South African Airways CEO quits over lack of support from state

Vuyani Jarana, SAA Group Chief Executive Officer, poses for a photograph next to a South African Airways logo in Johannesburg, South Africa February 18, 2019 [ Image, Reuters]

South African Airways’ CEO Vuyani Jarana has resigned after less than two years in the job, saying his turnaround strategy for the loss-making airline was being undermined by a lack of state funding and too much bureaucracy.

Jarana’s departure, announced in a letter to the chairperson of the airline’s board dated May 29 and seen by Reuters, highlights the challenges facing South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as he seeks to speed up reforms at South African Airways (SAA) and other state-owned entities. They are dependent on government bailouts and are regularly cited by ratings agencies as one of the main threats to the country’s economic growth.