Gigaba has no choice but to fire Myeni

21 September 2017

The DA wrote to the Commissioner of the Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission (CIPC) and received confirmation that Dudu Myeni’s continued appointment as SAA Board Chairperson and a Director is deemed to be illegal.

Finance Minister, Malusi Gigaba, therefore has no choice but to fire Myeni. We have written to Minister Gigaba to confirm what he has done to ensure that Ms Myeni no longer occupies these positions.

Point 2.3 of the CIPC Commissioner’s letter to Gigaba clearly states that ‘Ms Myeni’s continued occupation of the position of director and Chairperson of the Board of SAA is deemed to be illegal.’

This confirms our belief that Ms Myeni ceased to hold these roles at the end of August 2017 and that any decision taken by the SAA Board since then are null and void and may not be implemented.

Ms Myeni has managed SAA into bankruptcy and if there is any chance of saving the airline and the majority of the 9 398 jobs at SAA, she must be immediately removed from having anything more to do with the airline.

Every attempt must be made to save SAA but this cannot be at the cost of the massive bailouts, like we have seen in the past and are likely at the end of September 2017 when loans of R6.783 billion are due to be repaid. The airline must be put into business rescue to stabilise its operations, stop the losses and ultimately be privatised.

Issued by Alf Lees, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Finance, 21 September 2017