Former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni
Photo by: Creamer Media
The High Court in Pretoria has dismissed an application by former South African Airways (SAA) chairperson Dudu Myeni for leave to appeal a December ruling stating that Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has standing to bring a delinquency case against her.
The case to have Myeni declared a delinquent director has been hobbled by a series of delays, mainly on Myeni’s part, ranging from unexpected change of legal representatives to amendments to her plea.
Judge Ronel Tolmay on Tuesday dismissed Myeni's latest application. She also ordered Myeni to pay Outa and the SAA Pilots Association's legal fees which are immediately taxable and must be paid within 30 days.
The appeal process dominated Monday's arguments. Questions were raised over the legitimacy of the former SAA chair's application, as it was filed late. Her legal team also failed to seek condonation for the late filing, as Fin24 previously reported.
In her submission on Monday, Outa’s Advocate Carol Steinberg urged the court to allow the case to begin. Tolmay had in December set the case down for five weeks.
If Myeni is declared a delinquent director, it means she will not be able to serve on any boards for several years, according to the Companies Act.
After the ruling was handed down, the two sides were given an opportunity to consult with their clients.