South African start-up carrier BDS Airways has submitted a N$3.2 billion offer to buy Air Namibia, which is currently being liquidated.
According to the company’s offer submitted to liquidators Bruni & McLaren, N$1.5 billion will immediately be made available to cater for payments to the airline’s various creditors.
Air Namibia, which went into voluntary liquidation in March, owes creditors N$3.5 billion in total, with N$2.3 billion owed to trade creditors and N$693 million being unpaid taxes.
Gilroy Kasper, the Namibian legal representative of BDS Airways, confirmed that he had written to the Air Namibia liquidators, but was tightlipped on details regarding his client’s offer.
Public Enterprises minister Leon Jooste when contacted by The Brief said the government was no longer involved in matters to do with the now defunct airline.
“Air Namibia is under liquidation and the shareholder (GRN in this case) has no further involvement at all. The liquidators are legally bound to sell assets to pay the employees their severance packages and then after that the creditors,” he said.
What we know about BDS Airways
BDS Airways was founded by 34-year-old businessman Sabelo Bryson Williams as an emerging black-owned consumer airline with its sights set on the short-haul domestic travel market.
The airline presents itself as a futuristic, tech-savvy, 4IR-enabled company with a diverse, expanding investment portfolio in logistics and hospitality.
BDS Airways is one of 17 bidders who last year expressed interest in acquiring SA Express including all assets, facilities, brand and brand equity, including all office and field equipment.
