Comair challenges Mango to release results

AGAINST THE background of the recent filing for liquidation by South Africa’s 1Time airline and the debate that has ensued over the role of state-subsidised Mango airline, Comair Limited has highlighted that Mango, as a separate legal entity from SAA and a state-owned enterprise, is legally required to publish its financial statements which has not been done since Mango’s inception six years ago.

Comair, which operates kulula.com and British Airways in the local market, is committed to establishing a level playing field in the domestic aviation sector and believes that the funding of Mango with taxpayers money partly contributed to the failure of 1Time.  However, Mango’s CEO Nico Bezuidenhout stated yesterday that his state-subsidised airline will only reveal its financials, if kulula does so first.

CEO of Comair, Erik Venter responded that Comair, as a listed company on the JSE, releases detailed financial results every six months in accordance with the Companies Act, the rules of the JSE and based on International Financial Reporting Standards.  “Comair has an obligation to reveal its results as a listed company. kulula.com is merely a brand of Comair Limited and is not a separate company from Comair. Although Mango is a subsidiary of SAA, it is a separate company and needs to report as such.

“Mango is legally obliged, as a National Public Entity listed under Schedule 2 of the Public Finance Management Act (PMFA), to publish its financials and submit these to the Government and the general public.  This points to a bigger question. Who is taking responsibility to ensure that SAA, SAX and Mango comply with their legal requirements in terms of the Public Finance Management Act?” says Venter.