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Parliament's Public Enterprises Portfolio Committee has recommended that the transaction that saw Takatso Consortium appointed as the preferred bidder to acquire 51 percent of South African Airways be referred to the Special Investigating Unit. The committee says the department has not been able to successfully dispute the former Director-General KgathatsoTlhakudiallegation that Takatso was not part of the initial list of companies that submitted bids. The committee also feels that Tlhakudi's submission that SAA assets were undervalued was not disproved in light of the cancellation of the transaction that the Public Enterprises Minister PravinGordhan announced last week. Here is what Public Enterprises Committee Chairperson, Khaya Magaxa told the committee today....
Minister Pravin Gordhan announces termination of SAA-Takatso deal amid controversy by Radio Islam
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan , this week , announced that the sale of a 51% stake in South African Airways to the Takatso Consortium has been cancelled. Addressing the media after the Parliament's Public Enterprises Portfolio Committee meeting, Gordhan said there was agreement that by mutual consent that the transaction should be terminated as there is no clear path forward. This comes almost three years after the consortium was announced as the preferred bidder to acquire the airline. Meanwhile , Cabinet says it supports the termination of SAA's partnership with the Takatso Consortium saying it had to prioritise the fair value, and ensure that the public interest is served. To look at why and how the SAA-Takatso deal fell apart Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Independent Analyst, Khaya Sithole and Chris Hattingh, Executive Director at the Centre For Risk Analysis (CRA).
Former Department of Public Enterprises director-general Kgathatso Tlhakudi says Public Enterprises Minister Pravin should be held accountable for the failed SAA - takatso deal. Pravin Gordhan announced the termination of the Takatso Consortium's 51% takeover of South African Airways (SAA). Takatso said in its response to the announcement, that the magnitude and materiality of the proposed changes had made it clear that the transaction would possibly need to be re-submitted to the Competition Tribunal. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to former Department of Public Enterprises director-general Kgathatso Tlhakudi, who was opposed to the deal during his time at the department...
Clement Manyathela speaks to a panel of guests about the scrapping of the deal between SAA and the Takatso Consortium in which the Consortium was to purchase a 51% stake in South African Airways. They discuss what this means for SAA going forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
GUEST: Gidon Novick | Former Director of Takatso consortium, CEO of Comair andco-founder of LiftSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says Cabinet supports the termination of the Takatso Consortium's 51% takeover of the South African Airways (SAA). Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that the deal between SAA and Takatso Consortium was off. Takatso says it experienced immense political pressure in its attempt to acquire 51 percent in state owned airline SAA. Ntshavheni briefed the media on Thursday. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, Khaya Magaxa.
The sale of 51% shares in South African Airways, SAA to the Takatso Consortium has been grounded. Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan announced the cancellation of the controversial deal which has been marred in secrecy. In 2021 the Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder to acquire the embattled state-owned airline. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprise, Dr. Mimmy Gondwe
Phuthego Mojapele, an aviation expert, reacted to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan's announcement that SAA's deal with strategic equity partner Takatso has been terminated, a setback to one of President Cyril Ramaphosa's largest privatisation drives amidst opposition from some in the ruling ANC party.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Antoinette Slabbert, senior verslaggewer by Rapport gesels oor die SAL en Takatso-transaksie wat deur die mat val, en wat dit vir SAL beteken. Volg RSG Geldsake op Twitter
The Democratic Alliance, DA says it will not participate in cover up of the SAA-Takatso deal. This after Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan reportedly threatened to hold members of the Portfolio Committee liable, if contents of the controversial deal are made public. Gordhan handed over documents regarding the deal to MPs. For more on this we're joined on the line by Alf Lees, DA MP and Member of SCOPA...
Guest: Dr Mimmy Gondwe | DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises Dr Mimmy Gondwe is the DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises and joins Africa to speak on SAA/Takatso deal that is in their words being “covered up”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The details about the sale of South African Airways (SAA) for R51 to the Takatso Consortium are on the spotlight again in Parliament. This as the portfolio committee on Public Enterprises is expected to decide whether the documents on the SAA-Takatso deal can be made available to the public. There have been reports of tensions between Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Parliament's Public Enterprises Portfolio Committee over the SAA - Takatso deal. Committee members are investigating Takatso's selection as the preferred equity partner to own a majority stake in the airline. The demand follows allegations of corruption and mismanagement surrounding SAA's sale. Takatso won the 51% stake in SAA just six weeks after the airline emerged from its business rescue. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC parliamentary reporter, Abongwe Kobokana.
The Department of Public Enterprises says it will not allow anyone to tarnish its work and falsely imply there's any attempt by the department not to be transparent about any issue involving public trust. The Auditor General raised concern with the Public Enterprises Committee that she had not received the report on the revised valuation of SAA's assets. There have been reports of tensions between Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Parliament's Public Enterprises Portfolio Committee over the SAA - Takatso deal. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chartered Accountant and Independent Analyst Khaya Sithole
Lead: Gordhan's quiet SAA Hearing Phutego Mojapele | Aviation Analyst The Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, under the leadership of Minister Pravin Gordhan, made an unusual decision to hold a closed-door meeting regarding the SAA-Takatso transaction. Typically public, committee meetings can be closed under specific circumstances requiring confidentiality. Committee chair Khaya Magaxa requested the media and public to exit the meeting while the committee deliberated on the confidentiality of certain documents. These documents include the sale agreement between the Department of Public Enterprises and Takatso, along with materials concerning Takatso's selection as the strategic equity partner. Minister Gordhan has withheld these documents for over a year, citing confidentiality agreements with other airline bidders. Additionally, Gordhan proposed that committee members sign non-disclosure agreements, which Magaxa deemed inappropriate and legally questionable. Despite this, the committee decided to meet the minister in camera to assess the need for confidentiality. Earlier, it was revealed that the Department of Public Enterprises had declined to provide the Auditor-General with SAA's valuation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa has condemned Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan's refusal to hand over documents relating to the sale of South African Airways to Parliament. Numsa notes that the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises has unanimously agreed that it cannot provide unqualified support for the transaction for SAA to be sold to the Takatso Consortium. Last week, SAA tabled four years of annual financial statements in Parliament, which showed four years of financial losses and four disclaimed audit opinions. SABC reporter, Naledi Ngcobo has more.
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has faced criticism from members of parliament's public enterprises committee who have accused him of not fully co-operating with the committee's investigation into the allegations of irregularities in the SAA deal with Takatso Consortium. The committee is probing accusations made by former public enterprises director-general Kgathatso Tlhakudi, which cast a shadow on the the integrity of the sale of national carrier to the consortium. The committee questioned Gordhan's failure to provide the share sale and purchase agreement used in the deal, as well as the shortlist of companies considered as potential strategic equity partners with the government in SAA. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Independent Analyst, Khaya Sithole.
Die Suid-Afrikaanse openbare ondernemings departement erken die belangrikheid daarvan dat die parlement moet toesig hou en aandring op aanspreeklikheid. Terselfdertyd verwerp hy bewerings dat hy nie saamwerk nie met die portefeuljekomitee oor openbare ondernemings in sy ondersoek van die strategiese ekwiteitsvennootskap-transaksie vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens. Die woordvoerder van die departement, Ellis Mnyandu, sê enige bewerings dat die voorgestelde aankoop van die aandeelhouding van 51 persent in SAL deur die Takatso-konsortium nie ‘n deursigtige en regverdige proses was nie, is kwaadwillig en duidelik vals.
Parliament's Public Enterprises Committee met today to discuss and consider evidence submitted by the Minister Pravin Gordhan and Former Director-General of the department of Public Enterprises , Kgathatso Thlakudi on the allegations of irregularities in the SAA transaction. The committee heard from the two of them after the former DG accused the minister of interfering to favour Takatso as the preferred bidder for a 51 percent stake in SAA. Rodney Mnisi, Committee Content Advisor gives outlines a report on what has transpired during the sittings of the committee on this matter
ActionSA is having its 3-day policy conference where the party will outline its policy ideas before their first participation in a general election. Over 600 ActionSA members nationwide are expected to attend the conference. Scopa continues with its preliminary inquiry into the corruption allegations of former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter. After a no-show in June - the police investigator dealing with the investigations is set to appear. After calling in sick last week, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan is set to appear before Parliament's portfolio committee today to respond to the raft of allegations made by the former DG that the SAA deal with Takatso was not above board. CASAC states that Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane's removal sets an important precedent. Remembering Steve Biko and the legacy he left. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Die buurland se minister van Openbare Ondernemings, Pravin Gordhan, sê 'n goed-toegeruste Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens het die vermoë om die land se ekonomie 'n hupstoot te gee. Hy het die Mededingingstribunaal se voorwaardelike goedkeuring van die Takatso-konsortium se plan verwelkom, om 51 persent van die staatsbeheerde lugdiens te bekom. Hy sê dit is 'n beduidende stap om die SAL mededingend en winsgewend te maak. 'n Woorvoerder van die departement, Ellis Mnyandu, sê die minister het benadruk die lugdiens se regruk dien as 'n baken vir wat staatsbeheerde instellings kan bereik wanneer die regte raamwerk aan hulle verskaf word:
Takatso Aviation het die Suid-Afrikaanse Mededingingstribunaal se voorwaardelike goedkeuring van sy verkryging van 51 persent van die uitgereikte aandelekapitaal van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens verwelkom. Indien die ooreenkoms afgehandel word, sal die oorblywende 49 persent aandeelhouding in SAL in die Departement van Openbare Ondernemings se besit bly. Die ooreenkoms is onderworpe aan voorwaardes wat verband hou met 'n moratorium op afleggings en disinvestering van die aandeelhouding deur minderheidsaandeelhouers in die Takatso-konsortium. Takatso se woordvoerder, Thulasizwe Simelane, sê die goedkeuring baan 'n duidelike weg na die ooreenkoms se afhandeling:
Africa is joined by Editor at SA Flyer Magazine, Guy Leitch to reflect on day one of the Competition Tribunal hearing into the Takatso Aviation Consortium and South African Airways (SAA) merger.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Clement speaks to Co-founder of Lyft and Takatso consortium minority shareholder, Gidon Novick as he gives update on the SAA deal following the decision by minority shareholders to sell their stake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Some MPs say they are leaning toward the institution of an independent inquiry into the sale of SAA to the Takatso Consortium. This comes as now dismissed Public Enterprises DG, Kgathatso Tlhakudi, appeared before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises earlier this week. Tlhakudi briefed MPs on his stance regarding the sale, alleging that there are various irregularities in the deal. Tlhakudi, requested an audience with the speaker who in turn referred the matter to the Public Enterprises Committee to deal with it. National Freedom Party MP Shaik Imam is among those vocal about the SAA/Takatso deal and is calling for an inquiry to unearth the facts.
Derek Hanekom, a veteran ANC member known for his vocal criticism of the party, who chairs the interim board of SAA has expressed confidence in concluding the airline's acquisition by the Takatso consortium by year-end. He said that SAA had returned to profitability and unveiled plans to expand its route network to 20 destinations, with the first intercontinental route set to reconnect Sao Paulo. Hanekom also emphasised the importance of clean, renewable energy for South Africa, highlighting its potential to be implemented more swiftly than nuclear energy. Furthermore, he voiced his support for the Defend Our Democracy Campaign, a counter-mobilisation aimed at safeguarding South Africa's democracy. He spoke to Linda van Tilburg of Biznews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tshepo Mahloele says he personally finds SAA offers ‘a very warm and fuzzy' service. www.moneyweb.co.za
The partial privatization of SAA is underway with Takatso Consortium poised to acquire a 51% stake in SAA. The Competition Commission recently approved the deal on the condition that Takatso agrees to retain a minimum number of employees. Another condition includes starting a process to allow some shareholders in the consortium to exit the deal in the spirit of fair competition in the domestic airline. To discuss how far the sale of SAA is, Elvis Presslin spoke to Takatso Consortium Spokesperson, Thulasizwe Simelane
The Competition Commission has approved the majority sale of SAA to Takatso Consortium. The announcement follows the Commission's investigation into the acquisition of a 51 percent stake in SAA by Takatso Consortium. The Competition Commission says it approved the deal on condition that Takatso agrees to retain a minimum number of employees. Another condition includes starting a process to allow some shareholders in the consortium to exit the deal in the spirit of fair competition in the domestic airline. This after the Commission found that the merger was likely to result in limited competition as some Takatso shareholders were linked to SAA's rival company Lift airline. We spoke to Tamara Paremoer who is the Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at the Competition Commission
After a key member in South African Airways's (SAA's) chosen equity partner, the Takatso consortium, resigned over concerns around the deal, government claimed that "deliberate misinformation" was being spread by "certain elements" aimed at scuttling the transaction. On Monday, Gidon Novick, the former co-CEO of kulula.com and co-founder of LIFT, announced his resignation from the board of the consortium, telling News24 this was amid concerns around its ability to raise enough money and "a lack of information and communication". Novick represented Global Airways, an aviation leasing group which owns LIFT, on the board. The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) said in a statement on Friday morning that the "public should be aware of the efforts of competitors, detractors, and other forces to undermine our efforts to save jobs and ensure a viable airline". "Government is awaiting the completion of the regulatory processes and thereafter will finalise Takatso's acquisition of the 51% shareholding in SAA. The deal is not at risk," DPE said. "We condemn the deliberate misinformation and casting of doubt about the transaction and regulatory processes since the resignation of Gideon Novick [sic] as a board member of the Takatso consortium." "DPE wants to thank the travelling public and loyal SAA customers for their continued support. Your support has helped to create over 800 jobs for pilots, cabin crew and other workers. "Their jobs are being endangered by the selfishness, reckless behaviour and greed of certain elements." Takatso consists of the infrastructure investment firm Harith as majority shareholder, and Global Airways, which owns airline LIFT, as minority shareholder. Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan this week dismissed Novick's resignation in Parliament, calling him a "small and relatively minor party in a transaction". However, a senior industry player told News24 that Novick was crucial to the due diligence for the SAA deal given his experience. Novick and Global Airways were supposed to contribute aviation expertise to a "new" SAA. The DPE said on Friday that it was certain "Takatso will introduce the required technical, financial, and operational expertise into the business". There has also previously been doubts about Harith's ability to raise the funding from the start. Harith CEO and Takatso chair Tshepo Mahloele told News24 on Tuesday that until government pays SAA's outstanding debt, Harith is unable to wrap up the final funding for the deal. Mahloele told News24 he also welcomed Novick's resignation, saying it resolved competition issues with LIFT.
Tshepo Mahloele – CEO, Harith General Partners www.moneyweb.co.za
Tshepo Mahloele – CEO, Harith General Partners
For many external observers, airline veteran Gidon Novick personified the best chance of a turnaround for teetering South African Airways and saving at least some of the billions injected by taxpayers. But the former CEO of Comair and co-founder of Lift this week announced his resignation as a director of the Takatso consortium which is negotiating to acquire 51% of SAA. Forthright as ever, Novick says his team brought airline expertise to the consortium and invested heavily over 18 months in compiling a project plan – but despite its 20% shareholding was “kept in the dark”. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tshepo Mahloele, voorsitter van die Takatso-konsortium gesels oor konflik met Lift, of daar deursigtigheid was tussen die Takatso-konsortium en Novick, asook die status van die SAL ooreenkoms.
Gidon Novick has resigned as the CEO and board member of Takatso Consortium that plans to buy 51% of SAA. Novick says he was frustrated by the lack of transparency regarding the progress of the transaction. But other consortium shareholders have accused him of a potential conflict of interest. It's been almost two years since the Department of Public Enterprises, announced Takatso as the equity partner. As part of the deal, Takatso are meant to commit at least R3bn towards the relaunch of SAA. Sakina Kamwendo spoke Independent analyst , Khaya Sithole
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said the South African Airways (SAA) deal with government's chosen partner, the Takatso consortium, "remained alive" and dismissed a major schism in the consortium as "argy-bargy". On Monday, Gidon Novick resigned from the consortium's board, citing concerns about its ability to raise the money needed for the deal. The former co-CEO of kulula.com and co-founder of LIFT, also represented Global Airways, an aviation leasing company which owns LIFT. They are the minority shareholders in Takatso, and were supposed to contribute aviation expertise to a "new" SAA. The investment fund Harith is the majority partner in the consortium and was responsible for raising money for the deal. Takatso is supposed to take a 51% stake in SAA. In return, they would invest R3-billion in the airline over two years. For its part, Harith said Novick's resignation was "appropriate" given the potential conflicts of interest between LIFT and SAA. On Tuesday, Gordhan told Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts that it was intriguing that Novick resigned from the Takatso board, but did not resign as a partner, likening such an act to "having your cake and eating it". Global Airways and Novick are retaining their stakes in Takatso. "Mr Novick was a small and relatively minor party in a transaction. Just because he happens to be somebody with experience somewhere in his past, as all of us do, doesn't discredit everybody else, nor does it mean that what he puts on the table is something that one must take seriously," Gordhan said. Gordhan said that despite concerns the deal was still moving along. "Issues have emerged in the public domain over the last 24 hours, but that is an internal matter as far as the consortium is concerned and is part of the argy-bargy of such a transaction. The transaction remains both alive and live," said Gordhan. 'Minor party' Gordhan and multiple members of the delegation, which included the Department of Public Enterprises and SAA, told Scopa that the Takatso deal was in a "sensitive" stage, which prevented them from sharing the finer details. Scopa member and Democratic Alliance MP Alf Lees insisted on the committee getting a full report of SAA's financials, saying that Scopa and the South African public must know what SAA's financial position and the process of the transaction was. "This cannot be a closed process. Who is the department talking to at Takatso if the CEO does not know the details? This is a parliamentary committee that is owned by the South African public. To say that performance is better than budget is really treating us with disdain," said Lees. In response to a question from Lees on how SAA hoped to fund the transaction if Takatso did not have the funding, Gordhan said the department had been given an assurance that the deal would not fall through over a lack of funding. SAA CEO and interim chair John Lamola said on 3 November, the Special Investigating Unit was making progress in investigating 23 contracts at SAA relating to general procurement and aircraft leases dating back to 2015-16. "Matters being investigated were indicated without providing detailed information into what they are investigating that all of them are sensitive and withheld so as not to impugn on the reputations of companies under investigation," said Lamola.
Gidon Novick, stigter van Kulula en Lift gesels oor hoekom hy bedank het, of die minderheid aandeelhouers hom sal vervang en of daar konflik van belange sal ontstaan.
On Monday, the Western Cape High Court ordered that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) provide Toto Investment Holdings with all confidential documents pertaining to their decision to sell a 51% stake of South African Airways (SAA). But the court turned down Toto's application to halt the sale of shares of SAA, punishing it with costs. Judge Nathan Erasmus ordered that Gordhan and the DPE provide a non-confidential record and a confidential one and that all parties in the litigation be bound by confidentiality agreements. Toto Investment Holdings, an unsuccessful bidder for some of the assets of SAA, has launched an application to have the sale to Takatso's parent company Harith set aside. This application is to be heard at the end of January 2023. In terms of the uniform rules of court, Gordhan and DPE were compelled to provide the record of decision for the transaction. But only a part of the record was handed over to Toto, as Gordhan and his department argued that crucial parts of it could not be disclosed due to commercial sensitivity. They said that some records must remain confidential. Erasmus ordered that for purposes of the case management of the January hearing, these records must be disclosed within 20 days of Monday's order. They will remain confidential and only parties to the litigation may be present in court when they are aired. Monday's order followed an urgent application by Toto last Wednesday to force Gordhan to provide the record. The applicants also asked the court to interdict the sale of shares to Takatso. Erasmus dismissed the application with costs on several grounds. Among the reasons was that Toto could have applied for an interdict last year when the sale was first announced, but opted not to. Toto had also failed to join Takatso as a party, citing instead its parent company Harith as a respondent. Despite the dismissal, Erasmus said that he had the "obligation and authority" to ensure that the process was appropriately managed, leading up to hearing of the main application in January. With the approval of the Judge President of the Western Cape High Court, Erasmus said he would case manage the matter, the first step of which was to regulate the furnishing of confidential documentation under a confidentiality regime.
Die DA vra die onmiddellike kansellasie van die Takatso-transaksie en die likwidasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens, sonder enige verdere reddingsboeie van die belastingbetaler. Die party sê die geheimsinnige transaksie tussen SAL en Takatso het 16 maande geneem om af te handel, maar is nie in werking gestel nie. Die redery het nuwe bedryfsverliese van omstreeks 'n miljard Suid-Afrikaanse rand opgeloop sedert hy ná sakeredding sy bedrywighede hervat het. Alf Lees van die DA sê dit is onwaarskynlik dat die opbrengs van 'n likwidasie die nuwe laste sal kan dek.
SAA given 90 days to address breaches of aviation law: how does this affects Takatso deal? - Tshepo Mahloele – Chair, Takatso Consortium
Tshepo Mahloele – voorsitter, Takatso Consortium.
SAA given 90 days to address breaches of aviation law: how does this affects Takatso deal? - Tshepo Mahloele – Chair, Takatso Consortium www.moneyweb.co.za
South African Airways has been given 90 days to provide details on Takatso deal or risk losing licenses. It has been reported that the Air Services Licensing Council wants SAA to address breaches of aviation law - including providing more information about the proposed deal and management changes. The airline, previously grounded for almost two years under business rescue, only resumed operations late last year. Elvis Presslin spoke to aviation law expert Haydn Davies of Webber Wentzel
South African Airways has been served a letter by the Air Services Licensing Council and given 90 days to address a number of breaches of aviation law, and to also provide the council with more details of the deal with private sector consortium Takatso. Refilwe Moloto speaks to aviation analyst Phuthego Mojapele.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pour ce nouvel épisode, nous vous emmenons en Afrique du Sud à la rencontre de Mickael Pourteau, Président Fondateur de TAKATSO, start-up sud-africaine d'ingénierie qui propose des solutions permettant de répondre à la problématique du stress hydrique et d'accéder à de l'eau potable de bonne qualité. Mickael nous explique son parcours qui l'a amené à travailler en Afrique du Sud et en Pologne dans le secteur minier pour des groupes tels que Imerys et Vesuvius, avant de se lancer dans l'aventure TAKATSO en 2021. Il revient en détailsur sa vision de l'enjeu de l'accès a l'eau et l'ambition de TAKATSO de répondre à la problématique de plus en plus pressante du stress hydrique. Bonne écoute !
Die EFF sê hy verwelkom berigte dat die Nasionale Tesourie sy steun aan die Takatso Konsortium onttrek het. Die konsortium sou na verwagting 3 miljard Suid-Afrikaanse rand as bedryfskapitaal aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens voorsien sodra hy 51 persent aandeel in die nasionale lugdiens bekom het. Die Nasionale Tesourie sê die besluit om die meerderheidsaandeel in die lugdiens te verkoop, is 'n finansiële waagstuk vir die land. Die sekretaris-generaal van die EFF, Marshall Dlamini, sê die ooreenkoms is deurspek met korrupsie:
South Africa's decision to sell a majority stake in the country's loss-making national airline represents an ongoing financial risk to the state as the terms were skewed heavily toward the buyer, the National Treasury said. The finer print of the deal that saw the Takatso Consortium take a 51% shareholding in South African Airways last year represents a “contingent liability,” the Treasury said in a document emailed to Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts that was later withdrawn. That's partly because Takatso -- made up of a local jet-leasing company and private-equity firm -- has the right to assess whether any ongoing liabilities in SAA be settled by the government, the Treasury said in the document seen by Bloomberg. The emergence of the concerns came as Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan was set to appear before the public-accounts committee. Gordhan, a former finance minister, had made the removal of SAA from the state roster a key tenet of his role overseeing he Department of Public Enterprises, which also counts debt-laden utility Eskom Holdings among its responsibilities. The terms “may result in the state providing funds in excess of its shareholding,” the Treasury said. While the letter was withdrawn, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said at the hearing that the National Treasury didn't participate in the sale process and the substance of the “letter stands.” The department declined to immediately comment further. PLANES GROUNDED The sale of SAA was announced in June last year after the airline emerged from lengthy bankruptcy proceedings, during which its planes were grounded for well over a year and the workforce cut by 80%. The airline, which used to serve destinations across Africa and a number of major global cities, hasn't made money since 2011 and received state bailouts that totaled billions of rand. “We all have the responsibility in government to reduce the guarantees and contingent liabilities,” Gordhan said in the hearing. The Department of Public Enterprises declined to comment further. The National Treasury said it was not consulted on the sale of the stake, which it said cost 51 rand ($3.16), and remains in the dark about a number of other agreements such as Takatso's proposed issue of preference shares to the DPE. It's also concerned that government guarantees on SAA's debt remain in place, according to the document. The finance minister at the time of the sale, Tito Mboweni, clashed repeatedly with Gordhan over SAA, maintaining the company be allowed to go bankrupt and airlines operated by private companies. He was replaced by Godongwana in August. “The strategic equity partner may assume very minimal shareholder risk for the acquisition of a majority shareholding a the purchase price of 51 rand,” the Treasury said. Takatso consists of Johannesburg-based Global Airways, which owns domestic airline Lift, and private-equity firm Harith General Partners.
The Democratic Alliance says it has submitted a written parliamentary question to the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, to establish what concerns National Treasury had with the SAA Takatso consortium transaction. This after the National Treasury revealed that it was not part of the process of the disposing of the 51% of the government's shareholding in SAA to a strategic equity partner last year. Treasury says it never gave any consent to the transaction nor could it vouch for the compliance of the process followed by the department of public enterprises in this regard. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Chattered Accountant Khaya Sithole
La compagnie aérienne nationale sud-africaine redéploie ses ailes. Voilà 18 mois que ses avions étaient cloués au sol. Des années de mauvaise gestion ont plombé la South African Airways, trop fragile pour affronter la crise de l'aviation liée au Covid-19. Depuis, l'entreprise aux 5 000 employés a subi une procédure de sauvetage économique et elle s'apprête à être privatisée. Quel avenir pour celle qui fut la seconde plus grosse compagnie aérienne du continent ? Les clients sont de retour au comptoir d'enregistrement de la South African Airways. La compagnie s'est relancée le 23 septembre avec un premier vol Johannesburg-Le Cap. C'est également la destination de ces deux passagers attachés à l'entreprise. « Chaque pays possède son propre transporteur et je pense que l'Afrique du Sud aussi doit avoir sa compagnie nationale, confie Alfred. On doit soutenir l'entreprise nationale et je ferai l'effort de voler en priorité avec la South African Airways. » Pour Peter, « quand on voyage, c'est souvent avec la South African Airways parce que le service a toujours été de bonne qualité. On est tous contents de savoir que la compagnie est de retour, c'est une grosse pourvoyeuse d'emplois en Afrique du Sud. » Une reprise des destinations régionales, les plus rentables pour la compagnie clouée au sol depuis mars 2020 Aujourd'hui, seuls six avions sont en service avec 88 pilotes contre 268 auparavant. Le nombre de routes a logiquement été revu à la baisse : six destinations contre 20 par le passé. Et c'est tout à fait raisonnable, estime Sean Mendis, consultant dans l'aviation : « Leur plus grande source de revenus provient des destinations régionales en Afrique australe. Donc ce n'est pas surprenant de les voir redémarrer avec les routes qui engendrent le plus de volume et d'argent, c'est-à-dire Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Accra et Kinshasa. Et je pense que c'est une bonne stratégie : ils ont choisi le marché où ils ont le plus gros potentiel de réussite. ». L'avenir de la compagnie nationale dépendra également de sa privatisation Un accord tarde à voir le jour entre Takatso, un consortium d'entreprises locales déjà implanté sur le marché de l'aviation, et l'État sud-africain qui conserverait 49% des parts. Un équilibre qui convainc Lerato Nkosi, maître de conférence en économie à l'Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership et spécialiste des entreprises publiques : « Ce qui me plaît, c'est la volonté de l'État de chercher un partenaire plutôt que d'insister pour monopoliser le contrôle. Et le partenaire n'aura qu'une courte majorité de 2%. C'est bien que l'État reste impliqué dans l'entreprise. Il ne faut pas oublier que les entreprises publiques sont un trésor national pour n'importe quel pays ou économie. » En attendant, c'est donc l'État sud-africain qui est toujours propriétaire de la South African Airways. La vente pourrait intervenir d'ici la fin de l'année. Ce qui n'empêche pas la compagnie aérienne d'aller de l'avant. Elle vient de signer un accord de coopération avec Kenya Airways dont l'ambition à terme est de créer un groupe panafricain.
Gidon Novick – uitvoerende hoof, Takatso Consortium
Gidon Novick – uitvoerende hoof, Takatso-konsortium
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gorhdan has announced Takatso Consortium as the new strategic equity partner for SAA. Takatso will own 51% of the restructured airline while government will hold a 49% stake into the new SAA. Government says it will not be putting any money into the new consortium. Gordhan says Takatso will invest just over 3 billion rand into the new airline. Gordhan says after the conclusion of all business rescue process the purchase agreement will be signed with Takatso consortium. We spoke to Adv. Melanchton Makobe, Acting Director General at the Department of Public Entreprises & Independent Analyst Khaya Sithole. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.