New claims over Myeni’s jumbo clout
Minister was moved after clashing with SAA chairwoman, says suspended CEO
SUSPENDED SAA CEO Monwabisi Kalawe claims Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba was moved from the Public Enterprises Ministry after clashing with Dudu Myeni, chairwoman of the airline’s board.
The claim is contained in court papers filed by Kalawe at the Labour Court in an attempt to stop the disciplinary case against him.
According to the Eyewitness News website, Kalawe claims Gigaba was removed after he had an altercation with the powerful Myeni.
Asked to elaborate on his claim, Kalawe referred the Sunday Times to his lawyers at Schindlers Attorneys.
The legal firm was however not available for comment at the weekend.
Gigaba’s spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete dismissed Kalawe’s claims.
“I don’t think Mr Kalawe has substantive knowledge to back up his assertions. I don’t think he is privy to the ANC deployment mechanism. It is not our place to question the ANC’s deployment process.
“The minister has taken the task at Home Affairs and he is enjoying it,” said Tshwete.
Kalawe faces a string of allegations of misconduct and alleged flouting of SAA policies and regulations.
Kalawe and Myeni have been at each other’s throats since last year.
Board members who supported Kalawe were removed in October last year by Lynne Brown, who succeeded Gigaba as minister of public enterprises. This was followed by Kalawe’s suspension.
Brown tried to have Kalawe’s suspension lifted but a defiant Myeni insisted that Kalawe remain on suspension. BUMPING HEADS: SAA chairwoman Dudu Myeni and suspended CEO Monwabisi Kalawe
SAA is not the only stateowned company in crisis. Eskom and the SABC are also in disarray.
Eskom chairman Zola Tsotsi resigned last week, days after he announced the suspension of senior company executives, including CEO Tshediso Matona.
At the SABC three board members who are opposed to chief operating officer Hlaudi REMOVED: Malusi Gigaba, now in charge of Home Affairs Motsoeneng were removed last month.
The problems in state-owned entities was a major topic of discussion at the ANC’s national executive committee meeting last weekend.
An NEC member said party leaders expressed their concern about the leadership at Eskom.
According to the NEC member — who declined to be named because he is not permitted to discuss party members in public — the meeting slammed Eskom bosses for failing to foresee that the costs of building Kusile and Medupi were going to escalate, hence plunging the company into financial trouble.
“When these people were doing projections why were they not being realistic?” the NEC member asked.
Concerning the SABC, some NEC members raised concerns about the powers given to the Motsoeneng-led management.
An NEC source said: “People were saying the management at the SABC has more powers than the board.” However, this claim was “wrong”.
“But the criticism was toned down because people are afraid of Hlaudi as there is a perception that he has a mandate from elsewhere,” the source said.
ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa confirmed that the crisis in state-owned entities was discussed, but no specific enterprise had been singled out.
“We were concerned about what seem to be leadership boardroom battles. We said it sends a worrying perception to the public.
“We said it’s important that different portfolio ministers work hard to resolve the problems. So we are asking each minister to deal with the matters in their portfolios,” said Kodwa. Comment on this: write to tellus@sundaytimes.co.za or SMS us at 33971 www.timeslive.co.za