South African Airways (SA, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) has said that a proclamation signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa and published in December had not launched a new corruption probe into the airline but expanded an existing Special Investigative Unit (SIU) probe to formally include its maintenance arm, South African Airways Technical (SAAT). The unit was formerly excluded from the inquiry.

The airline said that Proclamation No. 303 of 2025, published in the South African Government Gazette on December 19, merely amends an SIU investigation first authorised in 2020.

In November 2023, the SIU presented preliminary findings on its SAA investigation to parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), revealing widespread procurement irregularities, corruption, and maladministration from 2015 onwards. The interim report flagged "horrifying details of state capture and grand corruption at SAA" providing insight into the airline entering voluntary business rescue in December 2019 "due to looting," according to the corruption watchdog, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA). SAA re-emerged as a substantially smaller airline end-April 2021 following a state bailout of ZAR10.5 billion rands (USD632.6 million).

In March 2025, SAA was added to institutions under investigation by the unit for "serious maladministration, corruption, and unlawful conduct."

The latest change brings SAAT explicitly under the probe, allowing investigative and civil litigation work relating to SAAT to continue under the existing mandate, without restarting work already completed.

The period under review has been extended to December 19, 2025, with the overall period spanning from January 1, 2002.

"This is after a review of the original proclamation and engagements with the SIU, when it became apparent that certain SAAT-related matters fell outside the original scope," SAA explained in a statement.

The amended proclamation extends the scope of the investigation to cover South African Airways SOC Limited and South African Airways Technical SOC Limited, and provides for the examination of selected procurement, operational, and governance matters within SAA Group.

"This includes the authority to investigate any irregular, improper, or unlawful conduct, as well as any undisclosed or unauthorised interests involving SAA or SAAT personnel or third parties, within the period covered by the investigation," the airline said. "The scope further includes any irregular, improper, or unlawful conduct by SAA or SAAT personnel or by third parties in relation to selected procurement, operational, and governance matters."

Cabin crew carriage

The South African government, in a separate statement, said the amended proclamation specifically adds an investigation into the supply of transportation services for SAA cabin crew members at various outstations.

"Furthermore, the SIU's mandate has been strengthened to thoroughly investigate any undisclosed or unauthorised interests that board members, vendors, employees, officials, or agents of the institutions may have had with bidders, suppliers, contractors, investors, shareholders or their agents or other related parties. The amendment also authorises the investigation of any irregular, improper, or unlawful conduct by a wider range of people and entities connected to the allegations," it added.

Any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered will be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), while the SIU is authorised to pursue civil recovery through the South African High Court or a special tribunal, the government said. The SIU is empowered to recover any financial losses suffered by the state.

SAA said that it supports the amendment and will continue to cooperate fully with the SIU and other authorities.

Preliminary findings

In its preliminary findings on its SAA investigation, the SIU in November 2023 identified non-compliance with Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and supply chain management (SCM) regulations across tenders for services, including a tyre contract worth ZAR375 million (USD22.5 million) that did not comply with procurement law, ground power units sold for ZAR5.6 million (USD337,000) less than their actual value and then hired back, and irregular expenditure of ZAR953 million (USD58 million) on a security services contract that was repeatedly extended. It also revealed corrupt payments between entities, third parties, SAA and SAA Technical employees and board members and unlawful board decisions. Overpricing and unauthorised payments affected aircraft parts, catering, and legal services.

Most of this took place under the watch of the late Dudu Myeni, who served as acting chairwoman of SAA in December 2012, and as chair from January 2015 until November 2017. Myeni faced fraud and corruption charges related to her SAA dealings. In May 2020, the Pretoria High Court declared her a delinquent director for life. She died in 2024.