The minister of public enterprises, Malusi Gigaba, has labelled the SAA board members that leaked confidential board meeting minutes as “reckless and moronic” and has promised that serious action will be taken against those conducting a “witch hunt” against the ceo of SAA, Monwabisi Kalawe.
The confidential report, which was leaked to newspapers Beeld and Rapport, stated that acting chairperson, Dudu Myeni, had asked the auditor-general to investigate the SAA ceo ver at least four allegations, including negotiating to buy a stake in Senegal Airways without the board’s knowledge, as well as charging passengers for a baggage-wrapping services that were not yet in operation.
But Malusi said the allegations being made were irrational and that there was no need for them to be chased. He added that if the accuser had the courage of their convictions they should have followed proper process. “They should have gone to the board for a resolution, which they would bring to the shareholder representative (the minister of public enterprises) and I would then apply my discretion to the matter. This has not happened,” he said.
He continued to say that there was no discord within the board of SAA. “I want to assure you, I know who they are. They have committed a crime by breaching the confidentiality to which they swore when they accepted their positions on the board and I am going to treat this manner in a very serious light. They have undermined not only the shareholder representative, but the shareholder itself, the South African government by taking the allegations publically when they have not been tested internally,” he said.
