#DuduMyeni says she reported corruption at SAA, but govt ministers didn’t listen – #Zondo

In January 2014, a special board meeting was called by the SAA board to table concerns around Dudu Myeni’s leadership and decisions.

According to the Zondo Commission, Myeni had grossly misrepresented facts to the department of public enterprises about a Pembroke transaction which involved the sale of A3220 aircraft. As SAA chair, Myeni had delayed the sale by four months leading to a loss of R800m to the state airline.

In addition, the delay had a knock-on effect as SAA had to increase it’s borrowing with lenders to finance its operational costs. A letter was then drafted by six out of 10 members of the board, signed and sent to Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba after she didn’t attend the special meeting held by the board.

In the letter to Gigaba, the board members spoke of how they were not confident of Myeni’s leadership, that they were being managed with fear and intimidation and she had instigated investigations into fellow board members. The letter concluded by stating Myeni had transgressed good governance and had a leadership style that would expose the board to liabilities.

Gigaba honoured the board with a meeting to discuss Myeni’s leadership, which was also branded divisive. However, she did not attend this meeting and tried to place a moratorium on further meetings by forcing the CEO and group secretary to do so.

SAA
Dudu Myeni – real life example of the way “entrepreneurial politicians” pull State levers of power for personal benefit. More of Zapiro’s magic available at www.zapiro.com.

When asked by evidence leader Kate Hofmeyr if the minister should have taken the letter and allegations seriously, Myeni launched into a tirade about former SAA president and CEO Coleman Andrews.

“I wish the minister that is spoken about or any other minister would have taken the matter of the collapsing of SAA during the tenure of Coleman Andrews who sold the fleet, putting it into the deepest challenge which the decision that they took then up until today was wrong then and is wrong today.

“If then that I am hearing the minister took something seriously written by board members but none of them took the matter of corruption and all the investigations done in terms of the investigation and erroneous lease agreements, I would be in a position to respond to this question.

“I am not going to respond and I appreciate that the chairperson is allowing me not to incriminate myself,” said Myeni.

When prompted to expand on ministers not taking allegations of corruption seriously, Myeni said she had unearthed corruption at SAA but this was not considered by government.

“I have reported about airport contracts that are dollarised in terms of their leases. I have raised issues about an untransformed state entity. The corruption was one of the issues we dealt with, into financial losses. I have presented the reports, the same seriousness that I’m hearing about a certain letter – whom these board members never raised any issue about evergreen contracts – 90% of the contracts being for only white companies. Only 2% going to black suppliers. Instead, my moral standing is challenged in the media…” said Myeni.

Confirming that she had responded to the allegations by the board members, Myeni said “the criticims made were a withchunt, a contrived manner to undermine her leadership.”

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