He reiterated: “It does not fly the working class. The only ones transporting the working class are buses and taxis. If we were giving this money to buses and taxis, you would have a case to make.
“All the time they go to [finance minister] Tito [Mboweni] for money. The SOEs must generate their developmental mandate and sustainability, including that SAA,” he said.
The storm rattled the tent forcing Mantashe to pause twice.
He and MKMVA members moved to calm the crowd of about 5,000 supporters, a few of whom fled as chains above the tent and its pillars clanged wildly.
In his off-the-cuff speech, Mantashe on more than two occasions, labelled SAA as oo'sginya mali — literally a serial squanderer of cash.
“Even now we're going to go to East London and take an aeroplane. It will only be us. The working class will be queuing for taxis. If the SAA wants to survive, it must make money. If it can't, it must be closed. And someone who can use it, should take it and fly us. We pay less at [FlySAfair]; it's cheaper than SAA and takes us wherever we want to go.”
Mantashe did not spare SA Express. “[It] cancels flights every day. They must be closed if they can't make any money. Mazivalwe! [They must be closed],” he said to approval from the packed crowd.
Later Mantashe clarified that his comments were not party policy.
“This is my opinion. It's not policy. I'm expressing a very strong view.”
Provincial Black Business Forum chairperson Luthando Bara said Mantashe's comments were completely reckless and he appeared to be dropping hints about an intention to liquidate SAA.
“The idea that SAA should be closed is ill-conceived. SAA is a strategic asset which, if used better, could be an enabler for economic growth. In an economy that's bleeding jobs, what message is government sending the private sector?”
Eastern Cape chamber of business president Vuyisile Ntlabathi backed Mantashe's comments. He called on the private sector to aggressively enter the aviation business and said government should stick to governance.
SAA's business rescue practitioners Siviwe Dongwana and Les Matuson said they had noted Mantashe's comments and those from other quarters in the ruling party.
They said the decision to halt routes from East London, PE and Durban, was taken “in the best interest of SA”.
SA Express spokesperson Mpho Matjatladi said the company would address Mantashe's comments on Monday after meeting senior management. She said there was one flight from Cape Town to East London on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; one flight from East London to Mthatha on Mondays, Fridays and Sunday; and one flight from East London to Cape Town on Wednesday.
SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali referred questions to Matuson and Dongwana.
soyisom@dispatch.co.za
Gwede goes against party in radical call for SAA to be privatised
Image: MASI LOSI
ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe's call on Saturday for SAA and SA Express to be sold was rejected as regressive on Sunday by Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane.
Mabuyane said while it was important to voice opinions, he rejected Mantashe's call. “We don't want a solution that will place us deeper in the mud.
“The province would be severely affected and it would affect those employed at airports. It would also negatively affect tourism because people must catch those planes from Johannesburg to here. SAA has the highest number of people in its employ that any other entity at the airports.”
Mabuyane also raised his concerns about SAA business rescue practitioners' decision to do away with flights to Port Elizabeth and East London.
On Thursday business rescue practitioners Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwana said the airline would drop flights to East London, PE and Durban. President Cyril Ramaphosa, before flying to Ethiopia on government business, registered his disapproval of the decision.
Mantashe made his comments amid a huge storm which threatened to lift the tent in which he was speaking at the Komga sports field where the ANC hosted its 108th birthday celebrations.
Mantashe raised eyebrows among the 5 000-strong crowd.
Alternating between English and isiXhosa, Mantashe said: “If the SAA wants to survive, it must make money. The communists might not want the SAA [to be closed], but if it doesn't fly the working class and only elites, then wake up and say 'this airline is only for elites; it's subsidising us and not the working class'.
“SAA can be given to anyone; we tell them [SAA] to leave the flag behind, and those who can run it, should run it.”
SAA flight cuts to hit Eastern Cape hard
He reiterated: “It does not fly the working class. The only ones transporting the working class are buses and taxis. If we were giving this money to buses and taxis, you would have a case to make.
“All the time they go to [finance minister] Tito [Mboweni] for money. The SOEs must generate their developmental mandate and sustainability, including that SAA,” he said.
The storm rattled the tent forcing Mantashe to pause twice.
He and MKMVA members moved to calm the crowd of about 5,000 supporters, a few of whom fled as chains above the tent and its pillars clanged wildly.
In his off-the-cuff speech, Mantashe on more than two occasions, labelled SAA as oo'sginya mali — literally a serial squanderer of cash.
“Even now we're going to go to East London and take an aeroplane. It will only be us. The working class will be queuing for taxis. If the SAA wants to survive, it must make money. If it can't, it must be closed. And someone who can use it, should take it and fly us. We pay less at [FlySAfair]; it's cheaper than SAA and takes us wherever we want to go.”
Mantashe did not spare SA Express. “[It] cancels flights every day. They must be closed if they can't make any money. Mazivalwe! [They must be closed],” he said to approval from the packed crowd.
Later Mantashe clarified that his comments were not party policy.
“This is my opinion. It's not policy. I'm expressing a very strong view.”
Provincial Black Business Forum chairperson Luthando Bara said Mantashe's comments were completely reckless and he appeared to be dropping hints about an intention to liquidate SAA.
“The idea that SAA should be closed is ill-conceived. SAA is a strategic asset which, if used better, could be an enabler for economic growth. In an economy that's bleeding jobs, what message is government sending the private sector?”
Eastern Cape chamber of business president Vuyisile Ntlabathi backed Mantashe's comments. He called on the private sector to aggressively enter the aviation business and said government should stick to governance.
SAA's business rescue practitioners Siviwe Dongwana and Les Matuson said they had noted Mantashe's comments and those from other quarters in the ruling party.
They said the decision to halt routes from East London, PE and Durban, was taken “in the best interest of SA”.
SA Express spokesperson Mpho Matjatladi said the company would address Mantashe's comments on Monday after meeting senior management. She said there was one flight from Cape Town to East London on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; one flight from East London to Mthatha on Mondays, Fridays and Sunday; and one flight from East London to Cape Town on Wednesday.
SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali referred questions to Matuson and Dongwana.
soyisom@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos