The Gateway International Airport has appointed Ms Hannelie du Plessis to act as the Managing Director of the airport.

This comes after the suspension of the former MD, Ben Mehale, by the board early last month after the former head of transport was accused by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) of the failure of the International Transport Convention held in Polokwane last year.

The Auditor General, Shauket Fakie, found that the convention cost R25.6m, of which only R2.2 m was recovered.

The chairperson of the board, Laduma Thembe, confirmed to Mirror that Du Plessis was appointed to act in Mehale’s position until the situation has been resolved. Coincidentally, Du Plessis is the one who was acting in Mehale’s position as the head of transport when Mehale joined the airport.

Du Plessis has been a senior manager in the transport department.

Thembe also confirmed that "we have written back to Mehale on Monday, October 23, telling him that he can resign as long as he does not put conditions." This comes after Mehale wrote a letter to the board indicating that he is resigning as long as he is going to be given a pay-out.