Pretoria – Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Transport Minister Barbara Creecy have been cleared of wrongdoing in relation to allegations surrounding the appointment of the outgoing South African Airways (SAA) chief executive.
The Office of the Deputy President said in a statement on Monday that it welcomes findings by the Public Protector South Africa, which concluded there was no evidence that Mashatile or Creecy improperly interfered in the recruitment process or violated the Executive Ethics Code.
The investigation focused on claims that the two officials held informal or “private interviews” outside the formal selection process during the appointment of SAA CEO Professor John Lamola.
However, the Public Protector found no proof to support the allegations, effectively clearing both officials of misconduct.
In a statement, the Deputy President’s office said the findings confirmed Mashatile’s position that media reports on the matter were “misguided, misleading and mischievous”.
The office reiterated its support for transparent and lawful recruitment processes within state-owned entities, including South African Airways.
The matter had drawn public attention amid broader scrutiny of governance practices at state-owned companies.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
