Ratings agency hits give Tito extra ammo to kill off SAA

After the opposition Democratic Alliance produced long lists of politicians, retired officials and spouses enjoying flight freebies on taxpayers’ backs at the weekend, Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni followed up with his own survey on Twitter.

Soon after drawing attention to the economic pain that will emanate from two ratings agency downgrades, and lambasting them for kicking SA when it is down, @tito_mboweni asked: ‘What should we do about SAA? Do we need a national airline?’

Many of his 962k followers were all for sending the planes to the scrapheap, with financial services entrepreneur @Magda_Wierzycka, founder of Sygnia, replying: ‘How many countries have a national carrier? A handful. It is an unnecessary ego trip. Particularly after the pandemic where SA has significantly more important priorities. Saving lives comes to mind.’

Anger was palpable in the Twittersphere, with Odwa (@odievezi), summing up the mood as reality sinks in that SA has run out of money: ‘An MP, and not just any MP but an ANC member asking such questions to tax payers after their money has been embezzled by your ANC. People are expressing themselves exactly how they should! Only now you decide to ask tax payers how their money should be spent..,? Hayi tata’

For more on the state of the SA economy, see:

SA braces for pain: govt warns two ratings downgrades will hit economy, jobs

It’s getting cheaper to rent property, with Western Cape most expensive – average rent snapshots

Ratings downgrades are a vote against Ramaphosa – DA

Eskom debt should be paid with UIF money – ANC

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