■ SOUTH AFRICA: Gigaba appoints Duduzile Myeni to Acting Chairwoman, Vuyusile Kona to Acting CEO of SAA.

South African Minister of Public Enterprises, Malusi Gigaba, has appointed with immediate effect, Vuyisile Kona to the position of Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Duduzile Myeni as the Acting Chairwoman of the Board of South African Airways following a recent SAA Board meeting held on 7 December 2012.

Previously Kona had held the title of "Executive Chairperson" but will assume the position of the Acting CEO, pending the permanent appointment of a new CEO "sometime next year."

Malusi Gigaba

In addition, the Acting Chairperson will be required to lead the process for the development of the long term strategy currently being initiated by the company.

The Minister would also like to clarify the Terms of Reference of the Task Team appointed in October. The Task Team has the mandate:

• To advise and lead the engagements with key Government Departments and ensure alignment between the SAA Board, other State aviation assets, and key Government departments;
• To monitor the work-plan and advise on the achievements of key deliverables as agreed upon by the SAA Board and the Consultants; and
• To ensure alignment between the long term strategy and the wider Government objectives.

Source [The South African Government]

The appointment of Myeni as Acting Chairwoman meanwhile, has already caused some consternation on the South African political scene with South African opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, alleging that the appointment was politically, and not meritoriously, based.

The new appointments come on the back of the spectacular mass SAA-board resignations of Jonestown proportions in October which saw then CEO Siza Mzimela and Chairwoman Cheryl Carolus jump ship citing a communication breakdown between the board and Gigaba.