South African ministry ignites controversy as SAA interim leader named group chief

South Africa’s government has appointed John Lamola as the group CE of South African Airways, cementing a position he has held on an interim basis for close to three years. But the decision is proving controversial, after the country’s second-largest political party claimed that the airline’s board preferred Kenya Airways chief Allan Kilavuka. The Democratic Alliance insists the appointment of Lamola “raises serious concerns about the integrity and transparency of the process”, suggesting it was politically-motivated to favour the rival African National Congress party. It adds that it plans to submit an application to access minutes of relevant meetings. Lamola was approved for the post by South Africa’s cabinet on 26 February. Transport minister Barbara Creecy – the shareholder minister of SAA since August last year – has defended the selection process, stating that she was informed of three candidates with a request to approve one of them. Creecy says one of these candidates, the head of another airline operating in Africa, is not a South African citizen and expressed her concerns to the SAA chair regarding the “potential complexities” – relating to security clearances – in appointing a non-South African to the CE post. The ministry says it consulted South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, the leader of the African National Congress, on the best way to proceed.<br/>