Question NW708 to the Minister of Public Enterprises
16 April 2021 - NW708
Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises
(1) What are details of any passengers carried on the aircraft during the outbound and return flights of the SA Airways (SAA) aircraft that departed on 24 February 2021 to the Kingdom of Belgium to collect another batch of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, including but not limited to (a) the names of ach passenger and (b) the amounts charged to each passenger; (2) Whether SAA and/or Mango airline will be awarded any further government tenders for the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines (a) within the Republic and (b) within Africa; if not, why not in each case; if so, what (i) aircraft will be used and (ii) are the details of all procurement regulations and legislation that will be followed for the procurement of such air services?
Reply:
(1) No passengers were carried on the outbound and inbound flights
(2)(a) The awarding of such tenders is the responsibility of the National Department of Health. SAA has the capacity an infrastructure to transport cargo including the vaccines. SAA will put forward its value proposition for this role in South Africa and in the continent.
(2)(b)(i) The aircraft used will depend on the size of the consignment and distance to and from where the vaccine is transported.
(2)(b)(ii) The vaccine procurement regulations are the responsibility of the Department of Health.
Obtaining and transporting vaccines to SA is of national interest and importance. The state’s limited capacity must be utilized to avail vaccines to South Africans who are waiting to be vaccinated in order to prevent the worst effects of the COVID pandemic.
It is regrettable that some pilots and their collaborators, are doing everything possible to selfishly extract more Benefits for themselves, even if it means misleading the public.
Government is fairly advanced in securing an equity partner, and every effort must be made to ensure that this is successful- such that there is no future imposition on the fiscus.