Trade union the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and the South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) will picket at all major airports in protests of a “myriad of issues at SAA and SAA Technical" (Saat) on Tuesday.

“This includes the recent resignation of the GCEO Vuyani Jarana, corruption of Saat management, problems in the maintenance department, allegations of nepotism, tribalism and corruption of the HR manager at Saat, and other issues,” Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said in their media invitation on Monday.

There will be pickets at these airports from 11am to 1:30pm:

• OR Tambo
• King Shaka
• Cape Town and
• East London.

SA Airways (SAA) said on Friday it needs R4bn from the government to survive the current financial year and allow it to renegotiate loan terms with banks.

Zukisa Ramasia was appointed as the interim CEO after Jarana unexpectedly resigned last Sunday, after less than two years in the job, saying his turnaround strategy for the loss-making airline was being undermined by a lack of state funding and too much bureaucracy.

SAA has not made a profit since 2011 and Jacana launched a five-year turnaround plan that includes slashing costs and cancelling unprofitable routes, requiring around R21.7bn in cash injections from the government.