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Myeni: 'I don't need Zuma to get a top job'

Cape Town - Dudu Myeni, chairperson of the embattled South African Airways (SAA), said she doesn't need the help of President Jacob Zuma in order for her to hold any director position. She is an experienced board member whose "CV talks".

This is how she answered her critics in Parliament on Wednesday, Netwerk24 reported.

Myeni is often criticised that she is a Zuma ally and that the president ensured her re-appointment to the SAA board, despite the national carrier suffering billions of rands of losses over the last two years under her watch.

A cheerful Myeni told the standing committee on finance it "gives me great pleasure" to announce that SAA submitted its financial statements for 2015/16 to Parliament on Wednesday morning.

The statements had been long overdue due to the airline’s dire financial condition. This is also why the SAA only filed its financial statements for 2014/'15 in September.

The latest financial statements show SAA made a loss of R1.4bn in 2015/16. This is much better than the R5.6bn loss in 2014/15.

Myeni said the latest financial statements show an improvement in the airline's finances.

"The airline is in safe hands. It will not collapse. It is still in the air and still win prizes under the 'incompetent' chairperson," she said.

"When I was appointed as a board member of Absa and to an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in Guangdong, I needed no one to recommend what I do or do not offer."

She admitted that she can take unpopular decisions, but noted that she doesn't bully staff or board members as reported. "I ask questions and do what is right."

Myeni denied that she knew the controversial Gupta family or interact with them. She also denied that she is directly involved in the awarding of SAA tenders.

She sees transformation as very important and said military veterans, women, the disabled and youth are at the top of the airline's transformation agenda.

The chairperson said it gives her pleasure to see the contribution she makes. "It is, however, not a pleasure when young people [referring to the EFF, who demands her head] pull me apart in the presence of children."

Myeni added that her husband is just waiting until her term ends are chairperson so that he can take on EFF MPs who call her "Dudu Myeni Zuma".

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