Former SAA board chairperson Dudu Myeni has labeled former acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout bitter because the Emirates deal had been put on hold. 

The Emirates deal which was apparently going to bring in more than a billion rand to the cash-strapped state airline was apparently stalled by Myeni, allegedly on Zuma's instruction. 

Myeni had apparently didn't want to approve the deal according to the testimonyof Bezuidenhout, who was at the helm as acting CEO at the time.

Myeni told the court she and former president Jacob Zuma were made the scapegoat for the collapsed Emirates deal by Bezuidenhout and the media. 

"The board was put under pressure to approve the Emirates deal... the board doesn't just rubber stamp, it applies its mind and it doesn't just take a decision," Myeni said. 

She said the board was concerned about issues such as the amount of market share of SAA that would give away in the deal which would have seen Emirates get a few domestic routes.

Myeni is on the stand today in her defence in the Palace of Justice in Pretoria as OUTA and SAA Pilots Association (SAAPA) want the court to declare her a delinquent director for the rest of her life for allegedly playing a role in plunging the national airliner into financial chaos during her six year-term as board chairperson.

Myeni, who's evidence is being led by her lawyer Nqabayethu Buthelezi, told the court Bezuidenhout was bitter that he wasn't afforded a moment "to shine" and sign the deal "in France in front of global leaders".

Bezuidenhout has during his testimony blamed Myeni, who allegedly acted on Zuma's instruction, and led to the collapse of the deal which would have benefitted SAA to the tune of more than R1-billion. 

The matter is underway.