NUMSA welcomes referral of failed SAA-Takatso deal to Police Ministry

JOHANNESBURG – The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has welcomed the referral of the failed deal between South African Airways (SAA) and the Takatso Consortium to the Police Ministry.

This is after Parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises made the decision to refer the deal to make way for the Special Investigating Unit to probe it. 

The committee found that Minister Pravin Gordhan failed to conduct himself in an open, honest and transparent manner during the transaction.

In March, Gordhan announced that the deal to sell a stake in SAA to Takatso collapsed, saying a decision was taken to revalue SAA. 

He argued that at the time of the original valuation, SAA was grounded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

NUMSA spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola: "The minister attempted to bully the committee into keeping the deal a secret, even though there was absolutely no justification in doing so. SAA is a state-owned entity, and every aspect of the deal must be open to the public to scrutinise."