Lid sent flying off SAA Pandora’s Box

Johannesburg - The fallout over the fake bank statements scandal that has rocked SAA has opened a window into the world of mistrust, suspicion and factionalism engulfing the national carrier.

The saga also gives a glimpse into the role of self-styled “corruption-buster” Paul O’Sullivan, who wrote an e-mail demanding that Dudu Myeni resign.

 This has come as suspended SAA chief executive Monwabisi Kalawe faces a raft of disciplinary charges. His hearing is to get under way on Monday.

The Sunday Independent reported two weeks ago how O’Sullivan, a private investigator, told Myeni she should resign, failing which he would make public details of what he said were secret overseas bank accounts.

He alleged she had more than R200 million stashed in these accounts, France and Austria.

But documents in his possession, including letters from Interpol, turned out to be fake, and O’Sullivan was forced into a humiliating and potentially financially damaging retraction.

He offered Myeni R50 000 in settlement of a potential defamation suit.

O’Sullivan said he had been the innocent victim of a “third force” that was intent on destabilising SAA and which had given him false information to target Myeni.

According to his version, he was a mere conduit of the false information, and had nothing to do with its generation or the motives behind it.

Further investigations have revealed evidence suggesting the depth of the apparent rot at the state airline.

Among other things, an SAA board member is said to have attempted to use a private investigator to probe wide-ranging allegations after the board failed to initiate an internal investigation.

These allegations ranged from nepotism, irregular extension of suppliers’ contracts and infighting among senior management members.

It has emerged that Lindi Nkosi-Thomas, SC, who has since resigned as a board member, tried to hire a private investigator to probe allegations made in a whistleblower’s report that had been ignored by the board.

In a sworn statement distributed to the media this week, O’Sullivan alleged that Nkosi-Thomas had been behind attempts to “find dirt” on several directors and board members.

But further investigations, e-mail conversations and an interview with a private investigator approached about the possible probe have revealed how O’Sullivan, who had been asked to assist with the probe, tipped off Kalawe, the suspended SAA chief executive, that he might be investigated.

It is understood that O’Sullivan revealed the identity of sources and the information that had been confidentially supplied to him to one of the key targets of any potential investigation.

Nkosi-Thomas failed to respond to questions sent to her this week, in spite of her requesting documents in which O’Sullivan alleged she had tried to “find dirt” on her colleagues at SAA.

According to private investigator Hennie Theron, Nkosi-Thomas reluctantly approached him to ascertain whether it would be possible to investigate the allegations, because if they were true and revealed publicly, her professional reputation would be harmed by virtue of her being a board member.

“We approached Paul O’Sullivan because he was a renowned private investigator who had a reputation for cracking big cases,” said Theron.

“We felt that the scope of investigation needed somebody like him, based on his reputation. We were also aware that he somehow had links to SAA, and would probably be the best person to advise on how to proceed.

“That was the biggest mistake we made.”

Theron said that Nkosi-Thomas eventually abandoned the possible investigations.

The emergence of the fake bank statements targeting Myeni suggest that internal squabbles at the airline did not end there.

In his sworn statement, O’Sullivan said that Kalawe had paid R150 000 to Mogale City chief operations officer Abe Mbulawa, whom he identified as the person who had produced the documents.

Mbulawa could not be reached for comment despite several attempts. He has been quoted by several media outlets as having acknowledged receiving the R150 000 and as saying that the money was not for the fake documents.

Kalawe’s phone has been off throughout the week.

Mogale City municipality spokesman Nkosana Zali said on Friday that the municipality, where Mbulawa is chief operating officer, was not affected by Mbulawa’s alleged role in the SAA matter.

“We want to emphasise that these matters do not affect the municipality directly because they are about issues that the media says have been raised against Mr Mbulawa in his personal capacity, not as the chief operating officer of the municipality,” Zali said.

“The municipality will be watching the processes closely and will comment at the appropriate time, whichever way the institution is affected by the outcome of these processes.”

SAA and Myeni’s lawyer, George van Niekerk, said they had “made progress” regarding the investigations into the fake documents, and were “working with the authorities” on the matter.

However, Van Niekerk would not comment on whether they would be filing police complaints against O’Sullivan, Kalawe and Mbulawa.

It is unclear how the recent developments, which have placed Kalawe at the centre of the controversy, will affect his appearance at tomorrow’s disciplinary hearing, although it seems likely that his time at SAA is coming to an end.

Criminal charges over the forging of the documents cannot be ruled out.

Kalawe was suspended last year following an investigation by Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Forensics on a charge of misconduct, which included gross misrepresentation to the minister of public enterprises and failure to act at all times in the best interests of SAA.

It is understood he will face an additional charge of interfering with staff members while on suspension.

SAA has announced that the hearing is to be chaired by Nazeer Cassim, SC, of the Johannesburg Bar Council.

SAA was transferred to the National Treasury from Minister Lynne Browne’s Public Enterprises Department last year after the cabinet raised concerns about its performance, along with those of Eskom and the SA Post Office.

National Treasury is implementing its latest turn-around strategy aimed at changing its fortunes, a process that is being overseen by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

mogomotsi.magome@inl.co.za

The Sunday Independent