Kalawe has agreed to exit, says airline

SUSPENDED South African Airways (SAA) chief executive officer Monwabisi Kalawe has resigned.

SAA spokesman Tlali Tlali said yesterday the airline and Kalawe had agreed he would step down from his positions as CEO and SAA director.

Tlali said Kalawe’s resignation meant the disciplinary proceedings against him were unnecessary.

Kalawe failed in his bid to stop his disciplinary hearing and to overturn his suspension in the Johannesburg Labour Court last Friday. He filed an urgent interdict at the Labour Court just before the Easter long weekend to have the inquiry against him stopped and his suspension lifted.

Over the past six years four CEOs and one acting CEO have left SAA.

Judgment on Kalawe’s application before an independent arbitrator‚ Nazeer Cassim SC‚ to have his disci- plinary hearing halted and his suspension lifted‚ was reserved last Friday. But instead, Kalawe’s contract has been terminated.

Kalawe had initially filed the application at the Labour Court but withdrew it‚ opting for it to be heard before Mr Justice Cassim.

In his founding affidavit filed to the Labour Court‚ Kalawe argued that SAA was now accusing him of procuring false overseas bank statements to dig up dirt on SAA board chairman Dudu Myeni‚ and sending the documents to private investigator Paul O’Sullivan‚ knowing that he would make them public. Kalawe denied this and claimed he made the disclosures in the interests of the national carrier.

Kalawe will receive payment from SAA in lieu of his three months’ notice, and outstanding leave pay, Tlali said. – Business Day