by Ikechi Uko
In an article comparing the chairperson of SAA and Comair the experience and track record of Van Hoven of Comair who has been on seat for 26 years. Van Hoven capacity was lauded over that of the Chairman of SAA Dudu Myeni.
Readers who commented on the story blamed the Apartheid heritage for creating a lopsided society that produced Skilled White people and inexperienced Blacks who now have to be supported by the Black Empowerment rules.
Some of the comments reads:
Bart
“What a racist, male biased article. Sies ,,, I refuse to believe this propaganda. SAA doesn’t need to make a profit, it is sustainable .. Oh wait thats SABC..”
Since’94
“I would rather fly SAA than Comair.”
Gregg
“Mr van Hoven can have all the experience, knowledge and business acumen in the world – but he has a white skin – which, in South Africa, makes all of it worthless, quite sadly.”
unknownus3r replies Gregg
“they should do away with this beeeeeee crap and appoint the best man/female for the post, based on experience and education”
Musa Keita
“Should have thought of that before implementing apartheid. Now we sit with a mess of incompetent people running state organs due to political correctness.
If only whites never used race to benefit themselves, we would have been too far as a country”
Gregg replies Musa Keita
“Apartheid is the worst thing that’s ever happened to SA and I find myself imagining quite often how amazing our country would be had it never happened. Now we all bear the consequences of an idiotic decision that a handful of people made more than 50 years ago. I’m just hopeful that things will change for the better soon, the current path our country is on is one where the light at the end of the tunnel is fading quickly.”
Musa Keita reply to Gregg
“Well getting someone like Dudu, who know nothing about aviation to run such a huge organization with a massive budget is really a shame.
It’s a difficult mess, how does government provide equal access to opportunities to everyone without affecting needed skills and experience?
The skills and experience remain in the white community not because they’re better, but because they’re got a chance to be part of the economy which majority of blacks were excluded.
Now how do we navigate that? How to do we retain skills and also make sure we’re providing equal access inline with past imbalances?
It’s a difficult issue that can only be resolved by time.”
This is the original story by Broadband South Africa
“SAA’s Dudu Myeni vs Comair’s Pieter van Hoven – The winner is clear
We compare the aviation and tourism experience of SAA chairwoman Dudu Myeni and Comair chairman Pieter van Hoven.
South African Airways chairperson Dudu Myeni has faced widespread criticism over the past few years because of continued problems at the airline.
Myeni, who is also the chair of the Jacob Zuma Foundation, was appointed to the SAA board shortly after Zuma became president in 2009.
Numerous reports suggested that herclose ties with Zuma were behind her appointment at SAA.
Many people also question whether she is the best person to chair the board of the large parastatal.
Former JSE CEO and former SAA director Russell Loubser said Myeni does not have any business acumen, which is costing the airline dearly.
He said Myeni does not have any relevant airline experience or qualifications, and that it is “clear in the results you’re seeing and the appointments that are made”.
SAA’s main competitor in South Africa is Comair, which operates Kulula and British Airways. Unlike SAA, its chairman Pieter van Hoven is highly experienced in the aviation and tourism industry.
Van Hoven has four decades of experience in the aviation field and served as the managing director of Comair for 26 years.
He was also the chairman of the Airlines Association of South Africa for four years.
Van Hoven was also a member of the board of the Civil Aviation Authority and a member of the South African Tourism Board for 14 years.
When you compare the experience of Myeni and van Hoven, it is clear why many feel there are better people than Myeni to chair SAA.
According to the DA, SAA has failed to publish annual financial statements for 2015/16 and has made an estimated loss of R4 billion.
Comair has operated successfully in South Africa since 1946, and is the only airline to have achieved operating profits for 69 consecutive years.”
Source: mybroadband.co.za
