SAA’s survival in the spotlight
Shutting down beleaguered national airline SAA should be avoided at all costs. That’s according to aviation experts, who say closing the airline for good will be detrimental to the economy.
But the government isn’t prepared to borrow money from abroad to fund an R10-billion rescue plan.
SAA’s liquidity problem has been further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
An analyst said closing SAA would also have a drastic impact on other sectors.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Linden Birns says SAA will have a critical role to play.
“When we are ready to travel again we are going to need that capacity and when we start resuming operations to rejuvenate the economy, we are going to need to reconnect markets and reconnect people,” said Birns.
He said shutting down the airline won’t just affect people’s jobs at SAA, but elsewhere as well.
Meanwhile, cabinet has directed Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to prepare an updated report on SAA after his department denied the bailout.
The airline is set to retrench hundreds of workers, with that process set to cost over R500-million.
But trade union Solidarity wants government to listen to its plan and try and save the airline in some shape or form.
“Solidarity already started discussions with the BRPs and government to see whether there is a chance to see if we can save certain elements and parts to protect workers that were not at fault,” said Solidarity’s Dirk Hermann.
For now, the airline continues to charter flights to and from South Africa, as well as bringing in essential cargo.
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Source: eNCA
