SAA dealing with corrupt contracts - Myeni

[schumi]

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."

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/saa-dealing-with-corrupt-contracts-myeni-20160908

 

[Sinbad]

**** internally. Criminal charges please.

 

[schumi]

SAA is in good hands – Dudu Myeni

Johannesburg - Embattled chairperson of South African Airways (SAA) Dudu Myeni has assured South Africans that the national carrier is in good hands, expressing confidence in the new board that was announced last week to work alongside her.

"I want to assure you that this airline is in the right hands: I have observed the new board, it's people with good skills, people who are highly competent and with experience, people who will arrive here and take time to familiarise themselves with the aviation space," Myeni told journalists and a group of concerned citizens.

Earlier the SAA chair held a closed meeting with several leaders including Black First Land First leader Andile Mngxitama, Progressive Professionals Forum president Mzwanele Jimmy Manyi and National Association of Manufacturers in Electronic Components' Adil Nchabeleng.

The group wanted to address concerns it had over the running of the state-owned enterprise, claiming media reports of goings-on at SAA were concerning.

In an open session, where journalists were not allowed to pose questions to Myeni, they discussed issues of the financial well-being of SAA, corruption and transformation.

Myeni said her board inherited a company that did not have a healthy balance sheet but added that steps were being taken to "remedy the situation".

Incompetence a 'myth'

"The turnaround strategy is that we look at why we are in financial turmoil, commissioned forensic investigation into financial losses, looked at every part of the business to understand what happened in our outstations in Brazil and in the UK," she said.

Myeni also spent a considerable amount of time defending her role as chair of the board and hit out at those who have criticised her performance.

"What I want to give you assurance of is that we found the airline in dire straits: There were people who were aviation experts who were here before us. There is also a myth that this chairperson is incompetent but I am yet to find the yard stick they are using to access my competence.

“I am incompetent because R24bn must benefit black South Africans, I am also incompetent because I have seen the reason why the airline was losing money," she said.

Myeni compared the way the airline was being portrayed as an "alcoholic" always seeking bailouts, but that was not the truth, she said.

"All you hear is that the company needs bailouts, always knocking, going to National Treasury for bailouts. What you don't know is that bailouts are not in cash. We get a paper which is a government guarantee; we service those loans, ourselves [we] never received a cash injection from government."

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/saa-dealing-with-corrupt-contracts-myeni-20160908

 

[biometrics]

They should charge her first.

 

[Sneeky]

Stealing public money is not a matter for internal under the table disciplinary procedures.
To the Police please, if you ever want us to even remotely believe you.

This is not by any stretch of the imagination an unreasonable request or response to corruption, why are you dithering?

 

[Excalibur]

The jackal giving reassurance that the chicken theft problem is being dealt with. :crylaugh:

 

[Excalibur]

OMW this is unbelievable, she had a meeting with two of the biggest Gupta puppets and Zuma defenders (Mgnxitama and Manyi) to address their concerns about corruption. This a stage play prepared for the public.

 

[Tikkop]

OMW this is unbelievable, she had a meeting with two of the biggest Gupta puppets and Zuma defenders (Mgnxitama and Manyi) to address their concerns about corruption. This a stage play prepared for the public.

Yep. That was a clear tell she was playing with a losing hand.

 

[Jola]

The jackal giving reassurance that the chicken theft problem is being dealt with. :crylaugh:

That ^

 

[Hemi300c]

And doesn't take accountability for anything, which is typical of the anc "rulers"

 

[Jings]

What is her responsibility as chairperson?

 

[Hemi300c]

The whole shebang

 

[Jings]

The whole shebang

Except she's distancing herself from Operations. Who knew chairpersons could choose what they want to be responsible for.

 

[reactor_sa]

I think as long as people view SAA as a corrupt money pit, they will rather use other airlines. There is no future for SAA.

 

[krycor]

"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."

Wow.. just wow. At the end of the day the CEO is accountable for all actions of the organisation under his/her watch. Sure they appoint management to deal with e.g. operations but this does not remove their accountability for it.

 

[grok]

Don't forget this CEO's worldview..

“She said SAA belongs to the state, the state belongs to the president and therefore SAA has to listen to the president.”

The fact that she can string a few sentences together means nothing, she's as dumb and incompetent as they come.

 

[sox63]

Wow.. just wow. At the end of the day the CEO is accountable for all actions of the organisation under his/her watch. Sure they appoint management to deal with e.g. operations but this does not remove their accountability for it.

Musa Zwane is the current acting CEO and the CFO is also acting IIRC. This woman is the Chairperson, in a non executive role, so she is quite right that she isn't responsible for day to day operations