SAA in the spotlight at State Capture commission

South African Airways (SAA) and how it was captured will take centre stage for the next two weeks at the State Capture commission.

Evidence leader Adv. Kate Hofmeyr told Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that testimony will be given regarding a R15-billion capital raising exercise that SAA embarked on in 2015.

The commission will also hear evidence on a transaction with the North West department of transport; South African Express Airways and the jet fuel procurement deal with SAA and SA Express with EML energy will also come under the spotlight.

Hofmeyr says witnesses will hence testify on how board members played a heavy role in procurement and interfered with the airline’s operations.

“So just to give a bit of evidence and background presented to you will cover over the next couple of weeks… The R15 billion consolidation that SAA embarked on in 2015, South African Airways would have either paid R325 million for funding in circumstances that they could have gotten that funding for in the region of R85 million, or R50 million would have been paid to an entity that had no value whatsoever.”

She says evidence will show that the money ended up in three different destinations.

The evidence will include a tape recorded conversation between the previous SA express commercial manager who will testify that the cash was used to pay off two ministers, a premier, MEC, HOD and a CFO in the North West.

The security manager of SA Express was reportedly also offered a R3 million bribe to drop the investigation into the matter and was told part of the R97 million was being used to fund African National Congress (ANC) political campaigning.

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