Myeni blows millions on luxury hotels, donations and other dodgy payments: report

Controversial SAA chair, Dudu Myeni has reportedly abused her position as chair of the Mhlathuze Water Board to blow millions of rands on luxury trips, dodgy donations and other unsanctioned items, according to the City Press.
According to the paper, it has received documents and followed a paper trail detailing how Myeni used funds from the Mhlathuze Water Board’s corporate social investment (CSI) funds to pay for a host of unsanctioned items.
These include:
- A funeral for a local leader
- Requested R1.4 million to be sent to the KZN government to build trading stalls in Nkandla (which was refused)
- R740,000 donation to Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini and the SA Water Association for t-shirts
- R480,000 on unsanctioned deliveries
- Two invoices totalling R428,000 relating to uniforms
- R137,000 for a “women in leadership dialogue”
- R300,000 for the “Uthungulu district municipality mayoral activities”
- End of year parties held at 5-star hotels in 2014 and 2015
- R600,000 on business class trips to conferences which Myeni did not attend
According to insiders at the Water Board, Myeni also requested to have full access to the company’s procurement plans and processes – something which she is not allowed to be privy to at all.
Myeni is a well known friend of president Jacob Zuma – and serves as the head of his foundation – who has controversially managed to maintain her leading positions at state entities despite many high-level attempts to have her removed.
Notably, her removal from South Africa Airways was a key battle for National Treasury under both Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan, and was used as a condition for government to give any more financial guarantees to the airline.
However, all attempts to have her removed have so far failed, while her stickiness with SAA is speculated to be one of the key factors in Nene being fired in 2015.
Government officials who are opposed to her position at SAA maintain that she is not fit for the position and is responsible for the airline’s worsening financial position. She has been accused of scuppering profitable deals to filter money through third party companies, as well as targeting and firing anyone who opposes her.
You can read the full report on The City Press.
Read: Myeni to control KZN water boards, despite red flags raised by Treasury: report