South African Airways could find South African banks that are owed the R13.8 billion guaranteed by the government for the national carrier recalling their loans should rumoured proposals that the airline be moved out of National Treasury and into the Department of Transport materialise.
Opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has announced its intention to request that all South African banks immediately inform Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba that they will recall their loans with immediate effect should the proposal go ahead.
“What makes such a proposal even worse is the news that disgraced Dudu Myeni has been appointed as a special adviser to Transport Minister, Joe Maswanganyi, a close ally of President Jacob Zuma,” said DA Shadow Minister of Finance, Alf Lees. “Despite any rules that may preclude her from interfering in SAA affairs, Ms Myeni will likely ignore these and meddle in the affairs of the airline,” he said.
Zuma’s spokesman, Bongani Ngqulunga, said: “While there are many views about where certain entities may be better located as government continues to look for ways of improving the performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), that does not translate into a decision.”
