Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has assured staff at South African Airways (SAA) that the state-owned airline is ‘here to stay’.

This following last week’s announcement of the collapse of the deal with strategic equity partner Takatso Consortium.

“Our ambition is that SAA will make enough profit to pay the government dividends. We have rebuilt the airline, and it will make profit that can support the fiscus instead of it looking for bailouts from government.

“SAA is here to stay. SAA will grow. SAA will expand. Don’t allow negativity to come near us,” Gordhan said.

The minister reflected on the airline’s recent troubles and emphasised the need for intolerance for corruption.

“We should be grateful to government for the role it played to avoid liquidation. We will have zero tolerance for any corruption that rears its ugly head at SAA. We have a bright future ahead of us. We need to work together. You must work as a team,” Gordhan said.

Last week during the announcement of the Takatso Consortium deal, Gordhan told the media that SAA had a corporate plan aimed at sustaining the airline without needing government help.

“That corporate plan actually entails the gradual growth in the number of routes that SAA will take up in the course of the next few years. Similarly, it will have the capacity to lease more aircraft, both for domestic use, use within the continent and for intercontinental flights as well.

“All of these plans will be rigorously examined with the necessary aviation expertise to ensure that jobs are secure, that the airline is secure and that there is a future for SAA and its flag to be seen continuously within the country, within the continent and across continents as well,” Gordhan said. – SAnews.gov.za