Former SAA chairwoman Dudu Myeni has landed a top job in government that may put her back in the pilot's seat at the airline, which suffered a string of scandals and searing financial losses under her watch.
The Sunday Times can reveal that Myeni, a close friend of President Jacob Zuma, has been brought in from the cold with her appointment this week as special adviser to Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi.
Myeni could still have the last laugh over critics of her tenure at SAA, as it now appears that the government is considering placing the embattled national airline back within her reach under the ministry of transport. It currently falls under the National Treasury.
But the move could backfire, with South Africa's top banks warning that they may recall their loans if SAA is prised away from tight Treasury controls.As speculation about the move grew this week, four major banks and Investec are believed to have written to SAA on Monday, introducing a new loan agreement stating that any changes to its shareholder, or top management, without consultation would trigger the immediate recall of some R8-billion that SAA owes to the banks.
This new condition was an effort to ensure stability at the airline, SAA insiders said.
"SAA's exposure is in the region of about R8-billion and if that [agreement with the banks] is broken we'd have to find the money in 60 hours," said a senior SAA source.
"There is also the possibility of cross-defaults with other [state-owned enterprises] because such a reckless move would make other lenders nervous."
'President's prerogative'
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba's spokesman, Mayihlome Tshwete, said the department had no knowledge of plans to move SAA, but Maswanganyi confirmed there was a national review under way to move SAA to his department.
"At the end of the day it would be the president's prerogative to endorse a move and the SAA board will report directly to me and not my advisers," he said.
While such a move would place Myeni in a position of influence through her advice to the minister, she would not have direct contact with the airline, because the ministerial handbook precludes advisers from involvement in operations in departments or SOEs.
Maswanganyi confirmed the appointment of Myeni as special adviser on Friday, saying she had been "highly recommended".
He defended her appointment, saying Myeni "hasn't yet been found guilty at any court of law". He added: "A person is innocent until proven guilty by court of law and not a court of public opinion."He would not confirm or deny that he was put under pressure to appoint Myeni.
"I needed someone with aviation experience ... I appointed her as one of my advisers because as a minister I am allowed to appoint a maximum of three advisers without advertising the posts," he said.
As a part-time adviser, she will be paid according to hours clocked in the minister's office. An adviser typically earns about R1.2-million a year.
Myeni ended a controversial nine-year stint on the SAA board in October after the cabinet approved a raft of changes brought by Gigaba to the board. Four other members were also axed.
Myeni was by far the biggest and least expected casualty as her close relationship to Zuma had made her untouchable at SAA despite many controversies under her watch.
These included two different complaints of absenteeism against her by two different boards; creating instability at the airline by seeing off three CEOs; meddling in procurement; and bending the truth in order to achieve her preferred outcomes.
The 54-year-old former teacher also had a compliance notice issued against her by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission for misrepresenting a board resolution on procurement of aircraft from French manufacturer Airbus to Gigaba, who was then public enterprises minister.
Stand-off
The Sunday Times understands that Gigaba, soon after taking office at the Treasury in March, began lobbying Zuma for Myeni's removal but only got the green light two months after her term expired.
By then the government was left with little choice as the CIPCdeemed her continued presence on the board after August illegal because by then she had served three consecutive terms as a nonexecutive director, the maximum allowed under SAA rules...