The former board chairperson of South African Airways (SAA), Dudu Myeni, has finally broken her silence on the treatment she is getting from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), saying she hopes all other people will be treated like her.
Myeni and the organisation are locked in a high court battle where it is trying to get her declared a delinquent director, effectively banning her from being a company director in future. The case was postponed on Thursday after Myeni acquired new lawyers and the case will proceed later this month.
Taking on Outa, she said the spirited pursuit of her case was motivated by politics.
“We all know why Outa is doing this, it is for political reasons. I do hope that Outa can treat all subjects like they treated me, black and white,” Myeni said.
Asked if she has done anything wrong, Myeni said it was unfair to blame her.
“I was only a board chair, I was not the entire board. I was not the finance minister, I was not the CEO, I was not the CFO. I was not at SAA when it started losing money,” she defended herself.
She later said Outa will not destroy her.
“They tried to destroy Winnie Mandela, they couldn’t. They will not destroy me.”
Meanwhile, as the battle between Myeni and Outa rages on, a new alliance of groups have told the organisation to back off.
The alliance comprises of Black Caucus, RET Champions, Amadela Ngokubona and the Landless People Organization of South Africa have issued an Ubi jus ibi remedium to Outa.
Ubi jus ibi remediumis a legal Latin statement meaning where there is a right there is a remedy. It’s a principle that says where one's right is invaded or destroyed, the law gives a remedy to protect it or damages for its loss.
In the letter by PC Tilusa Attorneys to Outa, the alliance said that they have noted with dismay and disgust the application it brought in the North Gauteng High Court against Myeni and they alleged that Outa and SAAPA (South African Airways Pilots' Association) are being used as political mercenaries by the Democratic Alliance (DA).
“Ms. Dudu Myeni is no longer occupying any public office and should be left to live her life. That court application is malicious and has been brought merely for the purpose of frustrating the life of Myeni," the letter says in part.
They then demand that the case against Myeni be withdrawn.
“That personal persecution against Myeni should cease immediately and that the Application brought against Myeni be withdrawn forthwith,” reads the letter.
However, the DA denied that it was in bed with Outa. The party’s spokesperson, Solly Malatsi, said: “Their claims are at best hilarious and at worst, nonsensical”.
It was not clear whether Outa received the letter or not.