Deputy Speaker, the IFP is concerned that the prices of airline tickets are going to rise dramatically next year. It appears that this is going to occur immediately before, during and after the World Cup, when hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to visit us to enjoy what they believe will be our honest hospitality.
The notions of airlines capitalising on this high demand to double, triple or even quadruple prices is highly distasteful. If press reports indicating this scenario are to be believed, then something needs to be done to stop it.
The IFP calls on government to apply itself to preventing this price collusion and blatant profiteering by airlines. We ask it also to commit itself to looking after the interests of consumers, rather than big businesses, including big businesses such as SAA, Mango and SA Express in which it is a shareholder. Thank you.