When travelling in SA in 2002, I took one sector (JNB~CPT) with CE. A relative who had then been working as a pilot for eight years suggested that I should not fly CE due to their having very poor maintenance procedures, led by the very poor attitude of
VB. I did not travel with them again and warned my friends not to do so either.
He was right and all the stories I have heard point to
VB being the very worst kind of proprietor. It appears that the SA CAA
did act too much and too late, but it is fortunate that the airline closed without loss of life.
Lastly, very nasty for the crews and staff of CE but when I was in SA a year ago, it was obvious that there was vast over capacity and that the next crisis would resolve it. The fuel crisis still has more victims to come in SA and and around the world.