Gupta’s score again as SAA spends R9.4 million on The New Age
11 October 2015
State-owned airline, South African Airways (SAA) has spent R9.4 million on purchasing almost 6 million copies of Gupta-owned newspaper the New Age, despite the embattled airline remaining in financial crisis and relying directly on government funding to remain a going concern.
In a reply to a parliamentary question, the Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene, stated that since March 2011, SAA purchased 5 927 000 copies of The New Age that were supplied to domestic on-board flights, lounges and airports.
The fact that the newspaper is both owned by the politically-connected Gupta family, and has an editorial stance which is unashamedly pro-Zuma, requires Minister Lynne Brown to assure every taxpaying South African that the agreement is above reproach and free from political interference.
I will today write to Minister Brown, requesting she institute an independent probe into the decision making for this expenditure.