Friday, 22 November 2024

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) welcomes the South African Airways (SAA) reported net profit of R252 million for the financial year 2022/2023.  It is reported that the SAA’s total revenue increased by 183%, from R2 billion the prior year, to R5.7 billion and this is without any doubt good news for the carrier brand that represents and our country.

This profit is a clear reflection of the amount of potential that requires harnessing and support within SAA as a state entity. As the EFF we commend the current leadership and board of SAA for this achievement and encourage them to build on it in an effort to catapult the public entity into even greater heights.  We further note, with appreciation, the fact that after so many years of financial loss and disarray within the entity, that now there seems to be a glimmer of hope to suggest that the entity is moving in the right direction.

This optimistic picture of SAA stands in stark contrast with the losses that the entity has suffered in the past years under the iron fist of the late Minister Pravin Gordhan who sought to destroy the potential of this once profitable airline in South Africa and the continent.  Under his tenure we witnessed SAA being sacrificed on the altar of private monopolies, thus being taken away from the custodianship of the state and by extension the people of South Africa.  The deliberate sabotage we witnessed under Gordhan had resulted in the loss of many jobs, a phenomenon that could have been easily avoided.

We are of the view that this SAA profit is, indeed, a clear demonstration that the entity can turn things around if it gets all the support that it requires, and were are vindicated that the fight against privatisation was necessary. However, we still need to see arrests and prosecution of all involved in the initial tanking of SAA. As we give credit where it is due, we must equally categorically state that we will be the first ones to come out brazenly if the entity veers away from this positive trajectory and growth.

ISSUED BY THE ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Leigh-Ann Mathys (National Spokesperson) 082 304 7572

Thato Lebyane (Media Enquiries) 078 304 7572