Myeni still absent during damning evidence
More damning evidence continues to pile up against embattled former SAA board chairperson Dudu Myeni in the North Gauteng High Court (Pretoria), where Outa and the SAA Pilots Association want her to be declared a delinquent director.
A Cape Argus report says Avril Halstead – National Treasury’s chief director – was the latest witness yesterday to add impetus to the court application.
Halstead told the court how Myeni allegedly defied an instruction in September 2015 from the then Finance Minister to sign a deal with Airbus on behalf of SAA for the lease of five sophisticated aircraft.
The five planes, the court heard, were top of the range and were used by top international airlines for long-distance trips, being very fuel efficient. Halstead said SAA wanted to use the aircraft for their new routes, especially to Dubai, Europe and London, but Myeni allegedly reneged on the deal.
She allegedly wanted an African aircraft leasing company to enter such an agreement with Airbus on behalf of SAA.
While this evidence was being heard, Myeni was not in court – despite numerous appeals by Judge Ronel Tolmay to her for to attend.
Giving details of the Airbus deal, Halstead said SAA signed to purchase 15 A320 aircraft in 2002, and had made pre-deposit payments (PDPs) which amounted to billions of rands.
The Cape Argus report notes at the time, the purchase of a single A320 amounted to US$100m (R1bn).
In 2013, the court heard that SAA wanted five more planes added to their 2002 list. In 2015, 10 of 20 A320 aircraft were already in SA.
Halstead said SAA indicated to National Treasury that they had a deal with Airbus to lease five new, sophisticated aircraft. She said SAA had to submit a section 54 application to the then Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene.
‘The Minister, after consultation with Treasury, wrote to Myeni on 17 September 2015 and gave his approval of the lease deal,’ Halstead said.
But instead of signing the deal, the court heard that Myeni wrote a letter to Airbus management saying: ‘SAA has decided to do this transaction slightly differently, by engaging an African aircraft leasing company to engage with you directly.’
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
