Zuma mum on Dudu and SAA

President Jacob Zuma yesterday denied that government has taken a decision to move South African Airways (SAA) from the National Treasury to the transport department.

“The reports are incorrect. No such decision had been taken by government,” Zuma’s spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said in a brief statement.

“While there are many views about where certain entities may be better located as government continues to look for ways of improving the performance of stateowned enterprises (SOEs), that does not translate into a decision.

“SAA remains located at the National Treasury where it will continue to receive support and guidance as it rebuilds itself, following the appointment of a new board and CEO,” Ngqulunga said.

The Sunday Times yesterday reported that only months after Dudu Myeni was removed as SAA board chair, following a string of scandals, she had landed a top job as advisor to Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi.

The controversial appointment – which could see Myeni net more than R1 million a year – came as government considered moving SAA from National Treasury to the transport department, the newspaper said.

Maswanganyi confirmed there was a national review under way to move SAA to his department. He also defended the appointment of Myeni, a friend of Zuma, saying she had been “highly recommended”, but would not say by who.

“I needed someone with aviation experience … I appointed her as one of my advisors because, as a minister, I am allowed to appoint a maximum of three advisors without advertising the posts,” the newspaper reported Maswanganyi as having said.

The Democratic Alliance said it was incomprehensible that the hard-won steps towards saving SAA could be so recklessly undermined by the proposal to move the embattled airline from the National Treasury to the transport ministry – a ministry that had fouled up the e-toll saga.

“What makes such a proposal even worse is the news that disgraced Myeni has been appointed as a ‘special’ advisor to Maswanganyi, a close ally of Zuma,” DA spokesperson Alf Lees said.

Despite any rules that may preclude her from interfering in SAA affairs, Myeni would likely ignore these and meddle, he said.

The DA would now approach all banks owed the R13.8 billion SAA debt to recall their loans. – ANA