No use pointing fingers over SA Express, MPs hear
Department of Public Enterprises director-general Kgathatso Tlhakudi has told Members of Parliament there is no use in pointing fingers over the state of SA Express.
Tlhakudi and the ailing airline’s liquidators briefed the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) on Wednesday morning.
“It doesn’t help now to be pointing fingers when we know very well what happened and how these entities got themselves here,” Tlhakudi said.
ALSO READ: Alleged kingpin among 16 nabbed for fraud and corruption
“What we have faced here is an entity that has clearly failed, it is unfortunate that in the process it has impacted on people’s livelihoods.
“People are walking out of SA Express with close to nothing.”
Tlhakudi’s statements left MPs and Scopa chair Mkhuleko Hlengwa distinctly unimpressed.
Hlengwa said those who were responsible for the airline’s failure should be brought to book.
“No DG, I think we will be moving on an incorrect premise if we are going to want to say we are not going to point fingers. It would be a dereliction of duty if we didn’t because pointing fingers should lead us in a direction of who was responsible.
“Ultimately the shareholder representative in these entities is DPE,” he added.