Africa-Press – Namibia. POPULAR Democratic Movement (PDM) treasurer general Nico Smit has welcomed Swapo’s proposal to the government to revive the defunct national airline, Air Namibia, while other opposition leaders have raised red flags around cost and other issues.
At its just-ended congress, Swapo adopted a resolution that the government should revive Air Namibia to provide regional connectivity to destinations such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lusaka, Harare, Gaborone, Luanda, Maputo, Addis Ababa, and Nairobi.
Smit yesterday said if Air Namibia becomes operational, it should be a regional airline, as this would help to make it profitable and affordable.
He said the liquidated airline was not making money because it undertook international flights.
“Let’s make it a regional airline which flies to Luanda, Gaborone and Cape Town. It should not be an international airline, because the tickets will be expensive and the airline will be forced to lease planes,” he said.
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) president Mike Kavekotora said Swapo is always late with its resolutions.
“They should have stopped the liquidations earlier by acting promptly and finding an alternative option. They ignored available viable options, and reviving it now will cost taxpayers dearly,” he said.
United Democratic Front (UDF) parliamentarian Dudu Murorua said Swapo should explain to the public what the party would do differently to ensure the new airline is profitable.
“It’s the same ruling party that was in favour of the liquidation of Air Namibia. Now they want to restart the whole institution, but they haven’t solved the problem of the former employees of Air Namibia,” he said.
Murorua said the government has promised the former employees of the airline salaries, but this has not been honoured.
He said Swapo regrets its decision to liquidate Air Namibia despite warning and resistance from opposition parties and Air Namibia itself.
Murorua said Swapo was warned in parliament by the opposition that it was not a sound decision.
“Now all of a sudden they say they will revive it. The possibility of reviving Air Namibia is there.
“However, the other thing is how are they going to deal with the agreements the government has with other institutions now running in the place of Air Namibia?” he asked.
The government shut Air Namibia down early last year due to a plethora of financial, viability, operational and staffing issues.
This was despite billions in the form of taxpayer-funded government bailouts invested in the national carrier over the course of its existence.
A total of 640 workers have lost their jobs as a result.
Deputy minister of finance and public enterprises Maureen Hinda-Mbuende on Sunday said Air Namibia will not be reviewed in the next financial year due to legal requirements.
“It’s not on the cards for the next financial year. This is something that needs some planning. When we get money, I think it will be one of the areas we can invest in.
“I think it’s a good thing. We have not closed the accounts,” she said.
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