logo
Passengers warned as FlySafair pilots' 2-week strike takes off

Passengers warned as FlySafair pilots' 2-week strike takes off

The Citizen3 days ago
FlySafair passengers should expect disruption as a two-week pilots' strike started today.
According to The Witness, the strike follows trade union Solidarity confirming nearly 90% of its pilots voted in favour of industrial action.
Talks between Solidarity and the low-cost airline over pay and working hours have reached a deadlock.
FlySafair said 8% of its flights will not take to the sky today, despite earlier reassurances that operations would not be affected by the start of the strike.
Kempton Express reports these pilots last week voted in favour of striking, prompting Solidarity to issue a one-day strike notice to bring the airline to the negotiating table.
However, FlySafair responded by initiating a seven-day lockout of pilots – a move that could be extended for another week if the deadlock remains.
The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has offered to intervene to help resolve the dispute. While Solidarity has agreed to the process, FlySafair has reportedly declined the intervention.
'We welcome the CCMA's intervention,' said Solidarity's Helgard Cronjé. 'The disruption of an airline is a matter of national interest. Our aim with the one-day strike notice was to get FlySafair to the negotiating table, but instead they escalated the disruption by locking out pilots for at least seven days.'
FlySafair Responds to Pilot Action, Affirms Commitment to Passengers and Constructive Engagement
Media Statement: https://t.co/jiiFAjyFWt pic.twitter.com/UDF8SkPLpd
— FlySafair (@FlySafair) July 20, 2025
At the core of the dispute are disagreements over pay and scheduling.
Solidarity is demanding a 10.5% increase on base salaries along with additional flight pay and bonuses. FlySafair says this would amount to more than a 20% increase in overall costs – an escalation the airline describes as unsustainable.
The airline has offered a 5.7% increase on base pay, with added benefits bringing the total increase to 11.29% on a cost-to-company basis.
FlySafair maintains its pilots are among the highest-compensated professionals in the country, with captains earning between R1.8m and R2.3m annually. It also says pilot flying hours remain well within regulatory limits.
Another point of contention is the pilot rostering system implemented earlier this year. FlySafair argues the system aligns with global industry practices to improve operational efficiency while providing pilots with advanced rosters for planning.
Solidarity, however, claims the airline's aggressive approach to managing its pilots has fuelled conflict and damaged trust.
'We deeply regret the impact this situation is having on our loyal customers and the broader flying public,' FlySafair stated. It added that the airline remains committed to reaching a resolution that balances fair compensation for employees with financial sustainability and affordable fares for South African travellers.
Solidarity has indicated it remains ready to negotiate through the CCMA to avoid further disruption.
Meanwhile, The Witness spoke to an expert who shared tips on rebooking and rerouting amid the strike. You can read the article here.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
Read original story on www.citizen.co.za
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

JSE marks 100 000 points on FTSE/JSE All Share Index in historic achievement
JSE marks 100 000 points on FTSE/JSE All Share Index in historic achievement

IOL News

timean hour ago

  • IOL News

JSE marks 100 000 points on FTSE/JSE All Share Index in historic achievement

Leila Fourie, Group CEO of the JSE, said reaching 100 000 points on the ALSI was not just a numerical milestone but a powerful reflection of the resilience, innovation and operational excellence of companies listed on the Image: Nicola Mawson / Independent Newspapers The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) reached a monumental threshold on Wednesday as the FTSE/JSE All Share Index (ALSI) celebrated its ascent to 100 000 points for the first time ever. This remarkable figure is not just a testament to numerical achievement; it symbolises a prosperous evolution since the index began at just 100 points in January 1960, marking a staggering increase of 1 000 times over the past 65 years. The index's annualised returns have exceeded 11%, underscoring the resilience of South Africa's capital markets and positioning the JSE as one of the best-performing markets globally in both US dollar and rand terms for the year 2025. The bourse has been breaking records since the year began as it started 2025 on a high above 84 000 index points. By 11am on Wednesday, the ALSI was 1.2% high to 100 504 index points. Leila Fourie, Group CEO of the JSE, said reaching 100 000 points on the ALSI was not just a numerical milestone but a powerful reflection of the resilience, innovation and operational excellence of companies listed on the JSE. 'This landmark demonstrates that investors continue to place their trust in the South African market and in the ability of our listed companies to drive growth and deliver value,' Fourie said. 'As the JSE, we are proud to provide a platform that enables capital raising, fuels economic expansion and creates opportunities for wealth creation across society.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The JSE is currently ranked in the Top 20 largest stock exchanges in the world by market capitalisation, and is the largest stock exchange in Africa, having been in operation for 137 years. Elaborating on the development of the index, Mark Randall, director of information services, noted that the ALSI was redefined in 2002 through a strategic partnership with global index provider FTSE. Randall said the adoption of modern methodologies, such as free float weighting and a stable universe of 160 companies, transformed the index into a comprehensive snapshot of South Africa's market landscape. 'Today, the index represents 125 listed companies on the JSE with a combined market capitalisation of R21 trillion, spanning a diverse range of sectors and geographies. While the ALSI does not include every listed company, it remains a trusted benchmark, capturing 99% of the eligible market capitalisation on the JSE Main Board,' Randall said. 'It distils the daily performance of large, mid, and small-cap stocks into a single, accessible figure visible across media platforms and financial tickers, underscoring the strength of South Africa's equity market and the JSE's role as a gateway to African investment.' Since 2002, the ALSI has demonstrated robust long-term growth, successfully navigating global crises and fluctuations in commodity prices to achieve this historic milestone in 2025. The past five years, in particular, proved dynamic, as the index rebounded strongly from the lows of the pandemic. The resurgence was driven by booming commodities—gold and platinum, resilient corporate earnings, and a newfound optimism among investors. Key sectors, such as mining, banking and technology, contributed substantially to these gains, supported by structural reforms and fiscal stability, underscoring the JSE's position as a gateway to the African markets. The JSE reiterated its dedication to providing a transparent, efficient and secure platform for issuers and investors alike, further cementing its position as the gateway to African capital markets. 'We remain committed to advancing market development, improving access to capital for businesses of all sizes and ensuring that our exchange continues to evolve in line with international standards,' Fourie said. 'This milestone is a reminder of the important role the JSE plays in enabling companies to grow, innovate and create jobs, which ultimately benefits the broader economy.' BUSINESS REPORT

SA government officially withdraws recognition of Taiwan's office in Pretoria
SA government officially withdraws recognition of Taiwan's office in Pretoria

Daily Maverick

time9 hours ago

  • Daily Maverick

SA government officially withdraws recognition of Taiwan's office in Pretoria

Taiwan has rejected the move and threatened to retaliate, saying that Pretoria had bowed to pressure from Beijing. The South African government has issued a Government Gazette officially withdrawing its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan's representative office in Pretoria. This is the latest move in Pretoria's mounting pressure to force Taiwan to move out of its Pretoria office and relocate to Johannesburg. Taiwan has rejected and strongly protested at the 'unilateral action' and said it would 'take appropriate action in accordance with the circumstances'. It said the SA government had bowed to pressure from Beijing. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) said the South African government had published its 'unreasonable announcement' — without consulting Taiwan — after Deputy President Paul Mashatile's visit to China from July 14 to 18. 'This demonstrates that China has ramped up suppression of Taiwan in South Africa and that South Africa is willing to bow to China and exert pressure on Taiwan. Mofa expresses regret and dissatisfaction over these developments.' Pretoria's notice in the Government Gazette said, 'The Taipei Liaison Office, now referred to as the Taipei Commercial Office, situated in Pretoria, will no longer be recognised as of 31 March 2025. Rather, the Republic of South Africa will, from 1 April 2025, recognise the Taipei Commercial Office, based in Johannesburg, through which consular services will be rendered and through which non-diplomatic and non-political engagements will continue.' Taiwan has no office in Johannesburg, even though on its website, South Africa's Department of International Relations recently and unilaterally changed the address of the country's office from Pretoria to an address in Johannesburg, which used to house Taiwan's information office, before it moved out several years ago. One China policy The SA government has been putting pressure on Taiwan to move from Pretoria to Johannesburg since late 2023. It claimed that Taiwan having an office in the capital violates the One China policy, which SA adopted in 1998 when it switched recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China. However, Taiwan has pointed out that almost all countries in the world, including Russia, India and Brazil, allow Taiwan to maintain representative offices in their capital cities, although these offices go under the name of Taiwan's capital, Taipei, rather than under the name Taiwan. In its notice, SA said it had called on Taiwan to move its office from Pretoria to Johannesburg because this was 'more appropriate, given its status as the country's economic hub'. It added that the Taipei Liaison Office in Cape Town would now be referred to as the Taipei Commercial Office in Cape Town. Taiwan's Mofa said it 'reiterates that the position of the Taiwan government remains unchanged and that it will not accept the South African government's unilateral violation of its 1997 agreement with Taiwan'. This agreement by SA to allow Taiwan to continue maintaining a representative office in Pretoria — but under the name Taipei Liaison Office — was reached after SA switched its official diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. 'The Taiwan government will continue to communicate with the South African government on the principles of parity and dignity,' said Mofa. 'And in the face of South Africa's repeated unilateral changes to the names and status of Taiwan's liaison offices, Taiwan will take appropriate action in accordance with the circumstances.' Pretoria had justified its move by citing UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 1971, 'which recognises the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legitimate representative of China'. However, Taiwan has said in the past that this resolution says nothing about the country not being allowed in countries which switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing. 'Mofa solemnly calls on South Africa, as the host country of this year's Group of 20 summit, to abide by the 1997 legal framework concerning bilateral relations and not employ coercive tactics against Taiwan's liaison offices or take any other actions that might interfere with their operations or services before both sides have reached a consensus through consultations.' SA's efforts to pressure Taiwan to move from Pretoria to Johannesburg have been cited by the Trump administration and US congressional representatives as one of the reasons they are seeking to sanction South Africa. DM

How Vodacom and Maziv convinced everyone they had changed
How Vodacom and Maziv convinced everyone they had changed

Daily Maverick

time10 hours ago

  • Daily Maverick

How Vodacom and Maziv convinced everyone they had changed

All the details from the Vodacom/Maziv merger Competition Appeals Court hearing where R12bn in promises nearly caused a fender-bender. When senior counsel representing the Competition Commission, advocate Daniel Berger, said, 'My lord, as an officer of the court, I am duty bound to commit this statement to the public record,' I nearly drove my car off the road in shock. I was on my way from collecting my kids from school to drop my son off at his football practice, and things were getting spicy in the post-lunch session of Competition Appeals Court (CAC) proceedings. But how did we get here? The devil in the details Earlier this month, I reported on the Competition Commission's dramatic about-turn on the Vodacom/Maziv merger – how they went from fierce opposition to sudden support after the parties agreed to 'revised conditions'. Now, sitting in back-to-school traffic with a Teams call crackling through my car speakers, I got the full story of exactly what those conditions entail. And frankly, it's either the most comprehensive set of telecoms concessions in South African history, or the most elaborate corporate sleight of hand. The headline number that had everyone's attention was always going to be the money. Maziv has committed to a cumulative capital expenditure (capex) of 'at least R12-billion' over five years for network expansion and maintenance. That's 'two more (billions) than it was before,' as one counsel helpfully clarified for those of us trying to do math while navigating parking lot chaos. But here's where it gets interesting – and where my daughter, sitting in the passenger seat doing homework, started asking why I was shouting at my laptop again: of that R12-billion, R9-billion will be spent specifically on new fibre projects, with the commitment period restarted from April 2025. They've effectively put the 'clock back to zero' on their investment timeline. The kicker? The capex will be 'primarily but not exclusively spent on roll-out of infrastructure in low-income areas.' This isn't just about passing homes – it's about actually connecting them. The million homes promise Maziv has undertaken to pass at least one million homes in lower-income areas over five years, with at least 350,000 homes in what they're calling 'key areas' (think Alexandra Township), what counsel is calling the 'lowest of low-income homes'. My daughter is now asking what I mean when I keep muttering about 'homes passed'. How do you explain to a 14-year-old that a telecoms company just promised to wire up the townships? But the really fundamental concession – the one that had legal eagles in the virtual courtroom practically purring, is this: Maziv must provide 'sufficient capex to ensure that every home passed in terms of the commitments that wishes to be connected on the prevailing terms and conditions for connection is connected' for five years. What this means They can't just run fibre past your house in Alex and then charge you R2,000 to actually connect. They have to budget for actual connections, not just the theatrical gesture of running cables down your street.. Boardroom chess The shareholding arrangements have been tweaked in ways that would make any corporate governance lawyer proud. Vodacom still gets its initial 30% co-controlling equity interest, but the path to 40% just became significantly more complicated. Under the revised conditions, which now meet muster for Compcom sign-off, 'Vodacom can't increase its shareholding beyond 34.9% without the consent of the Commission.' And if it wants to move to more direct forms of control, it'll need fresh merger approval entirely. I gaze directly into the sun, trying to follow the technical submissions about board composition. All parties are now trying to explain, much to the chagrin of the merging parties, to Judge President Norman Manoim that the 'extra four percent' shareholding isn't the nothingburger he keeps making it out to be. You see, the composition of the board has been restructured since the Competition Tribunal blocked the deal: seven Maziv directors, seven Vodacom directors, and now four independent directors (up from three), plus CEO/CFO. Crucially, 'Vodacom will not be entitled to veto their appointment' of independent directors. It's corporate governance with training wheels, designed to address exactly the control concerns that got this deal prohibited in the first place. Clearing the blockade The legal arguments against the Competition Tribunal's original prohibition are where this hearing gets properly spicy. Advocate Jerome Wilson, representing the merging parties, spent considerable time arguing that the tribunal had 'misdirected itself' through what he called 'internal mistrust' and 'cynicism or bias'. The tribunal, Wilson argued, relied on 'extraordinary allegations' about alleged past collusion between Vodacom and MTN from media reports dating back to 1994 – allegations that were never properly tested in proceedings. This context, he said, apparently 'infected the Tribunal's entire reasoning process'. Wilson's most damning critique focused on the tribunal's 'counterfactual analysis', basically, what would happen without the merger. The tribunal assumed Vodacom would become a very significant fibre player in low-income areas and that other players would fill any investment gap. The evidence? A Dark Fibre Africa representative testimony saying it would take 'at least three years for me to find an investor and I cannot guarantee you that I would find one', and that 'nobody else has come up since 2015' other than Vodacom. The tribunal's reliance on speculation rather than what Wilson calls 'real world outcomes' was deemed a fundamental error. But this does not erase the other issues. The maths starts math-thing While lawyers argued legal theory, the market realities are crazy. Pre-merger, Maziv (through Vumatel) commanded 32% of the fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) market with 2,050,000 homes passed. Vodacom's standalone fibre network? A measly 2.5% with 158,000 homes. Post-merger, the combined entity will control 34.5% of homes passed (2,208,000) and 34.4% of homes connected (885,000). That makes them significantly larger than Telkom's Openserve at 20.9% of homes passed. I explain to my now fully engaged teenager that this deal is essentially creating a duopoly in South Africa's wholesale fibre market: Vodacom-Maziv versus Openserve, with everyone else scrambling for scraps. Which was the original Compcom opposition point, until the merging parties sweetened the deal to get government buy-in – the DTIC and communications minister both supported the appeal. Honeypot dealmaking These post-tribunal public interest commitments read like a policymaking wet dream. Free gigabit per second fibre connections for all public schools, libraries, and clinics passed by the FTTH network roll-out. More police stations getting Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) products. Enhanced employee share ownership plans. Vodacom has also committed to achieving 90% 5G population coverage within five years, with obligations to connect additional FWA users that will require them to 'price their FWA competitively'. For pricing protection, FTTH can't increase prices for the lowest-price options for two years, and there can be 'no forced upgrades' for five years – protecting lower-income consumers from being pushed on to more expensive packages. You see, the tribunal's concern was that Vodacom's veto rights could allow it to force Maziv to act against its profit-maximising interests – essentially, to favour Vodacom over other wholesale customers. The merging parties argued this was a 'fundamental conceptual error'. Vodacom would account for 'less than 20% of Maziv's revenues', so any theoretical side payments or compensation for non-profit-maximising behaviour simply wouldn't make economic sense. The burden of debt What's often lost in the regulatory theatre is why Maziv needed this deal in the first place. CIVH, Maziv's parent company (owned by Remgro), was carrying R19.5-billion in debt by mid-2024. This merger provides the capital injection needed to fund the next phase of fibre expansion, particularly into areas where the business case is marginal. The 'lessening of competition' identified by the tribunal primarily affected 'certain wealthier households' – about 2,000 to 7,500 homes, according to the merging parties. They argued this was insignificant when weighed against connecting a million low-income homes. One genuinely innovative aspect of the revised conditions is an enhanced 'fast-track interim relief process' for foreclosure concerns. This allows an expert to make binding determinations while formal investigations are under way, 'taking the load off the commission' for complex, time-sensitive issues. It's regulatory innovation born from regulatory failure. A recognition that the traditional competition processes aren't nimble enough for rapidly evolving telecoms markets. Concession is a town in Zimbabwe As I finally switch off the Teams call, the bigger picture comes into focus. Compcom's about-turn isn't just about accepting better conditions, it's about accepting that South Africa's digital infrastructure reality requires uncomfortable compromises. The revised deal creates what's being called a 'fibre powerhouse with unparalleled market scale' while theoretically addressing competition and public interest concerns. Whether those theoretical protections work in practice remains to be seen. But here's the uncomfortable truth that emerged from the proceedings: the same companies we don't trust to compete fairly are the only ones with deep enough pockets to bridge our digital divide. In a country where millions still lack basic connectivity, that might be a trade-off we're willing to make. DM

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store