South African Airways (SAA) has responded to a viral video that raised eyebrows on social media, showing what appears to be a suspicious interaction involving multiple SAA air hostesses and a man seated on a sidewalk.
SAA addresses findings of probe into viral video
According to SAA, the video is old, and it “lacks verified context” to support any conclusions.
In the footage, recorded by eyewitnesses from a building window, a man in athleisure gear is seen approaching a uniformed SAA air hostess standing by her luggage bag.
The man appears to slip something into her pocket before lightly tapping her back. The woman turns to acknowledge him, and the two exchange greetings.
Moments later, the man returns to his seat on a raised sidewalk structure. The woman follows and sits next to him. They share a hug, and he kisses her on the cheek.
Soon after, more SAA crew members appear in the frame. One of them walks over to the man, and another brief interaction unfolds. Viewers who recorded the incident claim envelopes were being exchanged, but due to the poor video quality, these claims could not be confirmed.
What can be seen is that after the interaction, the man appears to count paper banknotes and tucks them into his pocket. The initial hostess returns to sit with him.
A third woman joins the group. The man then appears to place another unidentified item in the first hostess’s pocket.
A fourth air hostess takes a seat next to the man and begins rummaging through her bag.
The man extends his arm and hands another unknown item to a fifth hostess who had sat beside him. Both the fifth hostess and the first one soon walk away. The video ends as the man prepares to engage with the fourth hostess, right as two more women in uniform approach and greet him with hugs.
Online speculation has tied this interaction to bribery or money laundering, with claims that $100 bills were being handed out. These claims, however, remain unverified.
In a statement issued on Monday, 7 July 2025, SAA said:
“Following an internal investigation… the footage has been determined to predate 2019. The video lacks verified context and does not contain credible evidence to support any claims about SAA’s current operations.”
The airline reiterated its commitment to upholding professionalism and integrity. To distance itself from what it describes as “misleading content,” SAA stressed that the incident portrayed in the video does not reflect its current conduct or crew behaviour.
Meanwhile, SAA continues to rebuild its reputation and expand its operations. In its latest monthly update, the airline confirmed the launch of direct flights to Mauritius, improving access for travellers heading to the popular island destination.
SAA has also resumed daily domestic service between Johannesburg and Cape Town and is maintaining routes to several African cities, including Harare, Lusaka, Accra and Lagos.
“We are taking steps to ensure we run on time and deliver reliable services,” Acting Chief Commercial Officer Tebogo Tsimane said.
As the video continues to circulate, SAA has urged the public to avoid drawing conclusions based on content that lacks context and clarity.