SAA to Resume “Mining” Johannesburg-Lagos Route 12th December
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The new management of the resuscitated South African Airways, SAA, has announced with excitement, the proposed resumption of flight operations, 12th December, to one of the most lucrative routes in the African continent, Johannesburg-Lagos.
The newly appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer/CEO, SAA, Mr Thomas Kgokolo, in a media statement, described the Jo’burg-Lagos route as “one of the biggest travel markets in Africa”, he said.
With a palpable excitement on the proposed resumption of the golden route, Thomas Kgokolo said “the entire team of SAA are delighted to be back on the route to continue providing again, the link between Africa’s two biggest economies.”
Kgokolo announced that due to the importance of the Jo’burg-Lagos route to SAA, it will commence immediately with a three times weekly flight to Lagos, Nigeria.
He said the second coming of SAA to Nigeria would feature lots of tourism promotion elements as the South African Tourism Board would be unveiling its offerings to attract tourists to South Africa.
The interim CEO said the time for the partnership with the tourism board to drive traffic couldn’t have been better than now when African states Heads of government have been persuaded to remove travel restrictions to allow aviation to drive the recovery and growth of African economies.
Kgokolo further enthused, “we are delighted that SAA is resuming service and we look forward to welcoming onboard our loyal passengers and flying the South African flag. We continue to be a safe carrier and adhere to COVID-19 protocols”, he said.
He said the portal for the sale of tickets was opened on 26th August, early figures he said, indicated that 75% of seats were already sold.,
He however noted that his management would not be lured into irrationally opening other routes, as unnecessary complications in any guise shall be avoided.
Kgokolo said further that, “there is a profound feeling of enthusiasm within Team SAA as we prepare for takeoff, with one common purpose -to rebuild and sustain a profitable airline that once again takes a leadership role among local, continental, and international airlines.”
LEADERSHIP TEAM- MANAGEMENT
SAA’s dynamic leadership team is led by Mr Thomas Kgokolo, SAA Interim Chief Executive Officer, under the guidance of the airline’s esteemed Board of Directors. The leadership team sets to fulfill SAA’s strategic goals, ensuring that the airline grows into a sustainable, world class airline.
Thomas Kgokolo is a Chartered Accountant and holds an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). In his other roles, he serves as the Board Chairperson at the Mineworkers Provident Fund (MWPF) and a Non-Executive Director at Sizwe Medical Fund. In the past, he was the Chief Financial Officer at the Competition Commission of South Africa and more recently, Interim Chief Executive Officer at the Air Traffic Navigation Services.
He has four other members to work with.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS- NON-EXECUTIVE
Among the four newly constituted members of the board of non-Executive Directors is Mr Nick Fadugba, (British).
Nick Fadugba is CEO of African Aviation Services Limited and fellow at Royal Aeronautical Society in the UK. He holds a Master of Science (Distinction) in Air Transport Planning & Management, a Post Graduate Diploma in Air Transport Management and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Mass Communication. He is guest lecturer, speaker and mentor.
With the credentials of the new team as assembled by the new owners of the airline, it is expected to fly into profitability in no distant time of this new voyage.
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