Defiant SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni is primed to be re-elected in the role this coming Friday – cementing her position as de-facto head of the airline until her term ends in 2018.<\/p>\n
This is according to a report by The Times,<\/a><\/strong> citing sources who are close to the process currently taking place through Cabinet\u00a0to establish a new SAA board.<\/p>\n Cabinet has reportedly been handed a list of 13 names for consideration, and will make an announcement on Friday, The Times reported.<\/p>\n According to the paper, Myeni’s presence on the list is a “massive compromise” on the part of National Treasury, which has not minced its words in expressing its desire for the current chair to be given the boot.<\/p>\n However, a list of names submitted by finance minister Pravin Gordhan, which excluded Myeni, was reportedly outright rejected by president Jacob Zuma.<\/p>\n Myeni is a personal friend of Zuma’s, and heads up the Jacob Zuma Foundation.<\/p>\n The chair is widely blamed for the mismanagement and maladministration at SAA, which has led to the airline’s crushing financial difficulties over the better part of the last decade.<\/p>\n SAA has received a number of government bailouts worth at least R14.4\u00a0billion\u00a0over the years, and is looking for another R5 billion guarantee from Treasury.<\/p>\n Gordhan has refused to sign off on the guarantee while the current board is still in power.<\/p>\n It is speculated that a similar position held by former finance minister, Nhlanhla Nene, is what cost him his job – and is also playing a role in current pressure Gordhan is facing from Hawks<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n According to legislation, Myeni can only hold the position for three terms of three years. She was first elected as chair in 2009.<\/p>\n Gordhan to give SAA\u2019s Myeni the axe?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n SAA looking for R16 billion to keep flying<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on SAA<\/h3>\n