The Board of Airports Company South Africa has noted concern from various stakeholders on the status of matters relating to the company’s former CEO, Mr. Bongani Maseko. In the interest of transparency, the Board wishes to set the record straight and appraise stakeholders on the status of these matters.
In May 2018 former Transport Minister Dr. Blade Nzimande made a public undertaking to look into allegations of maladministration, corruption, and state capture in the state-owned entities of the Department of Transport. This included allegations levelled at former Airports Company South Africa CEO Mr. Bongani Maseko.
At the time Minister Nzimande indicated in a statement that “due to the high rate of resignations at the Airports Company South Africa Board, the process to appoint a new Chief Executive Officer has been derailed. I therefore have extended the contract of the current CEO, Mr Bongani Maseko, for a period not exceeding six (6) months, in order to ensure that there is no vacuum of leadership, especially at the senior management level.”
The Minister also indicated that upon filling of the Board vacancies, and the formation of governance committees, he would instantly direct the Board to take forward the findings of the three separate forensic reports produced by advisory groups Deloitte, attorneys Norton Rose Fulbright and Dr VS Mncube Consulting.
The new Board appointed in September 2018 did not hesitate to start the process to investigate the various allegations as soon as it began its term of office. The Board appointed ENSafrica to assist it in finalising the matters pertaining to the former CEO.
In November 2018 ENSafrica presented a report to the Board Ad Hoc Committee appointed by the Board to deal with the former CEO’s matters. The report had recommendations on concluding the CEO’s matters and it was subsequently submitted to the Board.
The Board accepted ENSafrica’s advice that no disciplinary action be instituted against Mr Maseko in the light of the imminent expiry of his employment contract, which was 30 November 2018.
ENSafrica recommended that the forensic reports be submitted to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (HAWKS) for criminal investigation and the Board resolved to proceed with the recommendation and reported the matter to the HAWKS. The forensic reports are being handled by the law enforcement agency.
Mr. Maseko’s contract of employment expired on 30 November 2018.
