South African Airways Dudu Myeni

myeni first appointed south african airway s board of directors in 2009. appointed chairperson of board in 2012 following simultaneous resignation of 8 of fourteen board members including company s chairperson cheryl carolus. in 2012/13 had acting chief executive, vuyisile kona removed position @ airline amid accusations organised airline s security service spy on him.

in january 2014 6 non-executive directors of state owned south african airways wrote minister public enterprises, malusi gigaba, of “major dissatisfaction” myeni s leadership. in march 2014 new chief executive, monwabisi kalawe, accused myeni of corruption after paying documents allegedly showed myeni had foreign bank accounts worth €18.5-million. these documents proven fake , lead disciplinary proceedings against kalawe. in may 2014 myeni accused kalawe of serious governance breaches. accusation kalawe disputed prompting gigaba state “full confidence” in kalawe following gigaba s call state owned airline fix s long troubled management problems. gigaba went on state deal myeni dispute kalawe. within week of gigaba s statement shuffled president zuma department of home affairs. gigaba replaced lynne brown minister public enterprises. upon zuma s request brown replaced myeni s critics @ airline , keeping myeni in position whilst instructing myeni reinstate kalawe chief executive. instruction myeni ignored.

in march 2015 south african airways signed agreement airbus part of airline s turn around plan lease 5 airbus a330s. in october 2015, without involving south african airways executives, myeni informed airbus airway renegotiating agreement instead outright sale unnamed third party purchase planes on saa’s behalf. raised concerns around corruption by-passing normal procurement process , triggered clause in original agreement renegotiation of agreement need approved ministry of finance. in editorial myeni stated reason why third party rental company needed mitigate impact of volatile exchange rates on running costs of aircraft thereby reducing airline s foreign currency exposure.

in december 2015 minister of finance, nhlanhla nene, rebuffed myeni s request renegotiate deal. 1 of suspected causes controversial replacement of nene minister president zuma week later david van rooyen. caused public outcry , negative reaction international markets led van rooyen s replacement 4 days later better known former minister of finance pravin gordhan (2009-2014). gordhan rejected myeni s request , instead announced original agreement lease planes implemented.