South African Airways president and chief executive officer Andre Viljoen has resigned — although his contract was due to end only in 2006.
Viljoen’s resignation will be effective from August 31, the SAA board said on Monday.
Acting board chairperson Tshidi Mokgabudi said: ”Mr Oyama Mabandla, currently deputy CEO, has been appointed acting chief executive from September 1, 2004.”
Mabandla was appointed last year following a restructuring of SAA’s management. He was expected to take over from Viljoen when his contract ended.
Mokgabudi gave no reasons for the resignation of Viljoen, who replaced Coleman Andrews as CEO in 2001.
Business Day said on Tuesday that Viljoen had been reported as saying he was interested in a position as chief executive of the ailing Swiss International Air Lines.
There was speculation Viljoen would have to step down early as CEO following the heavy losses SAA suffered in a R6-billion hedging loss. The loss was revealed in SAA’s 2002/2003 financial results and saw the government having to issue a R3,5-billion guarantee to lenders.
SAA spokesperson Onkgopotse Tabane told the Mail & Guardian Online on Tuesday that he could not comment on the circumstances surrounding Viljoen’s departure.
Democratic Alliance spokesperson for public works Ian Davidson said: ”It will be a great loss to SAA. He was at the helm when SAA was turned around from a loss maker to — although still a loss maker because of the hedging offers — at least an operationally profitable airline.”
Mabandla, the new CEO, was born in Cape Town on February 24 1963. He went into exile in 1980 and worked for the ANC. He worked as a strategic advisor under Chris Hani and also was a political analyst for the ANC until 1988.
He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at the University of California. He joined the Johannesburg Bar in January 1999 as an advocate. Mabandla joined the airline in 2001 as the operational head of the legal department.
In March 2001 he was appointed as executive vice-president and negotiated the $3,5-billion acquisition of 41 Airbus planes.
In November 2003 he was appointed as the deputy CEO of the company. – Sapa