DA expects special public hearings on SAA bailout

South African Airways are in need of over R10 billion for the restructuring of the embattled airline

Since expectations are on the government to repriortise its budget so as to get money to restart a new national airline, growing calls have emanated for National Treasury to not make use of funds that is meant for dealing with COVID-19.

Tito Mboweni, who is the Finance Minister is expected to show forth his adjusted budget for the 2020 financial year in October.

South African Airways are in need of over R10 billion for the restructuring of the embattled airline.

However, most of the concerns show the larger percentage of the budget would be on public employment programmes.

So the Democratic Alliance (DA) said if that’s how it would be, then Parliament should not accept such proposal from Mboweni.

The DA’s spokesperson on finance and MP Geordin Hill-Lewis, said on Monday that they are expecting public hearings on the bailout of SAA.

“It is morally indefensible to bail out SAA again by cutting funding from pro-poor COVID relief spending programmes.”

“Parliament should reject any such proposal from Minister Tito Mboweni. The DA will write to the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance, Joe Maswanganyi, calling for dedicated public hearings on the SAA bailout,” Hill-Lewis said in a statement.

“Every member of Parliament, particularly every ANC MP, should understand clearly that support for this bailout will mean actively choosing to cut funding from services to the poor, and from COVID relief programmes.”

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