9 March 2010

IFP MP Mario GR Oriani-Ambrosini has called on the ANC and the Minister of Public Enterprises to utilise its statutory rights to save the FIFA World Cup from foreseeable, impeding catastrophe.

He called on them to instruct SAA to run a six months promotion of South Africa as a tourist destination, with all airfares lower than USD999.

Nowadays, most of those whom we expect to be World Cup tourists have the option to a comparable tourist destination for as little as USD300. The astronomic airfares charged by SAA have turned South Africa into a non-competitive tourist destination.

Ambrosini made his proposal during today's meeting of the Portfolio Committee of Public Enterprises, which was scheduled to grill SAA on its alleged collusive practises with other airlines, to increase prices from now to after the World Cup. SAA refused to attend and sent its General Council to argue that the matter was subjudice and could not be discussed. The Committee was incensed and requested that the full management of SAA appear before the Committee within a week.

Ambrosini pointed out that the subjudice rule has been declared by the Court of Appeal as unconstitutional, as it violates freedom of speech. The Committee's Chairperson endorsed this approach and told SAA General Council not to hide behind the subjudice rule when they return next week.

One cannot underestimate the importance of this matter. Europe, North America, and the Arab World alike are now cash-strapped. If too few tourists come to South Africa public and private investments made for the World Cup will not be recuperated, which will affect us all. By forcing SAA to reduce its pricing to USD999 other airlines are likely to follow suit. This will break the very collusive practises Parliament wishes to investigate. Failing to take such an initiative will make both the Parliamentary exercise and the inquiry by the Competition Commission futile as they both will be concluded long after the World Cup has come and gone.

Contact: Dr Mario Oriani-Ambrosini MP, 082 556 0240.

Media enquiries: Liezl van der Merwe, 082 729 2510.