Johannesburg – Reappointed chair of the South African Airways board of directors, Dudu Myeni, says the airline is addressing the issue of corruption internally.
"We have found reports of corrupt contracts. We are dealing with those things internally, we feel no obligation to take them to the media," Myeni said at a meeting with a group of concerned citizens on Thursday.
Myeni said she had made time to meet with Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama and Progressive Professionals Forum president Mzwanele Manyi to respond to some of their concerns.
Mngxitama said BLF had worries over the finances of SAA, the rate of transformation and reports of corruption, but felt the need to go and speak to Myeni themselves.
Myeni has attracted severe criticism throughout her first tenure as chairperson of SAA, some even accusing her of running the state-owned entity as if it was her private business. Her survival has also been linked to her close relationship to President Jacob Zuma, but in the meeting she told the group she had inherited challenges at the airline.
Speaking in front of a handful of journalists, Myeni said the board only visited Airway Park, SAA’s offices, four to six times a year and that she was not responsible for the daily operations at the organisation.
"There is an issue of a lack of accountability and consequence. I am not responsible for the day to day running of the airline, there is management for that."