The advers effect of COVID-19 in any country, particularly aviation industry is immense. SA Express and SAA are no exception. The difference is that they have COVID-19 effects, way before even the thought this pandemic. The effects however, seems more so to SA Express workers, than any other SOE. There is huge disparity in which the government as a parent or shareholder deals with SOE'S. Some are funded, continuously more so than the others. What makes it so difficult for the government to fund SA Express, that have been forced to operate developmental routes, that made no business sense to the airline for years. The airline that has operated always on the shadows of SAA, with contractual agreement in place that dictated that SA Express can only procure certain services only through SAA. SA Express has been forced to operate certain routes even if they are not profitable, with the view of opening the economy and making it accessible. After all these forced compromised, workers are punished by the government,  by not funding SA Express, let alone to include SA Express workers in the Compact leadership set up to resolve some of the impulse of SAA or aviation airlines.

As civil society we need to stand up and defend the civil rights of workers. They have not been paid for 3 month and if the company is liquidated, they stand a chance to loss all their pensions. We need to say no to the disparity that the government subject SA Express workers to. Why fund other SOE and not others. Political parties, why are you so quite, labour movement what's that the workers has done, that you have forgotten about then if not selling them for a dime. Just like other SOE'S are funded, SA Express needs to be funded. 650 workers are about to loss their job from a state owned company, Is our state broke that it fails to raise fund for one of its company's at worst why not including Express workers in the compact leadership team? 

Workers are losing their possessions, when there is no policy developed to address funding of the SOE'S. They are completely disregarded  and forgotten by the STATE. 

Our chance is now to stop the liquidation of the airline and confront challenges that these SOE'S has headon.

We need to support Workers and say no to liquidation of SA Express, until a policy is developed to fund these SOES. Workers needs to be paid their salaries for the last 3 months. Playing field needs to be leveled for all state owned entities.