South African Airways strike affects Malawi

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Malawi has been affected by the cancellation of South African Airways (SAA) flights in South Africa.

The state owned airline has cancelled “nearly all” flights scheduled for Friday and Saturday because of a strike over wages planned by a majority of employees, television news channel eNCA said.

An SAA plane

Unions representing about 3,000 of its 5,000-strong workforce said on Wednesday that cabin crew and other workers at SAA would strike over the airline’s refusal of salary hikes and its plan to cut more than 900 jobs in an attempt to stem severe financial losses.

The plans to cut jobs in the country will eventually result in firing of about 944 employees, of which some of them might be Malawians.

According to president of the South African Cabin Crew Association, Zazi Nsibanyoni-Anyiam, they had no choice but  react to their employers’ action by withdrawing their labour and go on strike.

Report states that only flights directly operated by SAA would be cancelled which would affect Malawians going to and coming from South Africa especially customers at O.R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

SAA operates flights between South Africa and Malawi’s capital Lilongwe on daily basis.

There are a lot of people from Malawi who travel to South Africa to work or do business.

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