Trade union Solidarity today said that the damning internal report, which SAA last week prevented from being published in the media by having obtained a court interdict in great haste, is in the public interest and is part of the public domain.

According to Johan Botha, head of the professional industry at Solidarity, the report confirms the financial predicament the national airline finds itself in. “SAA is trying with all its might to prevent the truth about its precarious financial position from being revealed. This report is part of the public domain and SAA’s urgent court application demonstrates that this institution is not prepared to lay its cards on the table,” Botha explained.

The report also mentions the large amounts of money SAA is owing to the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. “The reckless mismanagement prevailing at SAA is cause for grave concern and creates uncertainty among the institution’s employees given the recently completed 189 retrenchment process and the freezing of nearly 500 jobs by the national carrier,” Botha said.

According to Botha, the threatening attitude shown towards SAA pilots after they had tabled a motion of no confidence in SAA chair Dudu Myeni with good reason, is cause for concern. “We are concerned that the pilots will now be threatened with disciplinary action. As Solidarity we will do everything in our power to support and protect these pilots,” Botha confirmed.

Issued by Solidarity