DA wants investigation of SAA allegations

25 February 2013 - 02:37 By Sapa
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Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba. File photo.
Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba. File photo.
Image: MOELETSI MABE

Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba should appoint a team to investigate the numerous allegations of irregularities at SA Airways, the DA said yesterday.

"The airline's survival has for far too long depended on billions of rands of government bailouts. South Africans have a right to know what is going on with the national carrier since it is their money that is keeping it afloat," said DA provincial legislator Natasha Michael.

The Sunday Times reported that an allegedly doctored legal opinion by SAA's general manager of legal services, Fikile Thabethe, led to the suspension of SAA's acting CEO, Vuyisile Kona.

It said the validity of the document was discussed at an SAA board meeting on Friday, just days after claims surfaced that the security services had spied on Kona.

Kona was suspended last week for, among other things, allegedly contravening the Public Finance Management Act when he appointed three senior consultants.

SAA spokesman Tlali Tlali said Kona's suspension followed normal procedure.

Michael said claims that Thabethe's legal opinion had been tampered with "fuels the fire of uncertainty" about Kona's suspension.

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