Dutch non-attached member of the European Parliament (MEP) Lucas Hartong tabled questions for oral reply in the European Union’s (EU) highest body this week in reaction to SAA policy that cadet pilot training by the airline will be reserved for blacks only. The questions in Dutch to the high representative of the EU’s Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, is headed “Discrimination by South African Airlines”.
No wonder SAA is in a nosedive (see picture.
Hartong demands to know if SAA receives any funds from the EU “indirectly” as part of any annual development funding to South Africa and if it will be possible to suspend SAA’s landing rights in Europe should the airline continue with what he describes as a “flagrant disregard of the right to equality”.
Earlier SAA’s communications manager, Kabelo Ledwaba, said the SAA Cadet Pilot Development Programme will be used to redress the demographic and gender imbalance found within SAA’s pilot corps. “Currently, 85% of SAA pilots are white of which 7.6% are white females. Moreover, 91% of white SAA pilots are male. This means that only 15% of SAA pilots are black i.e. Africans, Coloureds and Indians… As such the current cadet pilot programme is specifically aimed at individuals from previously disadvantaged backgrounds as part of a broader strategy to meet the airline’s transformation targets,” he said.
In response Hartong said Mrs Ashton should contact SAA “directly to call them to their senses” and prevent “race discrimination” which is “not in line with EU standards”. By suspending landing rights, SAA could be forced to comply with international protocol with regards to racial policies, he said.
