SAA Acting CEO Matshela Seshibe Takes Airline To Court Over Permanent CEO Job

Matshela Seshibe is taking South African Airways (SAA) to court after the airline withdrew his interview invitation for its permanent chief executive position.

The acting CEO wants the High Court in Johannesburg to order SAA to interview him or halt the appointment process until disciplinary proceedings against him are finalised. His urgent application is scheduled to be heard on 20 October, ahead of the airline’s expected appointment of a permanent CEO by the end of the month.

Matshela Seshibe Challenges SAA Decision To Exclude Him

In court papers filed on Tuesday, Matshela Seshibe argues that SAA effectively judged him before giving him an opportunity to respond to outstanding disciplinary allegations raised by its subsidiary, Air Chefs.

He was placed on special leave in August, when disciplinary proceedings were instituted against him. Although SAA had initially shortlisted him for the permanent position, the airline later withdrew its invitation to interview him.

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Seshibe was appointed acting group CEO in April after serving as Air Chefs chief executive. He said he applied for the permanent position when it was advertised in August and was subsequently invited to an interview. However, that invitation was withdrawn after the disciplinary proceedings began.

“The sole basis for my exclusion was the existence of unresolved disciplinary allegations, notwithstanding that those allegations remain disputed and have not been determined,” he wrote.

Seshibe maintains that no finding of misconduct has been made against him and that he has a substantial defence to the allegations. He argues that SAA should have allowed him to explain his position before deciding whether he remained suitable for the position.

“The respondent [SAA] gave me no opportunity to explain the position, or to advise it of my defence to the disciplinary proceedings against me.

“The approach it took was simply prejudicial to me. It made assumptions about my character and suitability for office without letting me respond.”

Matshela Seshibe Cites Air Chefs Performance In Court Papers

The SAA acting CEO has also pointed to his executive record at Air Chefs in support of his application. He claims the subsidiary achieved record profitability, improved operating margins and reached its highest cash reserves under his leadership. He further maintains that Air Chefs became the SAA group’s only profitable entity during the relevant period and improved its audit outcomes.

Seshibe also highlighted his role in managing the airline group’s liquidity challenges before becoming acting group CEO. He said SAA had entrusted him with responsibility for its Liquidity Crisis Committee in March 2026, before appointing him to the acting position the following month.

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During that period, he claims to have introduced daily cash monitoring, extended the group’s projected cash runway to September and overseen a revised corporate plan and budget.

The court application seeks to prevent the recruitment process from concluding without Seshibe being given the opportunity to interview or until the disciplinary proceedings have been finalised. His founding affidavit does not disclose the specific charges brought against him. The allegations remain disputed, and no finding of misconduct has been made against him in the proceedings described in the court papers.

SAA Confirms Receipt Of Matshela Seshibe’s Court Application

On 7 October, Matshela Seshibe wrote to SAA demanding that the airline proceed with his interview or suspend recruitment until the disciplinary process was concluded. The airline has confirmed receiving his court application but declined to comment on the merits of the dispute. SAA spokesperson Mphilo Dlamini said the matter would be addressed through the legal process.

“As the matter is now sub judice and before the court, SAA will address it through the appropriate legal processes,” Dlamini said.

He confirmed that recruitment for a permanent CEO was continuing. Dlamini added that the airline was bound by confidentiality obligations during the recruitment process and could not disclose information about individual candidates while it remained underway.

The High Court is expected to consider Seshibe’s urgent application on 20 October, before SAA’s anticipated appointment of a permanent CEO by month-end.