SAA launches app for employees – as it denies blocking access to negative stories about the company
South African Airways (SAA) has launched an app ‘to promote communication between management and its employees’ as the state owned airline denied media reports that it has tried to block staff from accessing negative stories about the company.
The app will enable employees to interact with the chief executive officer, Vuyani Jarana, and management in a more direct and secure manner, SAA said.
“The app can be downloaded on company-issued mobile devices as well as on personal devices to those employees who have access to computers only,” it said.
“We are pleased that the app has been launched and this will serve as one of the many communication platforms we have at SAA to enable all employees to have more access to management and information in real time.
“The intention here is to enable communication through as many channels as possible for employees to use what is convenient to them. In addition, we seek to promote and not prevent access to information,” said SAA spokesperson, Tlali Tlali.
“We are astounded by bizarre claims that the airline has taken steps to prevent its employees from accessing negative stories about the company using its equipment (company issued mobile devices and computers). This is not only untrue, but also impossible to implement at SAA.
“We are not aware that any such advanced technology exists and we do not even have any such provision in our Information Technology (IT), Human Resources or Communication policies.”
SAA said that its staff has access to all web news sites at all times. “They can also access social media outside of core working hours with many exceptions where this is required to fulfil daily roles and requirements.”
The airline added that it has no record of having communicated any such decision or taking steps to block employee access to content.
“We have put measures in place to limit unfettered access to some of the social media sites on SAA IT platforms as we continue to look for ways of reducing costs and to enhance productivity. In our view, this is a sensible thing to do,” said Tlali.
At the start of August, president Cyril Ramaphosa transferred the administration of SAA from the minister of finance to the minister of public enterprises, Pravin Gordhan.
The airline will require over R12 billion more in government bailouts just to cover its losses, analysts have said.
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