Deanw
16th Jan 2006, 10:55
Former SAA executive sues the airline for R3.3m
15 January 2006
A FORMER South African Airways (SAA) executive is suing the national carrier for R3.3-million — an amount he claims is due to him as part of an exit package.
Vuyisile Kona, former SAA group vice-president for subsidiaries, was axed last July by then-newly appointed SAA chief executive Khaya Ngqula.
In papers filed in the Johannesburg High Court, Kona said that although there was “no good and valid reason” to fire him, he agreed to resign from his highly paid job after Ngqula promised him a R4.7-million “exit package”.
Kona was being paid R1.4-million a year at the time.
Ngqula announced in May last year that Kona had resigned from SAA to “pursue his own business interests”.
Kona said in the court papers that, in terms of his employment contract, SAA was supposed to give him six months’ written notice before terminating his employment contract. This, he claimed, did not happen as per the agreement with Ngqula.
Ngqula, Kona said, “verbally” agreed to give him R700000, which he would have earned had he served six months’ notice.
The money, Kona said, formed part of the exit package. Other payments in the alleged agreement included a R1.4-million “severance package”, another R1.4-million “restraint payment” and a R1-million bonus.
Kona said SAA paid him R1.4-million in September, but did not “indicate what the payment was in respect of”.
He claims SAA has refused to pay him the balance of R3.3-million despite repeated demands for payment.
On December 8, Kona applied for a summary judgment against the parastatal. The matter is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday. SAA has filed a notice to defend the matter.
Since taking the reins at SAA, Ngqula has repeatedly said he has been forced to act against subordinates because of alleged bad practices. But there is no suggestion that Kona was responsible for any wrongdoing.
Kona is one of a number of executives that have either resigned, or been suspended or dismissed since Ngqula took over the company in October 2004.
Others include Onkgopotse JJ Tabane, former vice-president communications and government liaison, and Kryl Acton, former chief operating officer. Acton served for less than seven months before getting the boot.
Human resources general manager Nolwazi Qata and marketing and sales general manager Nonhlanhla Koza were forced out amid claims of mismanagement and irregularities.
Viwe Mlenzana, SAA’s general manager human resources, said: “SAA is aware of the High Court matter involving its ex-staff member Mr Kona.
“This is going through the appropriate legal process; it is therefore sub judice. SAA will not comment until the matter is finalised.”
Sunday Times
15 January 2006
A FORMER South African Airways (SAA) executive is suing the national carrier for R3.3-million — an amount he claims is due to him as part of an exit package.
Vuyisile Kona, former SAA group vice-president for subsidiaries, was axed last July by then-newly appointed SAA chief executive Khaya Ngqula.
In papers filed in the Johannesburg High Court, Kona said that although there was “no good and valid reason” to fire him, he agreed to resign from his highly paid job after Ngqula promised him a R4.7-million “exit package”.
Kona was being paid R1.4-million a year at the time.
Ngqula announced in May last year that Kona had resigned from SAA to “pursue his own business interests”.
Kona said in the court papers that, in terms of his employment contract, SAA was supposed to give him six months’ written notice before terminating his employment contract. This, he claimed, did not happen as per the agreement with Ngqula.
Ngqula, Kona said, “verbally” agreed to give him R700000, which he would have earned had he served six months’ notice.
The money, Kona said, formed part of the exit package. Other payments in the alleged agreement included a R1.4-million “severance package”, another R1.4-million “restraint payment” and a R1-million bonus.
Kona said SAA paid him R1.4-million in September, but did not “indicate what the payment was in respect of”.
He claims SAA has refused to pay him the balance of R3.3-million despite repeated demands for payment.
On December 8, Kona applied for a summary judgment against the parastatal. The matter is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday. SAA has filed a notice to defend the matter.
Since taking the reins at SAA, Ngqula has repeatedly said he has been forced to act against subordinates because of alleged bad practices. But there is no suggestion that Kona was responsible for any wrongdoing.
Kona is one of a number of executives that have either resigned, or been suspended or dismissed since Ngqula took over the company in October 2004.
Others include Onkgopotse JJ Tabane, former vice-president communications and government liaison, and Kryl Acton, former chief operating officer. Acton served for less than seven months before getting the boot.
Human resources general manager Nolwazi Qata and marketing and sales general manager Nonhlanhla Koza were forced out amid claims of mismanagement and irregularities.
Viwe Mlenzana, SAA’s general manager human resources, said: “SAA is aware of the High Court matter involving its ex-staff member Mr Kona.
“This is going through the appropriate legal process; it is therefore sub judice. SAA will not comment until the matter is finalised.”
Sunday Times