Zuma: SAA has always had problems

President Jacob Zuma has told Parliament that controversial chairwoman Dudu Myeni is not the cause of the problems at South African Airways (SAA).

Zuma was answering questions in the National Assembly.

SAA is in deep fianncial trouble with goverrnment looking to sell its stake in Telkom to fund another bailout.

It is also set to announce the airline’s turnaround strategy in September.

SAA has never been on top of the world. It has had problems all the time, long before the people who are working there now. At one point we had to get an expert from the United States who did not help the problem,” Zuma said.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane wanted to know from Zuma why the board has not been dissolved and Myeni removed.

Zuma said Myeni and the board gave their full co-operation when Parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises probed the issues at SAA.

For the first time, the portfolio committee was able to compile a report on SAA for the first time. 

The people you are talking about made that possible. All others who were there before did not produce that report. The report also indicates that the corruption has been happening for a long time.

Zuma said a decision has been taken to recapitalise SAA and turn it around.

He says finance minister Malusi Gigaba will announce government’s plans for SAA soon.