South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) chief financial officer, Zamachonco Chonco, has been appointed the agency’s interim chief executive officer pending the finalisation of the process for appointment of a permanent CEO, Samsa’s Board of Directors has announced.
Samsa said in a statement that Chonco would take over with immediate effect from outgoing acting CEO, Tsepiso Taoana-Mashiloane, a chief director in the maritime directorate at the Department of Transport, who has been at the helm for just over a year.
“The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) is pleased to announce the appointment of Zamachonco Chonco as its interim chief executive officer. She replaces Ms Tsepiso Taoana-Mashilaone who has been in the position for the past 13 months,” Samsa said.
“Chonco is currently Samsa’s chief financial officer (CFO). She will lead the organisation while the process of appointing a permanent CEO is being finalised. Ms Chonco is a qualified chartered accountant with vast experience in both private and public sectors within the finance, investment, risk management and audit areas,” Samsa said.
“She served with distinction as the acting CFO at the South African Postbank before joining Samsa. She has also held various senior positions in finance at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the Auditor General of South Africa.”
Samsa said Chonco had been pivotal in supporting the agency to achieve its first unqualified audit for the 2020/2021 financial year in more than four years.
Taoana-Mashiloane will return to her position as the Department of Transport’s Chief Director for Maritime Industry Development.
