FlySafair says it is investigating an incident on board one of its flights after a video showing passengers chanting and standing in the aisle went viral on social media.
The footage shows several people dressed in red and wearing red berets standing in the aisle of a 189-seater FlySafair flight from Johannesburg to East London on Thursday.
In the video, the group can be seen chanting loudly and clapping, with some moving around the aisle as they chant.
In a post on X, FlySafair said it was aware of the incident and had launched an investigation.
“We are aware of the matter and are investigating. Should it be found that the passengers were in breach of our policies, further steps will be taken. We understand your concern and take passenger safety very seriously. The incident you’re referring to is under investigation to establish exactly what happened on board,” the airline said, responding to concerns raised by social media users.
“FlySafair has strict policies in place to ensure all passengers travel safely and respectfully, and if it’s found that any of these were breached, appropriate action will be taken. We appreciate your patience while this review is completed,” the airline said.
The group in the video were reportedly EFF members travelling to attend a pre-sentencing hearing of party leader Julius Malema in court on Friday.
The hearing forms part of the process to determine the penalty Malema will receive after he was convicted in October on five firearm-related charges.
These include unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a public place and reckless endangerment of people and property.
The charges stem from a 2018 incident during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane, where video footage showed Malema firing a rifle into the air at a rally.
The case has been postponed to April 15.
TimesLIVE
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