Gunship
21st May 2003, 23:15
More than 20 000 people have signed a petition demanding that South African Airways provide flights to Mecca for Muslim pilgrims to avert a fiasco over chartered flights.
Last year several thousand pilgrims were stuck in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban because chartered planes failed to arrive from the Middle East.
According to a petition organiser, Saadie Williams, many Muslims believed SAA had the capacity to provide a service for pilgrims.
A committee has sent the petition to the transport department. Williams said it was hoped that the acting minister of transport, Jeff Radebe, would be helpful. Department spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya said he did not foresee a problem in helping to facilitate "dialogue" between SAA and the committee.
"But it is SAA's call."
Rich Mkhondo, spokesperson for SAA, said: "We are open to discussions, but we cannot predict what the outcome might be."
Last year several thousand pilgrims were stuck in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban because chartered planes failed to arrive from the Middle East.
According to a petition organiser, Saadie Williams, many Muslims believed SAA had the capacity to provide a service for pilgrims.
A committee has sent the petition to the transport department. Williams said it was hoped that the acting minister of transport, Jeff Radebe, would be helpful. Department spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya said he did not foresee a problem in helping to facilitate "dialogue" between SAA and the committee.
"But it is SAA's call."
Rich Mkhondo, spokesperson for SAA, said: "We are open to discussions, but we cannot predict what the outcome might be."