Parliament responds to ‘reckless’ utterances by unions on SAA

Parliament’s Public Enterprises Committee Chairperson, Khaya Magaxa, has described as ‘reckless and sabotage’ the utterances by trade unions about the safety of South African Airways (SAA) flights.

Magaxa has called on the workers not to damage the credibility of SAA. This comes after Numsa urged passengers not to fly SAA as their safety could not be guaranteed.

Numsa claims that SAA is using inexperienced technicians and safety officers in the place of those who are currently on strike.

In a statement, Magaxa says the committee supports the workers right to strike within the confines of labour laws but he says it’s irresponsible for the unions to make comments that re-instated flights will be operated by short-term contracted personnel who do not have the required experience.

Magaxa says the committee acknowledges the challenges facing SAA and that they are a direct result of malfeasance and corruption caused by state capture.

He says workers are not responsible for the situation at SAA.

He has warned that the strike has serious ramifications for SAA’s financial situation and other unintended consequences for the economy and the tourism sector.

Magaxa says if the employees continue down the path of destruction by destroying SAA’s credibility this will lead to the destruction of jobs that should be protected.

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