Durban - Reinstituting domestic SAA flights between Durban and OR Tambo International Airport would have a positive impact on KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC in that province affirmed on Thursday.
On Thursday, the party said it welcomed as a positive development news of the ongoing negotiations between the provincial government and the business rescue practitioners who are now in charge of SAA’s affairs.
The news of the negotiations were revealed by KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala on Wednesday in Pietermaritzburg while delivering the State of the Province Address (SOPA). Zikalala said the negotiations included public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan and other stakeholders with interests in the running of the struggling state owned company.
According to Zikalala, who last week called the decision “economic sabotage”, their plea to have the flights that were cut on Saturday restored, was receiving favourable consideration.
He assured the people of the country that they would never abandon them and allow them to suffer job losses as a result of the flight cuts.
The KZN ANC said while it understands that SAA faces a lot of difficulties at this present moment, the halting of flights was going to put more pressure on an already fragile provincial economy and lead to a jobs bloodbath.