Strong SAA board still carries baggage

Cape Town – The SAA board is reinforced with people who have a solid financial background, said UDM MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa.

Kwankwa, who also serves on Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance, which is responsible for overseeing SAA, told Fin24 on Friday some of the new appointees bring a wealth of experience to the struggling national carrier.

“But we all know who is the elephant in the room – the fact that Dudu Myeni has been retained as chairperson,” Kwankwa said.

“She’s still going to be the face of SAA and she brings a lot of baggage with her. One can just hope that she uses the opportunity to redeem herself this time around.”

Solly Moeng, brand manager and political commentator, said it was hard to hide the  “utter disappointment at the retention of "the totally unsuitable" Dudu Myeni” as chairperson.

“It sends the wrong message at a time when the country's economy, morale at the beleaguered airline and simple corporate governance sense require it.”

In Moeng's view, Myeni is almost single-handedly responsible for the state SAA finds itself in.

READ: Dudu Myeni survives another day at SAA 

“Keeping her will do nothing to boost potential investor confidence. It will also bolster the views of key stakeholders against any hope that things will start improving,” said Moeng.

What SAA needs more than anything else, he added, is change and a new beginning under new, "completely professional and experienced", management.

Civil rights group Outa (Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse) also expressed concern over the retention of Miyeni as SAA chairperson.

“We hope and trust the new board will go a long way in rectifying the extremely poor performance of SAA, but with Ms Myeni as the chair we expect challenges to abound,” said Wayne Duvenhage, Outa’s chairperson.

Outa appealed to the new board to “apply their minds” about the possible reappointment of former senior managers at SAA, such as Thuli Mpshe (general manager of human resources), Cynthia Stimpel (head of treasury) and Sylvain Bosc (chief commercial officer) – “all of whom had been suspended for standing their ground against the questionable conduct of the previous board,” said Duvanhage.  

ALSO READ: SAA requires a whole new board - Gordhan

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