South African Airways (SA, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) has been rocked by more board-room chaos with Mango Airlines (MNO, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) CEO, Nico Bezhuidenhout, having been appointed the carrier's CEO in the absence of Monwabisi Kalawe, who was suspended by SAA chairwoman, Dudu Myeni, last week.
South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper states Myeni last week provided Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown, with a list of reasons for suspending Kalawe but did not publicize them.
Brown's predecessor, Malusi Gigaba, appointed Kalawe in April 2013 following the suspension of Vuyisile Kona on allegations of "improper conduct." Kalawe's appointment raised eyebrows at the time given that he was an industry outsider with no experience of the airline industry.
According to BusinessDay, Kalawe has himself been accused of corruption by Myeni with claims she asked the auditor-general to investigate claims the CEO had negotiated to buy a stake in insolvent Senegal Airlines (Dakar Yoff-Léopold Sédar Senghor International) without the board’s knowledge, and that customers were being charged for a bag-wrapping service they did not receive. Also at issue were fuel-procurement irregularities and Mr Kalawe’s apparent refusal to sign a performance agreement.
Kalawe's suspension is the latest upheaval to have affected SAA's board following the resignation of six members in October.
