South Africa: SAA Acting CEO Matshela Seshibe Responds - Daybreak Not Linked to Suspension

What the report says

Daily Maverick, republished by AllAfrica, reports that South African Airways acting group CEO Matshela Seshibe has challenged the public interpretation of his ties to Daybreak Foods. Seshibe, who is currently on special leave, contacted the publication to say that recent disclosures about Daybreak were not connected to his suspension from SAA.

According to the article, the SAA board placed Seshibe on immediate special leave on 14 August 2026 while it carried out an internal review intended to protect the airline’s interests and governance standards. That action happened around the same time the Democratic Alliance asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorize a Special Investigating Unit probe into the collapse of Daybreak Foods, using leaked forensic findings as support.

The report says Seshibe issued a formal response on 20 August to address concerns about his role at Daybreak. One issue highlighted in the story is a R7.3-million rebranding invoice from May 2022, along with questions about billing rates to a marketing agency. Seshibe’s position, as presented in the article, is that the agency relationship predated his arrival at Daybreak as CEO.

The dispute matters because it sits at the intersection of public-sector governance, corporate accountability and political scrutiny in South Africa. More broadly, it reflects how leadership changes at state-linked companies can quickly become linked to wider investigations and debates over financial oversight.