Nozipho Mdawe has stepped down as CEO of Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), effective from October 31, the state-owned company said in a statement on Wednesday.
Mdawe was placed on precautionary suspension on the orders of transport minister Barbara Creecy in March, pending the outcome of an investigation by an independent law firm into her duties and responsibilities as CEO.
ATNS, the sole provider of air traffic management, navigation, training and associated services in SA, has been plagued by issues that have affected efficient operations at the country’s airports.
“We confirm that the investigation cleared the CEO of any wrongdoing and misconduct, and that our decision to part ways is to allow both the company and the CEO a fresh start,” said ATNS chair Zola Majavu.
“We thank the CEO for her professional conduct and co-operation during the course of the investigation [who] ... has decided to pursue other career opportunities.”
The precautionary suspension of Mdawe came after Creecy’s appointment of a committee of aviation experts to look into problems at ATNS, including flight delays at a number of airports because of a failure to maintain flight instrument procedures.
Mdawe and ATNS say they have agreed “not to comment further and consider this chapter closed”.
ATNS said its primary objectives are to “stabilise day-to-day operations and start the search for a new CEO”.
ATNS said last week it had made “significant progress” in stabilising operations and rebuilding the agency’s core capacity.
Acting CEO Matome Moholola said steps had been taken since December to address the exodus of critical skills, especially air traffic controllers, in the 2024/25 financial year.
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