminal growth rate:

  • A 17.1% pre-tax discount rate would result in the recoverable amount of the Openserve CGU to approximate its carrying amount while all other variables remain the same.
  • A 2.2% terminal growth rate would result in the recoverable amount of the Openserve CGU to approximate its carrying amount while all other variables remain the same.