South African Airways and Kenya Airways can't seem to get it right when it comes to choosing a Group CEO, even in an acting capacity.
On August 14, SAA's board placed acting Group CEO Matshela Seshibe on special leave with immediate effect, pending the outcome of what the airline called an internal process. Seshibe has said the matter relates to his time as CEO of Air Chefs, SAA's inflight catering subsidiary, but that the allegations have not yet been formally put to him. The board has not said what the process is about, and it has said the decision should not be read as a finding of wrongdoing.
Suspended South African Airways (SAA) acting chief executive officer Matshela Seshibe was the subject of an anonymous whistleblower report, the Sunday Times has learnt. https://t.co/4XtttHt94K
— Times LIVE (@TimesLIVE) August 16, 2026
It comes just four months after Seshibe's appointment, which followed the sudden resignation of his predecessor, Professor John Lamola, alongside three board members and the airline's acting CFO. Those departures followed the Auditor-General issuing a disclaimed opinion on SAA's 2024/25 financial statements.
In the interim, the board has appointed the Group's Chief Legal Officer, Koekie Mbeki, as acting Group CEO. Mbeki has been with SAA for ten years and was most recently acting CEO of SAA Technical. She is now the airline's third Group CEO in four months. The process of finding a permanent CEO is still ongoing.
A recovery that has stalled
This all comes at a time when the airline is facing financial and stability problems. Since restarting operations in September 2021 after business rescue, SAA has been trying to rebuild toward the position it once held in global aviation. The fleet has grown to around 19 aircraft, but it is built primarily around short-haul Airbus A320s, and the airline appears to have slowed in its efforts to add long-haul planes and restore the international routes that once made it a serious carrier.
Every change at the top slows that effort down, because each new acting CEO has to start with a strategy someone else put in place.
Kenya Airways loses another one
Kenya Airways has also lost another CEO. On September 1, Captain George Kamal formally submitted his resignation, citing personal reasons, with his final day set for September 30. Kamal had been acting CEO since December 2025, less than nine months, after Allan Kilavuka stepped down following nearly six years in the role.
Kenya Airways acting CEO George Kamal resigns https://t.co/5iOjPlKgJQ
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) September 2, 2026
The board has appointed Habil Waswani as acting Group Managing Director and CEO, effective September 15. Waswani is the airline's Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services, with more than five years at Kenya Airways and over two decades of corporate and legal experience.
Both airlines have now turned to their legal chiefs to hold the top job in the interim.
Kamal's departure came days after Kenya Airways reported a net loss of roughly KSh 16 billion for the first half of 2026, wider than the same period a year earlier, driven by higher fuel costs, maintenance delays and spare parts shortages. It also came in the middle of a dispute between the government and aviation workers that halted Kenya Airways operations and caused massive delays at airports across the country.
There is a brighter note. The airline is introducing the Boeing 777-300ER on its Nairobi to London Heathrow route, which Contrail will be reviewing soon.
Why it matters
The recent changes at both airlines show how much stable leadership matters, especially when the industry is already under financial, operational and reputational pressure. Constant changes in the CEO's office, whether permanent or acting, make it very difficult for an airline to hold a clear direction and deliver on long-term goals.
For SAA, the continued search for a permanent Group CEO comes at a critical moment, as the airline works to rebuild its network, expand its fleet and regain the standing it once had. Kenya Airways faces a similar test, with another leadership change arriving while the airline manages operational disruptions and wider challenges in the country's aviation sector.
Ultimately, both airlines need more than new CEOs. They need strong, consistent and accountable leadership that can provide stability and a clear vision. Frequent changes at the top create uncertainty. But with the right people in place, and the support of their boards and governments, both SAA and Kenya Airways still have an opportunity to rebuild, regain confidence and strengthen their position in African aviation.
