Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has asked his almost 1 million
Twitter followers if SA in fact needs a national airline.
This comes about a month after SAA was granted R10.5 billion in additional funding to enable its business rescue process to continue.
He argued at the time that this was not a bailout of the embattled state-owned airline, but was needed to honour existing obligations.
"Ok. Do we need a National Airline? Maybe that’s the question? Is it?" he tweeted on Sunday evening.
Ok. Do we need a National Airline? Maybe that’s the question? Is it?
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) November 22, 2020
The minister also criticised rating agencies Fitch and Moody's, without naming them, for Friday's downgrade of SA's sovereign credit rating, saying that "civilized people" abide by the Queensbury rule in business, sports and politics – that you do not "continue to beat up somebody who is on their knees".
"Ratings Agencies should treat us the same way," he said.
There is something called the Queensbury Rule. You do not continue to beat up somebody who is on their knees. You do not. It is the rule. Civilized people abide by that Rule in business, sports and politics. Ratings Agencies should treat us the same way. During a global crisis!
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) November 22, 2020
In the last of seven tweets, the minister said that policy certainty was fundamental for SA's economy to grow.
I do not know how to explain this anymore. Let me try. Economic agents: investors, businesses, consumers, buyers and sellers of goods, farmers, the market, etc, need policy certainty. FUNDAMENTAL. I invest because I will harvest in Xyears in the forward market. CONFIDENCE!!
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) November 22, 2020
