South African Airways CEO Mr Kalawe is suspended and he is facing a disciplinary enquiry before an independent chairperson, Mr Nazeer Cassim SC.
Amongst these disciplinary charges is the charge that he sourced and personally paid R150 000 for what he concedes are fraudulent bank statements purporting to be those of the Chairperson, which were to be used by Mr Kalawe in support of his allegations against the Chairperson.
Mr Kalawe has throughout his suspension attempted to avoid facing these disciplinary charges at a disciplinary hearing and consistent with such attempts now seeks to interdict this in the Labour Court. The Labour Court application appears to be a concerted attempt to avoid accounting in a properly constituted enquiry for the serious disciplinary complaints levelled against him.
Significantly Mr Kalawe has, during the course of these proceedings, persisted with scurrilous, serious, personal and defamatory allegations against the SAA Chairperson and other Board members. To the extent necessary these allegations will be properly dealt with by the Board at the appropriate time and in the appropriate forum.
Importantly SAA does not intend to debate these issues in the media and will oppose the Labour Court application. In the interim, SAA is duty bound to continue with the disciplinary hearing before the independent chairperson, Mr Nazeer Cassim SC.
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