A little bit of truth never hurt anyone
1. SAA does not lower its entry standards for anyone. Be they PDI, AA, DG or in HDTV colour. Does SAA look for and want pilots of colour? Hello!!! Of course they do, they're owned by the government. BUT- The pilots that are taken all meet minimum standards and have to be able to pass the selection process including a simulator check ride.
There was a period a few years back when pilot selection was taken away from flight ops and HR and a certain jakkals over-rode the decisions of the selection board and employed some marginal pilots. All of those who were selected against the wishes of flight ops have now been fired for lack of performance or have left by mutual agreement.
The simple truth is that SAA takes the best candidates they can in the following order (like any orginisation in SA surely?) (oh ja its the law!)
Designated group (black, coloured, indian)
PDI (white females)
White males
WHy do "pale males" have to have higher hours than other pilots. They don't! The white males competing with each other to get in have more experience and higher hours than the the first 2 groups. Therefor a wite male with 2000 hours is not going to get in because there are 20 guys with 3000 to 4000 hours ahead of him.
All DG and PDI pilots meet the basic requirements to fulfil the position and have to pass the selection process. Once in SAA they have to make the same grade as anyone else and there is no bypassing.
Will a 3000 hour white male be overlooked for a 2000 hour DG candidate? Most probably and in all likelihood, yes. Just like the rest of industry and business in SA. If a DG candidate is capable and qualified he gets the job. Thats what living in SA means and if you don't like it or can't deal with that then leave. If you have left then great- I hope you are happy and wealthy and content with your choice. I don't criticise, judge or second guess you. Please allow me the same courtesy.
2. Now that that nonsense is over with back to the original question. SAA is not hiring at this stage, just like everyone else in the world. The pilots leaving slowed to a trickle after the restructuring was successfully dealt with last year and the world economy went down the crapper. There will be some retirements this year and next (10-15 total?) but the word in the flight ops builiding is that no new hires will be made to fill these positions until the economy and therefore the flying picks up. SAA's flying is probably about 10% down from where it was this time last year.