Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen!
You are sadly missing the point, and I am not even going to comment on the "we can at least drive drunk here" bit. I hope that was meant sarcastically.
Firstoff, this country's economy is growing at maybe 3% per annum, and has been known to shrink once in a while too, with various pieces of legistlation (the labour law, the new companies act, etc.) severly inhibiting the ability of the economy to grow.
We will be squeezed with higher fuel prices, fuel levies, toll roads and taxes...many of these funds embezzled by the government or spent to keep the welfare state going.
SAA will survive only as long as taxes are pumped into it. If it doesn't undergo a serious revamp with regards to management (style, ability, qualifications, amount) and staff, as well as equipment and assets and operations, it will not last forever. There is no justification on my tax money spent on this white elephant! Give me better roads, better policing, invest it in infrastructure, give me a tax break even FFS, but don't waste it on a "National Carrier"!
Sense and logic do not often prevail in this supposed "Powerhouse of Africa", that in itself being an oxymoron, just look at our GDP per Capita ($10,100) and compare it with Italy ($30,300)...we are not a powerhouse! We cannot afford these costly luxuries until this country has economic growth, and that is what this entire debate should really be about!