SA Express employees are bidding to buy the state-owned airline in an attempt to save jobs and to prevent the carrier’s final liquidation.
A special vehicle created to bid for the airline’s assets would be backed by private investors and Fly SAX, with the employees as the owner.
Last week, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria granted an extension for SA Express’s final liquidation to October 28.
Fly SAX Spokesperson Thabsile Sikhakhane says employees who have not been paid salaries since February want total ownership of the airline.
“What we have done so far is that we’ve met all the requirements for the first phase of the bidding requirements and we are now on the second one so we’ve really made good moves. We have also approached quite a few anchor investors who are ready and are just waiting for approval from the liquidators and equity partners,” says Sikhakhane.
Workers demand answers on outstanding salaries
SA Express staff protested outside the offices of the Department of Public Enterprises in June, demanding answers on the payment of outstanding salaries.
A few weeks prior, they had handed a list of demands to the Presidency in another demonstration outside the Union Buildings.
