DURBAN – KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala said that the move by SAA’s business rescue practitioners to cancel flights to Durban amounted to economic sabotage and the provincial government would fight the decision.
Earlier this month, the embattled airline announced that it would no longer offer services to Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London as of 29 February.
Zikalala has lambasted the move, saying it did not make sense.
He said that the provincial government wanted Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to stop SAA from cancelling flights to Durban.
“We are engaging with the minister. If they are continuing to talk about closing flights to Durban, it will amount to economic sabotage and we are not going to take it.”
Zikalala said that cancelling flights to Durban would destroy local jobs.
“It’s something we’re not going to take easily because it’s not based on scientific reports. We are not going to accept it because it will add to unemployment.”
According to reports, SAA business rescue practitioners have previously not ruled out the possibility of job losses but have affirmed that they were doing their best to protect existing jobs within the airline.
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