JUST IN: SAA acting CEO placed on special leave, four months after controversial appointment
SAA board says the decision to place Seshibe on special leave reflected its commitment to governance and accountability.
South African Airways (SAA) has placed acting group CEO Matshela Seshibe on special leave immediately, four months after his controversial appointment. The airline announced the decision on Friday, with Seshibe remaining on leave pending the outcome of an internal process. SAA did not disclose the nature of this process or whether any allegations were made against Seshibe.
He was appointed acting CEO in April following the resignation of Professor John Lamola. Seshibe's appointment had drawn criticism at the time, with concerns raised about his aviation experience. The The Citizen reported that Wayne Duvenage, CEO of Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), questioned the rationale of the appointment, describing it as "boggling the mind".
Aviation analyst Guy Leitch also described the situation as "extremely concerning". SAA's board stated that the decision to place Seshibe on special leave reflects their commitment to governance and accountability, and is consistent with their responsibility to protect the interests of all stakeholders. Board chairperson Sedzani Mudau confirmed that the board would continue acting in the airline's best interests, appointing Koekie Mbeki, the head of legal, as acting group CEO with immediate effect.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
