Publications
Mbhazima Shilowa questions why there is secrecy around who the other SAA bidders are, writing the public deserves to know that this is not a handover of state assets to the politically connected in this era of state capture.
The privatisation of South African Airways (SAA) is not a new proposal. It has always been on the table.
Early in her tenure as minister of public enterprises between 1994 and 1999, Stella Sigcau announced plans to sell a 30% equity stake in SAA. That plan collapsed because of opposition from Cosatu. Cosatu and its affiliates opposed it not only for the ideological reason that "the state should own a national airline". It was opposed because there were no detailed plans, no clear reasons for the sell-off, no accurate information about the process, control, and decision making, and no proper evidence of the ultimate benefit to the state and the country.
