SAA report says CEO bugged own office to refute harassment claims

Johannesburg - South African Airways (SAA) suspended its chief executive officer over allegations that included the use of company equipment to record colleagues in his fight against a sexual harassment claim, documents seen by Bloomberg show.

Monwabisi Kalawe asked SAA security staff to install cameras and recording devices in his own office, according to a report from the company that a person familiar with the matter said was filed at Johannesburg's Labour Court on Wednesday. The contents, of which the bugging allegations are just one aspect, will be made public on Thursday, the person said.

“Mr Kalawe explained to the security team that he had concerns regarding a potential sexual harassment charge from one of the female SAA staff and needed to protect himself,” the 90- page document says.

Kalawe and his lawyer Maurice Crespi of Schindlers Attorneys, Conveyancers & Notaries in Johannesburg didn’t respond to after-hours emails and calls. Johannesburg-based SAA confirmed that it had submitted documents to the labour court and said it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Kalawe was suspended from the leadership of Africa’s biggest passenger airline in October and is now in disciplinary hearings led by Nazeer Cassim, a senior member of the Johannesburg bar, SAA said in February. No date for the completion of the proceedings has been announced.

‘Crazy’

The airline’s security team acquired three devices costing a total of R18 000 at Kalawe’s request, according to the report: a desk-top clock concealing a motion-activated camera and recording gear, a pinhole camera with microphone, and video-recording equipment disguised as a vehicle keyring.

After discussing Kalawe’s request, a member of the security staff sent the CEO a text message saying “Yikes Sire, this is crazy,” according to the document, which is dated February 12 and headlined as a “forensic investigation into various allegations at SAA.”

Kalawe had understood the remark to be a reference to the harassment claim, the report says. The executive also said when questioned that he’d asked for existing closed-circuit cameras to be extended to his office and didn’t realise new gear had been bought until being asked to approve the expense, it says.

Other allegations against Kalawe include corruption, invasion of privacy and hiring a friend on an inflated salary, two people familiar with the inquiry said last month. The CEO said then that he couldn’t comment and referred calls to Crespi.

Kalawe will remain suspended until the inquiry is completed, the board of SAA said in February.