FRIDAY, 10.30AM
ONLY three consortiums, the Virgin-Bekhilanga consortium, Rethabile Comair and an unnamed consortium of Phoenix Venture Partners, Bidvest and the Women’s Investment Portfolio, remain in the race to buy parastatal Sun Air.
Other preferred bidders Air France, the Sanco-Ukhozi consortium and Maru Investments have all pulled out of the bidding. It is not clear whether Malaysia Airlines, which was in a last-minute rush earlier this week to find a black partner for a bid, is still in the running.
The three surviving bidders all presented their non-binding tender offers before Thursday’s 5pm deadline. The tenders will be examined by the Sun Air restructuring committee before going before a Cabinet oversight committee for a decision next Thursday.