SA Express has announced the appointment of three new senior personnel as part of its recovery strategy to improve its product offering.
On Thursday, the airline, which falls within the ambit of the Department of Public Enterprises, announced that it has appointed Bongani Tshabalala as its Technical General Manager and Essery Hamilton as its Safety Division Manager.
The airline has also appointed Madikwe Mabotha as Divisional Manager for Communications, Public Relations and Corporate Social Investment.
“The three appointments form part of the SA Express drive to attract and retain the best talent that is best suited to drive the airline’s transitional process,” said the airline.
Tshabalala previously held the position of Head of Department: Flight Technical and Maintenance Standards at South African Airways (SAA). He brings more than 20 years of aviation experience.
Tshabalala has also worked for Comair and AirQuarius. He has worked closely with local and international civil aviation authorities and brings with him a wealth of operational skills and knowledge.
Hamilton has vast experience gained from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA).
Mabotha is the former Chief Director of Communications at the Department of Higher Education and Training, with a career spanning over two decades in media and communications.
SA Express Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Siza Mzimela, has welcomed the appointments as one of the major milestones during the organisation’s critical recovery phase.
“The board, management and the entire staff at SA Express have been working tirelessly these past few months to ensure restoration of the airline’s credibility as well as close the market gap left during the May grounding. Therefore, attracting and selecting the requisite skills and talent is going to be catalytic in achieving the business goals we have set ourselves,” she said.
In May, the CAA announced the suspension of SA Express’s air operator certificate and the certificates of airworthiness (CoA) of nine of the 21 aircraft being operated by the airline.
The CAA reinstated its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) certification on 22 June 2018. Subsequently in July, SA Express announced that it was readying itself for take-off. – SAnews.gov.za
