More than 3 000 employees out of 5 000 have accepted the packages. The state-owned airline, which went into business rescue, is likely to retain 1 000 workers

Labour representatives argue that the state airline just ‘expects 78% of workers to accept one week’s pay’ for each year worked

The passenger rails agency is to act against officials implicated in former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s 2015 report on corruption and maladministration

Unions and business rescue practitioners have until Friday afternoon to agree on a settlement and start the process of shutting the airline down

During discussions between unions and business rescue practitioners and the government, it was decided that the national carrier would be closed and a new airline formed

Practitioners inform staff that the government’s rejection of R10-billion bailout last week almost guarantees that the prospect of rescue is now impossible

The business rescue practitioners say 29 of the fleet of 48 planes, various routes and inefficient services also need to go in the state-owned airline is to survive

The industrial action will cost the airline R52m a day. But the unions are angry about more than money

Three unions in the middle of negotiating wage increases say the airline had not told them of its decision to retrench staff