The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) together with the South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) have called for the immediate resignation of the entire South African Airways Board.
This follows the resignation of Martin Kingston as a director and SAA board member.
Kingston tendered his resignation on Friday, citing no need for his employ while the national carrier is under business rescue.
The airline is battling to stay in the air as it is still awaiting the promised R2 billion from the government. An additional R2 billion obtained from lenders has been exhausted.
Numsa national spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says they note Kingston’s resignation as a positive development.
“This is the same board that has been directly involved in the destruction of SAA and it is because of them that SAA has now been placed under Voluntary Business Rescue. SAA has collapsed because of corruption and mismanagement. Its finances have been choked by the R25 billion per annum spend on procurement, caused by evergreen contracts with big multinational companies. The board has done very little to intervene in corruption, and to curb the bloated procurement spend.”
Sale of aircraft
The unions have called on the board and executive management of South African Airways (SAA) to publicly account for the sale of some of its aircraft, allegedly without the knowledge of its business rescue practitioners.
SAA has put up nine of its Airbus aircraft and 15 spare engines for sale.
The unions have also called for the board and executive management to be suspended pending the completion of a thorough investigation into the sale.
‘Rescue SAA’
Earlier this week, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said the government is working to secure extra funding to rescue SAA. Mboweni said he was in discussion with Treasury over the matter.
The National Transport Movement (NTM) says SAA is at severe financial risk and urgently needs the additional bailout promised by the government.
NTM President Mashudu Raphetha says Treasury has given SAA a letter in order to approach more lenders for money.
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