A WAR of words erupted
between CNN anchor, Richard
Quest, and SA Tourism
Minister Derek Hanekom at
Indaba as Richard laid into
the South African government
for “mismanaging” SAA.
Richard was responding
to President Zuma’s recent
address to employees at SAA
offices, saying government
would not sell the national
airline as it had the potential
to contribute to the growth of
the country’s economy.
Said Richard: “The
President played to the public
when he said he’s never
going to sell SAA. Then he
went on to say that SAA
shouldn’t have cut routes,
it should be expanding. I’m
suggesting SAA has become
a political football and that
needs to stop.”
Richard also accused
government of having “sticky
hands”, adding: “You have
an airline that is managing to
lose money when everyone
else is making money. You
have an old fleet that needs
upgrading, and you haven’t
got a ceo.”
Minister of Tourism, Derek
Hanekom, reacted, saying
South African ministers do
not have sticky hands. “We
have a national carrier. We
have no choice because it
belongs to us: our hands
belong there.”
Hanekom admitted there
was an opportunity to make
the national carrier more
efficient and profitable.
“There’s a collective
responsibility from a team
of ministers to ensure that
those changes happen:
stability in leadership is very
important; a good board
is very important. We are
addressing these problems.”
Meanwhile, deputy minister
of finance, Mcebisi Hubert
Jonas, said in a statement
that National Treasury would
withhold government support
until changes at the airline
had been realised.
SAA has seen more
changes at an executive
level, with the suspension
of gm of human resources,
Thuli Mpshe. “The
allegations against Ms
Mpshe are of an extremely
serious nature and warrant
a proper investigation,” the
airline said in a statement.
Marc Cavaliere, regional
manager responsible for the
Americas, has tendered his
resignation and is serving
notice until the end of June.
Despite problems at an
executive level, travel agents
will keep supporting SAA.
“The people on the ground
at SAA are incredible.
They are the ones who are
keeping the airline afloat,”
says Rachael Penaluna,
business manager of Sure
Maritime Travel. She adds
that what’s happening at
SAA is a real tragedy but
hasn’t necessarily impacted
on consumer or trade
confidence.
“I still channel everything
through our Cape Town
based account manager, who
is awesome and efficient,”
agrees Candice May, supply
and product manager of
Travelstart. “When an
airline has had seven chief
executives in four years, you
would think the overall trade
and consumer confidence
would be more affected.
Unfortunately one just comes
to expect this from SAA.”
“If in-fighting is impacting
consumer confidence, it is
most definitely not seen in
our group’s support of SAA,
nor in the lack of open seats
when boarding an SAA flight,”
says Franz Von Wielligh,
gm of FlightSpecials. Franz
says that although there are
challenges, the relationships
with people at SAA are
fantastic. “They are very loyal
and willing to deal with and
assist the trade.”
