Website South African Airways (SAA)
South African Airways (SAA) began operations on 1 February 1934. SAA, is a leading carrier in Africa, serving regional destinations between Johannesburg and six African destinations – Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka, Lagos, Mauritius and 2 domestic routes from Johannesburg to Cape Town and Durban… read more. SAA is a member of the largest international airline network, Star Alliance. SAAs core business is the provision of passenger airline and cargo transport services together with related services, which are provided through SAA and its wholly owned subsidiaries: SAA Technical (SAAT), a world class maintenance facility and Air Chefs, the catering entity of SAA. SAAT has particularly been successful in the delivery of high-quality maintenance services such as major airframe checks; engine overhaul; mechanical components; avionics and line maintenance. From its first flight in 1934, SAA have welcomed the world to South Africa by showing off the warm generous heart of the country. The airline has more than 88 years of excellence and innovation to draw on.
Job Purpose
This role ensures compliance with applicable laws, regulations (including the PFMA and National Treasury instructions), corporate governance regulations, and internal policies across SAA and its subsidiaries. It supports the Group Compliance Programme by identifying, assessing, monitoring, and reporting compliance risks within an approved governance framework.
In addition, the Loss Control Officer provides enterprise-wide leadership in preventing, investigating, and mitigating financial, operational, safety, compliance, and reputational losses. The role delivers forensic investigation, risk intelligence, and control assurance, aligned with aviation safety standards, PFMA requirements, King Code principles, and SAA’s turnaround objectives. Operating as a second-line assurance and specialist oversight function, it collaborates closely with Risk, Internal Audit, Safety, Legal, Compliance, Security, Finance, and Operations.
Principal Accountabilities
Develop and implement an enterprise-wide Loss Control Strategy aligned to SAA’s corporate strategy and turnaround plan
Establish a comprehensive loss taxonomy covering financial, operational, safety, security, cyber, and reputational losses
Embed loss control principles across all business units, subsidiaries, and joint ventures
Align loss control initiatives with Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and combined assurance management systems
Design and lead fraud risk management frameworks
Oversee detection, investigation, and resolution of fraud, corruption, financial misconduct, and irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure, including procurement and contract abuse.
Ensure adherence to PFMA, Treasury Regulations, and SAA internal policies, and support consequence management, recovery and disciplinary processes
Identify and mitigate operational losses across aviation functions, including aircraft damage, maintenance errors, fuel and inventory losses, and cargo/baggage incidents, in collaboration with Safety, Engineering, and Operations
Lead forensic investigations into financial, operational, and security-related losses, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance
Liaise with law enforcement and regulatory bodies where required
Prepare presentation on the irregular, fruitless and wasteful conduct and criminal conduct and report investigation outcomes and loss trends to EXCO, Board Committees, and regulators
Provide loss intelligence, dashboards, and analysis to executive management, and drive corrective actions to address control weaknesses
Promote continuous improvement of internal controls and alignment with King IV, PFMA, Companies Act, and aviation regulations
Foster a culture of ethics, accountability, and zero tolerance for losses, including support for whistle-blowing mechanisms
Develop and implement governance policies and provide secretariat support to governance and compliance forums
Ensure timely reporting to stakeholders and support broader SAA Group strategic and legal requirements
Qualifications & Experience
Bachelors degree in Law (BCom Law) or in Auditing or in Accounting or related field at NQF level 7and/or Postgraduate Diploma in Compliance
At least 3 – 5 years’ experience based with a combined experience in PFMA compliance and in auditing
Certificate in Compliance Management/CPrac (Compliance Practitioner) will be an added advantage
Experience in the aviation industry will be an added advantage
Experience in Policy Governance Training/Governance Communication
Knowledge and Skills
Thorough knowledge of PFMA, PPPFA, and other applicable regulations
Irregular Expenditure Framework
Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure Framework
Good knowledge of the SAA Organisation & Policies and Procedures
Regulatory Compliance knowledge
Technical knowledge
Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment
Understanding of compliance
Understanding of supply chain governance processes
MS Office
Presentation skills
Report writing
Analytical skills
Planning and organising
Communication skills
Business acumen
Negotiation skills
Problem solving
Decision making
Stakeholder management
Project management
go to method of application »
Apply via company website ( https://www.flysaa.com/ ) or