Legal Turbulence: Suspended SAA acting CEO takes airline to court for fair shot at permanent job

Unfortunately, when Matshela Seshibe filed a formal court challenge against his current employer, South African Airways, it locked many of the background away under the judge (read: sub judice), but let’s try to piece things together.

As previously reported by Daily Maverick, Seshibe was serving as CEO of Air Chefs (SAA’s catering subsidiary) and was stepped up as the acting group CEO of SAA in April 2026 – following some drama with his predecessor.

On 23 August 2026, SAA advertised the permanent CEO position, and Seshibe applied. SAA reviewed his application, agreed that he qualified, shortlisted him and invited him for an interview.

But there was one tiny wrinkle in this particular page of history: if you’ve been following our coverage, on 14 August Air Chefs brought confidential internal disciplinary charges against him, and SAA placed him on special leave (read: suspension). SAA then cancelled his CEO interview, informing him that he had been excluded from the recruitment process because of those charges.

That last bit was not a direct admission by SAA because the airline’s corporate affairs chief, Mphilo Dlamini, was very clear in his answers to Daily Maverick’s questions:

“South African Airways (SAA) confirms that it has received a court challenge from Mr. Matshela Seshibe, who was placed on special leave in August. The challenge concerns the recruitment process for SAA’s Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO). As the matter is now sub judice and before the court, SAA will address it through the appropriate legal processes. Accordingly, SAA will not comment further on the matter through the media.”

We instead gleaned the information from the official high court filings, which we have seen.

Let the record show

Seshibe claims that SAA treated him unfairly and violated his rights in five specific ways:

Disqualified over unproven charges: SAA already confirmed he met all job requirements by shortlisting him^[6]. He argues that SAA blocked him purely because of internal charges that are still unresolved and which he strongly denies.

Denied a fair hearing: SAA pulled his interview without giving him any chance to explain his side or present his defence.

Damaged reputation: By acting as if unproven allegations equal guilt, SAA tarnished his dignity and professional standing.

Ignored track record: He points out that under his leadership Air Chefs became the only profitable business in the SAA Group, and he helped extend SAA’s cash runway while acting as CEO.

Ignored pre-court demands: On 7 October 2026, his lawyers sent SAA a letter asking them to either interview him or pause the hiring process until his disciplinary case finished, but SAA did not respond.

Seshibe is asking the court to order one of two outcomes: either force SAA to interview him for the permanent CEO role and consider his application alongside other candidates, or, if SAA won’t interview him now, freeze the entire hiring process (read: SAA cannot interview or appoint anyone else) until his internal disciplinary proceedings with Air Chefs have been concluded.

Seshibe filed this urgent application because SAA intends to appoint a new permanent CEO before the end of October 2026. If SAA appoints someone else now, Seshibe permanently loses his chance at the job, even if he clears his name in the disciplinary hearing later.

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, 20 October and Daily Maverick will be a keen observer. DM