Moneyweb reports that the Black Management Forum (BMF) has filed papers in the Johannesburg High Court challenging the appointment of Nico Bezuidenhout as the chief executive of Mango Airlines.
In the application, BMF President Andile Nomlala asks the court to set aside Bezuidenhout’s appointment and calls into question the lawfulness of the process that was followed to appoint him. The court challenge is not the first attempt by the BMF to get Bezuidenhout’s appointment reviewed. It previously sent a letter of concern to the Public Enterprises Committee in Parliament and also raised the issue with Mango’s board. The forum says it received no official response from either party. In the papers, Nomlala states that it is not Bezuidenhout’s capability to do the job that is being questioned, but rather the process that was followed to appoint him. In the BMF’s assessment, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and the board of Mango, who are listed as respondents, “completely flouted the constitutional principle of equality and fairness and unduly favoured [Bezuidenhout] for the position”. When Mango initially called for applications for a CEO, around August 2018, the minimum requirements specified included that candidates should have a tertiary qualification. But, Bezuidenhout only has a matric qualification. When the initial recruitment process was finalised Bezuidenhout was not shortlisted, as he did not meet the minimum requirements, the BMF says in its papers. But, Bezuidenhout was ultimately appointed. According to the BMF, he was only hired because of “undue pressure and an unlawful instruction” from Gordhan.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tebogo Tshwane at Moneyweb
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