BMF objects to white male appointed as Mango CEO

The Black Management Forum condemns the appointment of Nico Bezuidenhout as CEO of state-owned low-cost airline Mango, it said in a statement on Friday.

Mango is also a subsidiary of South African Airways (SAA).

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The BMF intends to challenge the appointment "through all available means", it added.

The forum objects to the hiring of a white male as CEO and it also questions whether Bezuidenhout himself is qualified for the position.

In November 2014, Fin24 reported that the issue of Bezuidenhout's qualifications had been raised when he was appointed acting CEO at SAA. At the time, Bezuidenhout said Mango's staff and board had always known that he did not have a degree.

'No effect'

"I do not believe the fact I did not have a academic qualification when appointed at Mango [...] has had any effect," the SABC quoted Bezuidenhout as saying at the time. Bezuidenhout was CEO at Mango for about 10 years.

At the time, he indicated that the SAA board felt his tertiary studies, although incomplete, provided sufficient grounding, while his performance track record exceed that of a number of previous, highly qualified, airline CEOs.

In the view of the BMF there are "thousands of suitably qualified black professionals" who can fill the role of CEO of Mango.

• READ: No secret I had no degree, says SAA boss

Besides the qualification issue, the BMF said it also questions the process of advertising for the position. In its view, it was tailor-made to suit Bezuidenhout.

The BMF intends to write to Parliament to try to ensure that the process of appointing Bezuidenhout was done in accordance with the principles of good governance.

According to the BMF it is very concerned about what it deems "the reversal of transformation" at state-owned companies that report to the Department of Public Enterprises.

The BMF was also not satisfied with the appointment of a white male at CEO of state-owned arms manufacturing company Denel. Denel's new CEO Danie du Toit was appointed in December last year and remains in the position.

* Fin24 has approached Mango for comment and this article will be updated if any is received.