■ SOUTH AFRICA: Trade Union Solidarity threatens SAA with legal action over alleged bias against white males at Academy intake.

South African trade union Solidarity has embarked on a legal process on behalf of white male candidates who were excluded from the cadet programme at South African Airways (SAA), allegedly because of the colour of their skin. The trade union requested SAA to provide reasons why Daniël Hoffman, Dirk Kotze and several other white male candidates' applications for inclusion in the cadet programme had been unsuccessful.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Tough break for Denel AMG employees as just 139 out of 523 are to be retained under new SAAF deal.

South African trade union, Solidarity, has announced that only 139 employees out of 523 will be retained on a new aircraft maintenance contract to be signed between the South African Air Force (SAAF) and defense contractor Denel Aviation/AeroManpower Group. This means that 384 employees will lose their jobs by the end of March. The union had originally pinned its hopes on 150 personnel being retained. 

 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA, Mango, Comair all object to fastjet's 1Time licence transfer designs as Skywise's ASLC application fails.

In a rare show of unity, South African carriers Mango (JE), South African Airways (SA) and Comair Group (owners of BA Comair (BA) and Kulula (MN)) have collectively objected to the South African Air Services Licensing Council, a state regulator set to convene next month, over fastjet's (FN) proposed transfer of 1time’s operators licence, who are applying for a Ministerial exemption in order to fast track the process.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: No last minute reprieve for 523 Denel AMG employees as SAAF confirms contract will not be renewed.

Denel Aviation is to proceed with the laying off of 523 employees (538 according to Denel) from its MRO division, Aero Manpower Group, and Denel Personnel Solutions, come 31 March after the South African Air Force (SAAF) confirmed during the first retrenchment consultation that it would not be renewing its contract.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: 1Time's Jetworx MRO to be taken over by the American Industrial Acquisition Corporation.

In another promising development following the proposed acquisition of bankrupt South African LCC 1Time (T6) by LCC fastjet (FN), its sister MRO company, Jetworx, has been acquired by the American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC), thereby giving hope to its remaining 200 employees. The deal however, is still subject to approval by Jetworx creditors.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Denel Aviation to retrench 523 as SAAF confirms contract will not be renewed.

523 aircraft maintenance specialists at Denel Aviation’s Aero Manpower Group, the MRO division of the South Africa's government-backed Denel Corporation, are to be retrenched as a result of the South African Air Force (SAAF) deciding against renewing its contract with the firm, set to lapse next year.