South African Airways has staggered salary payments for a second consecutive month as liquidity pressure weighs on the state-owned carrier. Ground staff and cabin crew are scheduled to receive their October pay on 27 October, pilots on 28 October, management and specialists on 30 October, and executives on 31 October. SAA later clarified that most employees would be paid on the normal payday, with other payments delayed by one or two days.
The airline attributed the arrangements to a volatile operating environment, geopolitical disruptions and higher fuel costs. The measures are intended to protect business sustainability and preserve SAA’s ability to continue operating, spokesperson Mphilo Dlamini said.
The latest disruption follows a similar delay in September, when some employees reportedly received their salaries around 2 October. The reports have also pointed to wider cash-flow pressure, including suppliers seeking payment in advance and SAA’s use of bank credit facilities, although those claims came from an unnamed insider and were not independently confirmed.
The renewed payroll delays follow a R1 billion government guarantee provided in August to support SAA’s working-capital needs. They are likely to add pressure to employee confidence and supplier relationships as the airline manages elevated operating costs and ongoing financial constraints.