More court delays by Dudu Myeni

The case to declare former SAA chair Dudu Myeni a delinquent director has been delayed yet again, this time by her attempts to deflect blame to others.

The case against Myeni is brought by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) and the SAA Pilots’ Association and is being heard in the Pretoria High Court.

On Monday 21 October, Myeni’s legal team gave notice to the court of their intention to change details in her original plea opposing the case against her. The intended changes are partly to deny her personal involvement in wrongdoing and partly to shift responsibility for some matters to the SAA executive management. The notice was filed in terms of Rule 28 of court procedures, on amending pleadings and documents.

Myeni’s notice was delivered to OUTA and SAAPA on Sunday night, more than two years after the close of pleadings.

OUTA believes this is part of an ongoing strategy to delay the case against Myeni and emphasised that the attempt to change Myeni’s plea will in all likelihood be opposed. OUTA believes that any changes to Myeni’s pleadings should have occurred months ago.

“We believe that Ms Myeni and her legal team are taking advantage of the legal system to slow down the process and delay the matter. This will not deter us and we are not going away,” says Advocate Stefanie Fick, OUTA’s Head of Legal.

The Myeni team’s argument for changing the pleadings and OUTA and SAAPA’s opposition to this will be heard on 25 November 2019. OUTA and SAAPA will also call for Myeni to have to pay their wasted costs due to the delay.

OUTA and SAAPA are represented by advocates Carol Steinberg, Chris McConnachie and Nada Kakaza, instructed by Rashaad Pandor Attorneys. Myeni is represented by Advocate Nqabayethu Buthelezi, instructed by Lugisani Mantsha Attorneys.

The OUTA and SAAPA case against Myeni is outlined here.

Today was the fourth day the case was in court. A wrap of the first three days is here.