South African Airways (SAA) has stated its general manager of human resources, Thuli Mpshe, was not placed on precautionary suspension by chairperson Dudu Myeni, but rather by the airline management.
"SAA finds it disturbing that one daily publication made its business to mislead the public by reporting on this story on a matter-of-fact basis and did so without laying a claim to anything as a basis that Ms Myeni is behind the suspension.
"SAA refutes this claim as the decision to suspend Ms Mpshe was an internal management prerogative based on operational considerations as well as the airline's code of conduct," said the national carrier.
SAA has not given any further insight into the circumstances of the suspension of Mpshe, however.