South African Airways (SAA) is no stranger to turbulence. But this time, the turbulence is not coming from the skies.

Just four months after Matshela Seshibe took over as the airline’s acting Group Chief Executive Officer, SAA has once again been forced to change leadership at the top.

On 14 August 2026, the airline’s board announced that Seshibe had been placed on special leave with immediate effect, pending the outcome of an internal process. The board offered little detail about the nature of that process, saying the decision reflected its commitment to good governance, accountability, integrity and leadership.

Stepping into the cockpit is Koekie Mbeki, SAA’s Chief Legal Officer, who has been appointed acting Group CEO with immediate effect. Mbeki brings a decade of institutional knowledge within the airline and had also been serving as acting CEO of SAA Technical.

On the surface, this may look like another executive transition at a company that has become accustomed to them. But for SAA, leadership stability is no longer a side issue. It may be one of the most important tests of the airline’s recovery. Another change at the top

SAA has spent the past few years trying to rewrite its story. After entering business rescue in 2019 and emerging in 2021, the national carrier has worked to rebuild its fleet, network and financial position. The airline has also returned to profitability, making its recent recovery one of the more significant developments in South Africa’s aviation sector. That recovery makes the latest leadership disruption particularly uncomfortable.

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SAA had only recently moved forward under John Lamola, who resigned as Group CEO in April 2026. His departure was followed by Seshibe’s appointment as acting CEO. Now, barely four months later, the acting CEO himself is on special leave.

For an airline, leadership changes are never simply about changing the person sitting in the CEO’s chair.

They affect strategy.

They affect investor and partner confidence.

They affect employees.

And perhaps most importantly, they raise questions about whether the organisation is being guided by a consistent long-term plan or continually forced to reset.

SAA’s board has stressed that the latest decision is intended to protect the airline and ensure operational stability. There is also an important distinction to make: being placed on special leave pending an internal process is not itself a finding of wrongdoing. The reasons behind the process have not been fully disclosed, and Seshibe has said that the precise allegations have not formally been put to him.

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That distinction matters. But so does the bigger picture. The real cost of a revolving leadership door The question South Africa should be asking is not simply who will occupy SAA’s CEO office next. It is: how long can the airline continue building its future when its leadership keeps changing?

A national carrier requires more than aircraft and routes. It needs confidence — from passengers, employees, aviation partners, suppliers, regulators and potential investors. SAA has spent years trying to regain that confidence. Its return from business rescue was supposed to mark a new chapter. Its expansion into international markets and its improving financial position have offered reasons for optimism.SAA

But recovery is not the same thing as stability. And stability is not achieved merely by keeping aircraft in the air. It is built through consistent leadership, credible governance, clear accountability and a strategy that survives changes in individual executives. That is where SAA’s latest turbulence deserves closer attention. Because the question is no longer whether South Africa’s flag carrier can take off again. It is whether it can finally stay on cours