UP IN THE AIR
Who's the boss at SAA?
You sacked almost the entire SAA board, retaining only Dudu Myeni, who is said to be close to President Jacob Zuma, and Yakhe Kwinana. The talk is that you have said Myeni is ‘untouchable’. I’ve been a minister for almost six months. I don’t carry a can for Myeni; I don’t have tea with her. A new SAA board was appointed last week with a clear instruction from me: stabilise SAA and implement a turnaround strategy.
I was told by Myeni, barely a week after the board was appointed, that she has placed Mnwabisi Kalawe [SAA’s chief executive] on precautionary suspension.
On Wednesday this week I told Myeni that I’m reversing that decision because there’s no way you charge somebody with a disciplinary process without prima facie evidence. I asked her how suspending Kalawe would lead to stabilising SAA.
“What are you doing?” I asked her. “I told you to stabilise the board.” How did Myeni receive your instruction not to suspend Kalawe? She said “Yes, minister.” I didn’t ask her. I told her.
I will not be manipulated or instructed. I have a job to do. I’ve been told by many people that Myeni can’t be touched. I’m told lots of stories; handed lots of documents and letters. I read it all because I have to understand this job.
I do feel compelled to say that I don’t have a lot of time.
SAA can’t [be allowed to] fail. I will fire whoever if further instability is caused within SAA. If anybody creates instability, I will say “I can’t work with you; there’s the door”.
If the board, or anybody on the board, does not perform its function, I will act. Stability of the airline is far more important than anything. Have you met President Zuma and discussed Myeni? And did the president say you must retain her on the board? You did sack the whole board but her ... I often meet the president. The president doesn’t give me instructions. He doesn’t tell one what to do — he gives advice. Why did you retain Myeni when the rest of the board was sacked? I had to deal with what’s required. Myeni was retained for her institutional memory.
I still think she has capacity and knowledge of the industry. I’ve not heard substantive allegations against her. I have a 10-page letter written against her during the period when [Malusi] Gigaba was the minister. She’s accused of not attending meetings — I found the complaints against her, thus far, flimsy.
The new SAA board has clear instructions from me. I said appoint somebody who will help the airline live off its balance sheet so that the state doesn’t need to bail it out continuously.
I want to know what SAA is spending money on; who is making the food; where do we buy our jet fuel. I need answers.
My own opinion, and it’s still an illinformed opinion, is that an airline that makes millions and millions of rands should be able to work within its own margins without bailouts. I need to understand this.
There have been complaints against Myeni, and Kalawe. If there are substantive issues raised, I will fire them.
I’m not here providing employment. I have a job to do. Have you had meetings with the Guptas about SAA and the acquisition of aircraft by SAA? No. I don’t take instructions from the Guptas and the president doesn’t give me instructions either. I will not be manipulated. I have a job to do. It’s difficult to work under these conditions. There’s a level of discomfort that’s very hard. You know of the allegations that the Guptas lobby on behalf of the French and of Boeing? No. Did you fire your adviser, Brendan Roberts? Brendan and I had a fight a week ago and he is angry with me. He’s really, really good; that’s why he’s my adviser. We’ve been friends forever and he is grumpy as hell — I’m the only woman in the world who understands him, I think. If he comes back tomorrow, I will take him back. I didn’t fire him — he left. Your predecessor, Malusi Gigaba, got operationally involved in SAA. This is a problem, surely. I am conscious that I shouldn’t be involved in the operational functioning of the airline, and [should] not, as a politician, give instructions on how the board does its job.
But I’m desperate to get the airline working. That accounts for the instruction to the chairman. You inherited a ministry racked by political interference, crippled by bad management and rumoured to be influenced by very powerful business and political players. The acquisition of new aircraft will dwarf the arms deal … we’re talking about R60-billion. Why did Zuma put you in charge? SAA is in ICU. SAA has no money, it can’t operate. The minister of finance denied a guarantee to bail us out.
SAA and Eskom are huge industries. The stakes are very high. But the fact is: SAA doesn’t have the money to acquire more aircraft. If the elephant in the room is the R60billion needed to buy planes, I say we don’t have the money at the moment.
SAA is an opaque organisation. There are lots of rumours at the moment and nothing is being investigated.
I’ve told the board to keep the flights in the air and stabilise the airline. Is it true that the R10-billion a year jet fuel supply contract has lapsed? Yes. This is critical. It was supposed to be renewed in February. I’m under intense pressure. I will not be accused of being played. You have been accused of interference by giving an Eskom deal to French nuclear company Areva although American-Japanese company Westinghouse was the preferred bidder. It’s rubbish. This information is false and it’s been fed to the media, who published that I changed the name.