SAA’s Interim CEO, Thomas Kgokolo, left the airline at the end of April, according to a media statement from the airline. He served for a year.

John Lamola will assume the role of Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from May 1.

During Kgokolo’s term of office, SAA re-launched after exiting business rescue in April 2021.

The carrier now awaits the transition of control to its intended 51% shareholder, Takatso Consortium, which should take place later in the year, according to a press release from SAA.

SAA Lead Independent Non-Executive Director, Bembe Zwane, pointed out that Kgokolo took the job on as a short-term contract, which the airline extended on numerous occasions, but now Kgokolo had asked that his contract not be renewed.

Professor Lamola was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the SAA Interim Board in July 2021. He is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Intelligent Systems of the University of Johannesburg. In addition to a PhD degree in Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh, he holds an MBA from a premier tertiary institution of education in aviation and aerospace studies in the United States, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He was CEO of Denel Aviation between 1996 and 2001 and served on the Board of Acsa from 2012 until 2017.

Lamola said the business strategy of SAA remained intact and on course as the Board and the Ministry of Public Enterprises were steadfastly pursuing their goal of a sustainable SAA for the good of the South African economy.