SAA Pilots’ Association supports NUMSA, SACCA call for SAA leadership overhaul

14 November 2019

The South African Airways Pilots’ Association (SAAPA) stands firmly behind calls by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) for strong, accountable leadership at SAA.

In particular, we call for the appointment of an appropriately qualified CEO with experience in the aviation industry, and for a skills audit to be completed by an independent agency. Indeed, these were the precise demands SAAPA submitted to the SAA leadership back in August.

Since the departure of former CEO Vuyani Jarana, each SAA union has repeatedly called for the appointment of accountable and capable leaders. These pleas have fallen on deaf ears and, as a result, the airline has sunk deeper into the abyss. SAA is broke because of the political interference of the Dudu Myeni-era and the continued mismanagement of the airline since her departure. 

The employees of SAA did not put the airline into the financial mess it is in, SAA's management team did. We therefore reject any attempts by management to renege on its commitments to the employees of the company.

SAAPA will continue to pursue the shared objective of all the airline’s employees – the appointment of a capable and accountable leadership team at SAA with the ability, the will and the independence from political interference to enact a real turnaround strategy at SAA.

Issued by Captain Grant Black, Chairperson, SAA Pilots’ Association, 14 November 2019