After a key member in South African Airways's (SAA's) chosen equity partner, the Takatso consortium, resigned over concerns around the deal, government claimed that "deliberate misinformation" was being spread by "certain elements" aimed at scuttling the transaction.

On Monday, Gidon Novick, the former co-CEO of kulula.com and co-founder of LIFT, announced his resignation from the board of the consortium, telling News24 this was amid concerns around its ability to raise enough money and "a lack of information and communication". Novick represented Global Airways, an aviation leasing group which owns LIFT, on the board.

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) said in a statement on Friday morning that the "public should be aware of the efforts of competitors, detractors, and other forces to undermine our efforts to save jobs and ensure a viable airline".

"Government is awaiting the completion of the regulatory processes and thereafter will finalise Takatso’s acquisition of the 51% shareholding in SAA. The deal is not at risk," DPE said.

"We condemn the deliberate misinformation and casting of doubt about the transaction and regulatory processes since the resignation of Gideon Novick [sic] as a board member of the Takatso consortium."

"DPE wants to thank the travelling public and loyal SAA customers for their continued support. Your support has helped to create over 800 jobs for pilots, cabin crew and other workers.

"Their jobs are being endangered by the selfishness, reckless behaviour and greed of certain elements."

Takatso consists of the infrastructure investment firm Harith as majority shareholder, and Global Airways, which owns airline LIFT, as minority shareholder.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan this week dismissed Novick's resignation in Parliament, calling him a "small and relatively minor party in a transaction".

However, a senior industry player told News24 that Novick was crucial to the due diligence for the SAA deal given his experience. Novick and Global Airways were supposed to contribute aviation expertise to a "new" SAA. 

The DPE said on Friday that it was certain "Takatso will introduce the required technical, financial, and operational expertise into the business".

There has also previously been doubts about Harith's ability to raise the funding from the start.

Harith CEO and Takatso chair Tshepo Mahloele told News24 on Tuesday that until government pays SAA’s outstanding debt, Harith is unable to wrap up the final funding for the deal.

Mahloele told News24 he also welcomed Novick's resignation, saying it resolved competition issues with LIFT.