Department of Transport wants to clip Emirates Airlines’ wings; DA cries foul play

The nerve of some people hey? While Dipuo Peters no doubt has her hands full… of our money; surely she should understand that some ministers actually have jobs to do and don’t have the time to play around with some nondescript corrupt official at the tip of Africa?

Anyway, Peter’s has made an ass of herself by threatening one of the world’s largest airlines with grounding if their country doesn’t send someone to chat to her immediately. Now, we’re not saying that this is because of SAA’s annual losses (somewhere in the region of R900 million) and Emirates’ super profitable operations worldwide, but the DA is.

Looks like the department of transport is a little embarrassed to admit that they, like, can’t even, and that the UAE’s airline is far better at not lining their own pockets and actually running an effective company. Perhaps Peters should spend a little more time vetting SAA bosses — not the interim ones so often used to put a bandaid on their predecessor’s disastrous work — and less time trying to play at actually being a minister.

This whole gemors started when Emirates was granted a fourth daily flight between Dubai and Johannesburg, but soon after reversed by the department. Emirates took our government to court and the North Gauteng High court ruled against minister Peters’ circus act. Now the old girl is making it political.