Taxpayers likely to foot SAA’s R1.1bn Comair bill

Comair wins 14-year battle over SAA's anti-competitive conduct

February 18, 2019 at 10:11 am

The DA says that after spending mountains of money on SOCs, Transnet cannot run a railway network, Eskom cannot produce enough electricity, SAA cannot fly, Denel is insolvent and the Land Bank has defaulted. (SAA)

Cash-strapped SAA will have to fork out R1.1bn to its rival Comair to settle a decade-old competition case, with taxpayers most likely having to foot the bill.

The national airline, which has still not submitted its 2017/18 financial statements to parliament, is one of several state-owned enterprises, including Eskom, Denel and the SABC, which are relying on a government bailout to stabilise their parlous finances.

Apart from paying R1.1bn, SAA was also ordered to carry the costs of the 14-year-old legal battle. The airline is hoping finance minister Tito Mboweni will announce some form of financial assistance when he tables his 2019/20 budget in parliament on Wednesday.

gernetzkyk@businesslive.co.za , ensorl@businesslive.co.za