South African Airways reignites the race for the CEO position amid managerial instability

South African Airways opened recruitment for a permanent Group CEO on August 23, 2026, four months after Professor John Lamola’s departure. Beyond a routine HR process, this search crystallizes tensions between governance stability, continuity of the turnaround plan, and shareholder pressure on the state-owned carrier.

A Vacancy That Extends a Period of Turbulence

SAA published a recruitment notice in South African newspapers on August 23, with applications closing September 6. The position has been vacant since the end of April 2026, when Professor John Lamola stepped down as Group CEO after nearly four years at the helm, including two years in the operational role since May 2022.

This vacancy is part of a broader sequence of governance shifts: three non-executive board members also resigned for varying reasons, and the acting Chief Financial Officer left shortly before financial year-end. Since May 2026, Matshela Seshibe, previously CEO of catering subsidiary Air Chefs, has served as Acting Group CEO.

A Turnaround Record to Build On

Lamola’s departure comes at a pivotal moment in SAA’s recovery. Under his leadership, the fleet grew from 5 to 19 aircraft and the network expanded from 6 to 17 destinations, including the reintroduction of international routes to São Paulo and Perth. The carrier also returned to profitability, posting net income of R155 million on revenue of R8.8 billion in 2025.

This turnaround took place against a particularly difficult backdrop: emergence from business rescue, lingering pandemic effects, and more recently, rising fuel costs driven by geopolitical tensions affecting Middle East airspace. This track record is both an asset for attracting a senior candidate and a constraint: the successor will need to demonstrate the ability to sustain this trajectory without disruption.

A Precedent Shadowing the Selection Process

The method by which the next CEO is appointed is already under scrutiny, given the circumstances surrounding Lamola’s own path to the role. The board had at the time shortlisted several candidates, including Allan Kilavuka, former Group CEO of Kenya Airways, identified as the board’s preferred contender. Yet it was Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, acting as shareholder representative, who exercised final decision-making authority to confirm Lamola in the permanent role, citing his performance as acting CEO since 2022.

This precedent illustrates a structural feature of SAA’s governance: while the board leads the selection process, final authority rests with the state as sole shareholder. A new board, with expanded expertise spanning aviation, airport management, logistics, and public finance, was appointed by Cabinet in August 2025 — a signal of intent to strengthen institutional oversight ahead of this search.

What the Choice of Successor Signals for the Market

The chosen profile will be closely watched by several stakeholder groups. For the South African government, as sole shareholder, the priority is securing the carrier’s newly restored profitability without reintroducing governance instability, given SAA’s status as a politically sensitive strategic asset. For Star Alliance partner carriers and the regional markets SAA serves, operational continuity and sustained network expansion are the primary concerns. For investors and potential lenders, appointing an experienced industry veteran — along the lines of the Kilavuka profile already considered in 2022 — would send a signal of stronger credibility at a time when several African carriers remain in fragile recapitalization positions.

Outlook

This recruitment goes beyond a managerial question: it tests SAA’s ability to stabilize its governance over the long term — a precondition for converting a genuine operational turnaround into a durable competitive position against regional rivals such as Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways. The main risk remains a repeat of shareholder interference in the selection process, which could undermine confidence among industrial and financial partners just as the carrier seeks to consolidate its recent gains.