South African Airways chairperson Dudu Myeni has said she had nothing to do with the financial challenges being experienced by the national carrier. Speaking at a public meeting in Kempton Park on Thursday Myeni said she found SAA that way.

“You will never read that Dudu put the airline in a mess, I inherited it that way,” she said.

Myeni, who was due to address thousands of the SAA employees at a staff meeting, said she did not take the moment created for her to share her thoughts on the airline with the public lightly, thanking Black First Land First leader and others including Progressive Professionals Forum’s President Mzwanele (Jimmy) Manyi.

The two parties started their gathering with a closed off meeting and then allowed the media to observe as they discussed issues ranging from the financial status of SAA, to transformation, corruption and the possible privitisation of the carrier.

Myeni told her guests that SAA was still paying for the actions of the previous board.

“We never came to a company that had a healthy balance sheet, our balance sheet was depleted, it’s still depleted today,” she said.

She said that under her leadership a turnaround strategy was created within SAA, which included a forensic investigation in order to establish why it was in financial trouble, she also claims progress has been made.

Last month SAA was warned that it could be barred from operating in Hong Kong after failing to submit financial statements for the past two years.

Myeni who has said the carrier was in good hands believes it will produce positive results when it tables its annual financial statement.

“We have met all our obligations as and when they are due, this shows me our operations have improved, revenues are always improving all our aircrafts are always full,” she said.

She also maintains SAA remains the best airline on the African continent.