South African Airlines refuses to enrol top-skilled geometry master's degree student Daniël Hoffman, 22 because he is white. Solidarity trade union held a meeting with SAA over the issue of turning down white applicants for their cadet-pilot programme and were told that SAA will not take on any white cadet-pilots in their training programme. The latest applicants whose case was highlighted, geometry masters-degree student Daniël Hoffman, 22 said: "Flying is my life. It's all I want to do,' says the geography student, who is studying for his a master's degree at the University of the Free State, in South Africa. He has been trying since 2012 to enrol in the SAA's cadet pilot training programme - but keeps getting rejected. Thus far the SAA has accepted no white applications for the programme. Hoffman said while he was convinced that he did well with the SAA's required knowledge tests in psychometrics and aviation, the SA government-owned airline refuses to say why his applications keep failing. "The SAA clearly states that they give 'preference to 'previously-disadvantaged' people' (i.e. blacks). However they also claim that they accept cadets based on the racial demographics of South Africa. How representative can it be of 'demographics' when SAA has not accepted any white candidates for their programme thus far? " Hoffman even lodged a formal complaint with the (ineffective, toothless) sonamed South African Human Rights Commission. "I believe that the entire process followed by SAA to accept cadets in their training course is unconstitutional and also does not comply with the government's laws on 'Equal Employment' opportunies, he said. Solidarity trade union has been fighting on Daniël's behalf over the past year. Its spokesman Johan Kruger said that the SAA - at a meeting last year with Solidarity - confirmed that they will not accept any white males in the training programme, regardless of how excellent their test results might be. Hoffman earlier this year started his training for a private pilot's license at Westline Aviation, the first step in becoming a pilot, at Tempe air base in Bloemfontein. "Even if it takes long and even if I have to train by myself, I will be flying. With or without SAA I will get there'. The SAA provided its usual ANC-propaganda statement in response to Hoffman's complaint, and denied that white candidates are rejected because of their race. Their comment is reproduced below in Afrikaans.
S.A.L. se reaksie
VOLGENS Tlali Tlali, woordvoerder van die SAL, fokus die Kadet-vlieënier-ontwikkelingsprogram hoofsaaklik op die vaardighede en ontwikkeling van jeug en voorheen-benadeeldes.“Dié program is daarop gemik om die tekort aan vaardighede in dié groep mense in die lugvaartbedryf te verlig.”Hy sê verder dat die SAL as ’n reël nooit uitslae van toetse bekend maak nie.Die SAL het hom egter voorgeneem om teen
23 Mei aan Solidariteit antwoorde te verskaf, hoewel hy nie belowe dat enige uitslae onthul sal word nie.Tlali sê verder dat hulle in dié stadium geen antwoorde kan verskaf oor die redes waarom Hoffman nie aanvaar is nie. “Al wat ons kan bevestig, is dat hy onsuksesvol was.”Hy ontken dat die SAL kandidate op grond van hul ras wegwys. “Alle Suid-Afrikaanse burgers is geregtig om aansoek te doen en aan die program se keuringsproses deel te neem. Daar is geen kwota-stelsel nie en daar is geen hindernis wat wit mans verhinder om oorweeg te word nie.” https://www.facebook.com/116298045063416/photos/a.178568022169751.48293.116298045063416/882871961739350/?type=1&theater
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