Dudu Myeni must account to Parliament for reneging on SAA-Emirates deal

21 June 2015

According to reports today, South African Airways (SAA) has at the eleventh hour reneged on its equity partnership agreement with Emirates Airlines, which would have seen more than R2 billion injected into the cash strapped entity. 

I will today write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, requesting that she summon SAA Chairwoman, Dudu Myeni, before Committee to fully brief Parliament on the reasons for SAA pulling the plug on this deal at the last possible moment. 

After months of negotiations, Myeni and SAA CEO Nico Bezuidenhout were set to meet top officials from Emirates Airlines in Paris to conclude the deal which would see SAA and Emirates Airlines become equity partners, a move that would bring much needed financial support to the ailing airline. The deal would have also given SAA the benefit of Emirates global reach, allowing SAA to sell tickets on Emirates flights.

In particular, Ms Myeni must explain to Parliament why she allegedly did not arrive in Paris for the meeting with Emirates, and why Bezuidenhout was allegedly instructed to not sign the deal.

Myeni's about-turn is a further strange act of economic sabotage, following on from visa regulations, e-tolls, the AGOA debacle, and load-shedding.

The DA has long called for interventions to stabilise the ailing state-owned airline, and this deal appeared to be a positive step in the right direction.

The manner and process in which Myeni reneged on this agreement is bizarre, and reeks of political interference from the highest ranks. Parliament must be fully briefed on what exactly transpired in this deal falling through.

Statement issued by Natasha Mazzone MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, June 21 2015