S.Africa's SAA workers start strike that could cripple airline

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Workers at South African Airways downed tools on Friday (November 15) in a strike over wages and job cuts that has forced the troubled state-owned carrier to cancel all flights.

A spokesperson for the airline said its future is hanging in the balance.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS SPOKESPERSON, TLALI TLALI, SAYING;

"For every day when we have a total cancellation of flights, we are speaking about lost revenue in the amount of 52 million rands per day - if we run, if we continue in that trajectory the airline faces a risk of shutting down."

SAA has not turned a profit since 2011 and is without a permanent CEO.

The strike by unions representing around 3,000 of its 5,000-strong workforce comes after they rejected SAA's wage offer late on Thursday (November 14)

The cost of the strike in dollars will reach over 3.3 million dllars per day.

Although unions say that is not their problem:

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA CABIN CREW ASSOCIATION, ZAZI NSIBANYONI-MUGAMBI, SAYING;

"Where we find ourselves is not the workers' problem, it's management and the board's problem. So why must we pay the brunt? And to say you have no money, you put us in that position."

The carrier plans to cut more than 900 jobs and survive without the state bailouts it has needed so far.

SAA is among a number of state-run firms that are battling tough financial conditions after years of poor governance and so-called 'state capture'.

Many blame corruption in state contracts during Jacob Zuma's presidency.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has staked his reputation on turning them around.