Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has hailed the team involved in rescuing the grounded SA Express Airline, saying the troubled airline would be back in the skies within days.
In May, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) suspended the airline’s operating permits over safety concerns, leaving passengers in limbo.
The airline in a statement on Thursday announced that the aviation authority had reinstated its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) certification after it had "undergone a stringent and rigorous process to meet the regulator’s high standards".
Addressing the National Press Club in Pretoria last night, Gordhan said the troubled airline which had been “brought to its knees” had its first test flight on Thursday.
He said a team tasked with reviving it had demonstrated the strength of what could be achieved by working together to move the country forward.
“We had a new board which came in approximately on the day the airline was grounded,” he said.
“Some people who were part of the intervention team were retired, and that team together with the board will see SA Express fly very soon, within days,” he said.
SACAA suspended SA Express' AMO and Air Operators Certificate (AOC) in May and at the same time suspended the Certificates of Airworthiness for nine of the 21 aircraft operated by the airline.
SACAA cited non-compliance in relation to 17 specific findings.“There was remarkable thuma mina spirit in the way in which we managed this process,” he said.
Thuma mina or send me, is a drive championed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to encourage good citizenry.
The airline links major economic hubs with and small regional towns, and Gordhan said its services were crucial in making for business travel.