SAA will soon have a new CEO, says Gordhan

Musa Zwane has been acting CEO since late 2015 when he became the airline's seventh CEO in three years, and the lack of a permanent CEO has been one of the issues contributing to the instability of the airline under chairwoman Dudu Myeni, whose controversial term has been characterised by frequent clashes with Treasury.

The time frame for the appointment of a permanent CEO emerged from a letter Gordhan sent to the speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, requesting permission for a delay in tabling the corporate plan for the three years 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Participation required

Gordhan said the participation of the new CEO would be required in the corporate planning process.

"With the assistance of the restructuring adviser and restructuring officer, the SAA is currently undertaking a review of its long-term strategy and corporate plan which is expected to be completed by the end of June 2017," Gordhan said.

He asked Mbete for permission to table the SAA corporate plan for 2017-18 by end-March, instead of tabling the three-year plan required by the Public Management Finance Act. He sought permission to submit the three-year plan by end-July.

DA deputy finance spokesman Alf Lees said "the fact that the appointment of the CEO is yet to be finalised and the minister's request for approval of a deviation in the tabling of SAA's corporate plan are indicative of the turmoil and legacy complications created by the previous board with Dudu Myeni at the helm".

Source: BDpro