SAA acting CEO ‘has no degree’

TAKING FLIGHT: SAA acting chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout, left, and James Hogan, chief executive and president of Etihad Airways at the announcement of the new partnership. PICTURE: Simphiwe Mbokazi

TAKING FLIGHT: SAA acting chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout, left, and James Hogan, chief executive and president of Etihad Airways at the announcement of the new partnership. PICTURE: Simphiwe Mbokazi

Published Nov 23, 2014

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Johannesburg -

SA Airways acting chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout is the latest in a series of high-profile executives and politicians who have been exposed for overstating their qualifications, Sunday Times reported.

SAA admitted this week that its 2011 and 2012 annual reports were wrong to state that Bezuidenhout had a BCom in transport economics and industrial psychology as well as an MBA.

The airline, which reportedly spoke on Bezuidenhout's behalf, provided a 10-page CV on Friday which said he had enrolled for a BCom at the then Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg) in 1995, a year after completing matric.

His academic records revealed that he dropped out the following year.

In 1997, he registered with the University of SA for a BCom majoring in industrial psychology and transport economics.

According to Bezuidenhout's CV one subject, taxation, had been outstanding for 14 years.

He then reportedly registered for an MBA with Milpark Education, but did not submit the required thesis.

Last year, the SAA board asked Bezuidenhout, who was Mango CEO, to oversee the group's operations after then acting CEO Vuyisile Kona had been placed on precautionary suspension.

SAA at the time said Bezuidenhout had never made it a secret that he did not complete his degrees in industrial psychology or transport economics. He chose to rather start working.

The company said due to an editing error SAA's 2011 and 2012

annual reports mistakenly stated that Bezuidenhout had completed his degrees.

Earlier this month, Bezuidenhout was again appointed as acting CEO to stand in for suspended CEO Monwabisi Kalawe. - Sapa

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