SAA indebtedness: DA submits PAIA to probe R50 million owed to ACSA
18 January 2016
On Friday the 15th January 2016, the DA submitted a PAIA to SAA for the current amount owed to Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) in overdue/deferred payments. SAA has been receiving a large amount of publicity lately and again they are in the news for the wrong reasons.
It is alleged that SAA owes ACSA R50 million in deferred invoice payments which was uncovered in an internal SAA document dealing with SAA’s liquidity concerns following the cancellation of Citibank’s short term banking facility of R250 million. SAA have not been grounded though, in stark contrast to the treatment handed out to fellow airline competitor Skywise.
The Skywise fleet were grounded by ACSA in December due to outstanding ACSA fees. Skywise later revealed that they owed ACSA R4 million and had requested leniency with a busy holiday period expected to generate sufficient revenue for them.
Skywise have subsequently complained about unfair treatment with SAA seemingly receiving preferential treatment from ACSA. This is most likely attributable to SAA Board Chairperson, Dudu Myeni’s close relationship with President Jacob Zuma.
Indeed Ms Myeni has run the national carrier like her own personal fiefdom and has arguably presided of the worst period in in SAA’s history; haemorrhaging billions upon billions of taxpayer Rands in chronic bailouts.
Again, this saga highlights the fragile position SAA find themselves in with poor financial management and leadership. The DA reiterates the call to remove Dudu Myeni from the position of SAA’s Chairperson as soon as possible. Additionally, the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhn needs to strongly consider the repeated calls by the DA to start privatizing the national carrier that has proven to be a financial black hole into which billions of Rands have been ploughed without any discernible turnaround and profitability.
The DA will not allow state-owned enterprises to be bankrupt by corrupt and negligent executives, especially those who act with little regard for the tax-payers hard earned money. We will continue to seek accountability for the misuse of state funds.
Statement issued by Natasha Mazzone MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, 18 January 2016
