South Africa resists call for more airline funds with jets idle

South Africa resisted adding yet more billions of rand to its ongoing bailout of the country’s bankrupt national airline, sticking to the idea that a private partner can be brought in to salvage the carrier. Administrators for South African Airways have asked for 3.5b rand ($239m) more in state funding than was allocated in October, according to the country’s Budget Review presented on Wednesday. A further 5.3b rand is being sought from outside entities, according to the document. Yet no further cash was put aside for the carrier by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. Any reports that more funding will be provided are “speculative,” he told reporters in an online briefing after presenting the plan to lawmakers in Cape Town. The government’s repeated bailouts of SAA have long been controversial, given the country’s economic difficulties and precarious finances. The issue has become even more emotive given travel curbs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which have seen the airline’s fleet grounded since March 2020 and showing little sign of an imminent return to the skies.<br/>