Flyfofa: A Decade of Cancelled Contracts, Court Rulings and Government Disputes in South African Aviation

Since its establishment in November 2013, South African aviation company Flyfofa has accumulated a series of government contract disputes, court findings and regulatory controversies spanning more than a decade. In 2015, Flyfofa won portions of the RT-79 national aeromedical services tender covering fixed-wing air ambulance and outreach services in the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, but competitors raised concerns about its service capability and Air Operator Certificate, and the South African Civil Aviation Authority confirmed irregularities in the AOC's issuance in January 2015. The National Treasury later cancelled the RT-79 tender, citing evaluation criteria that had not been included.

In 2017, state-owned airline SA Express entered into a further lease agreement with Flyfofa, which SA Express then challenged in the High Court, arguing the procurement process had not complied with constitutional requirements and the Public Finance Management Act; the court declared the agreement invalid, with no criminal finding made against Flyfofa and procurement responsibility resting with SA Express.

In July 2019, South African Airways entered into a 36-month dry-lease arrangement with Flyfofa for a Boeing 737-300 freighter valued at R85,340,863. The Special Investigating Unit found the agreement was concluded without the required competitive procurement process or National Treasury approval for a deviation, and one aircraft involved, registration ZS-TGG, had been grounded from December 2018 until August 2019. The SIU referred the matter to the Special Tribunal, which in September 2026 declared the SAA agreement unlawful and set it aside.

Separately, Flyfofa Aviation Training's involvement in a National Skills Fund training programme worth approximately R148 million drew concerns over contractual compliance, training verification, expenditure and documentation, leading the NSF to terminate its agreement with Flyfofa Aviation in August 2026 while saying steps were being taken to protect affected students. Investigative reporting by amaBhungane found the NSF had compared flying hours claimed by Flyfofa Aviation Training against students' logbook records, with a reported discrepancy of approximately R3.88 million, after which credit notes were issued; reports also emerged of approximately R13 million paid to two companies associated with Flyfofa principals, though these remain reported allegations with no criminal findings established in connection with the training programme. Flyfofa has not been found guilty of criminal conduct in relation to any of the matters described, and the company remains operational.