Increased focus and emphasis on governance and accountability have been named key elements of SAA’s ‘Long-term Turnaround Strategy’, which it hopes will restore the airline’s reputation in the global markets and among its stakeholders.
The airline submitted its strategy to the Public Enterprises Minister, Malusi Gigaba, on April 2, but said the details would only be made public once the Department of Public Enterprises had had the opportunity to digest its contents and endorsement received from the National Treasury.
However, the airline did confirm that there would be a three-phase implementation approach of the strategy with continuous and cyclical monitoring and review over a 20-year period should the strategy be accepted. SAA said there would be specific and measurable outcomes in each of the three implementation phases (short, medium and long term). 
The airline expects that the impact will be felt from year one of the implementation while other interventions will take place in the medium- and long-term phases of the strategy.  
The submission of the strategy is in line with Minister Gigaba’s directive issued on October 15, 2012 during the airline’s AGM. The minister indicated that SAA must develop and submit a long-term turnaround strategy aimed at improving the airline’s financial sustainability and operational efficiency.