‘We knew’: SAA pilots predicted acting CEO wouldn’t last

South African Airways (SAA) is grappling with a series of operational challenges, leadership instability, and alleged political interference, as revealed by sources close to the airline. An SAA pilot recently told The Citizen that they had predicted acting CEO Matshela Seshibe would "fu*k up within six months," as he lasted less than that time.

Another senior executive suggested that the leaking of the Listeria report was a deliberate move to place Seshibe under the board's scrutiny. Industry insiders noted that SAA and other state-run aviation entities have been in decline since Transport Minister Barbara Creecy took office, citing issues at air traffic control, airports, and other aviation-related entities.

Seshibe, who has a past connection to the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, was placed on special leave due to an internal process related to matters arising from his tenure at Air Chefs. The precise allegations have not been formally presented to him, and it would be inappropriate to speculate. SAA's string of controversies over the past four years includes allegations against former marketing head Carla da Silva, questions about the accuracy of SAA's annual reports, and several security incidents, such as a flight missing approaches during inclement weather and an incident involving contaminated fuel.

The airline's current leadership stability, with Koekie Mbeki as acting group CEO, is seen as crucial for addressing the ongoing issues.