- Minister says a comprehensive recovery plan is in place
GAZETTE REPORTER
Air Botswana is still lined up for privatisation and the government has directed that a strategic partner be sought for it to make it more commercially viable, the Minister of Transport and Public Works, Eric Molale, has said.
Responding to a question from the MP for Maun West, Dumelang Saleshando, on the status of the airliner, Molale told the House: “Air Botswana continues to implement a recovery plan which is aimed at operational excellence, recovery and growth as well as financial sustainability.”
While the immediate plan is for the airline to get a strategic partner, he added, “these strategic objectives are still aligned with its privatisation agenda”.
Minister Molale recently acknowledged Air Botswana’s challenges in Parliament. “It is quite evident that for some time our national airline, Air Botswana, has not been performing well,” he said.
Financial sustainability
He added that it is crucial to strengthen the balance sheet of Air Botswana and that the national airline has formulated a turnaround strategy.
“To this end, the airline has formulated some Value Chain Development oriented projects aimed at revenue diversification and financial sustainability of the airline,” he said.
The minister requested P133,600,000 for mandatory engine replacement, maintenance of grounded aircraft and upgrade of Air Botswana’s maintenance and repair facility.