Acting CEO serving notice

SAMSA leadership still a worry

SOUTH AFRICA: Rumours that the current Acting Chief Executive Officer of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) had resigned and was serving out her notice period have been confirmed and the maritime industry will be anticipating that the Authority uses this opportunity to finalise the process to appoint a permanent CEO.

SAMSA has been without a permanent leader since May 2016, when Tsietsi Mokhele resigned and Sobantu Tilayi was appointed as the Acting CEO.

Despite having advertised the position at the end of January 2021 and having undertaken the process to interview and even, reportedly, shortlist certain candidates, the position remains unfilled. According to a submission from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) to the Chairperson of the Transport Portfolio Committee in April this year – this process resulted in a total of 65 applications with four of these being shortlisted as potential candidates for consideration by the SAMSA Board.

In November of that year the Board recommended Theresa Williams as their chosen candidate to the Minister, but no appointment was made and Williams has subsequently moved from her position as Head of CPUT Maritime Studies Department to take up a position within Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA).

According to the OUTA document, the Minister subsequently recommended the secondment of Rufus Lekala from TNPA as an Acting CEO until a permanent appointment was made. This did not, however, materialise.

“To date, a permanent CEO for SAMSA has not been appointed. The Ministers of Transport and the members of the SAMSA boards of the past 6 years, failed in their duty to appoint a CEO and ignored the instructions of Parliament. This situation is unacceptable,” notes OUTA in their document.

All eyes will now be on the newly appointed SAMSA Board under the leadership of Mahesh Fakir to finally deliver a permanent CEO and provide much-needed stability within the Authority that can once again deliver trust and unity within the maritime sectors.