The case against a South African Airways (SAA) crew member, who was scheduled to appear in a London court today on charges of drug trafficking, has been postponed to July 16. According to Interpol, the postponement follows a verbal agreement with the British police. 

Former SAA employee Mmatshuma Matlhara was one of 15 SAA cabin crew detained in the United Kingdom earlier this year when drugs, including about 50kg of dagga, were found in a suitcase. She and Security Officer Pulane Hlahane are facing charges in South Africa.

The bust prompted the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) to call for an internal campaign to be launched among SAA staff to discourage them from colluding with criminals. Reports circulated that a special task team was formed to tackle drug trafficking through South African airports. SAA, the police and the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) said the team would manage the urgent implementation of additional security measures.

Following two drug busts within a month involving its crew at  Heathrow Airport in London, SAA has since acknowledged that its security was compromised. The second bust involved 5kg of cocaine, with a street value of roughly R3.6 million, which was seized by British authorities from an SAA crew bus.

Acsa and SAA  announced that all luggage belonging to its crew members would be physically searched. Spokesperson Solomon Makgale said this was in accordance with the resolutions of a special task team that included representatives from the airline, Acsa, Customs and the SAPS. It was said that the aim of the special task team was to review the additional measures put in place by SAA after the first incident in January in which crew members were arrested in London after drugs were found on their flight.