The practitioners called a creditor meeting on Friday to consider amending the SAA restructuring plan to give the government more time.
The ailing airline has been in a form of bankruptcy protection since December.
Pule Mothibe signed off SAA’s audit reports that did not show irregularities at the airline, even though internal auditors and the media were already reporting on this.
The DA is arguing that another public bailout of SAA did not meet the definition of an unforeseen emergency, making relief unlawful.
Government outlined the pledge in a letter signed by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni on Wednesday.
The union said the approval of the business rescue plan for SAA was only the first step.
The approval of the plan comes after months of public spats between the department, unions and business rescue practitioners.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and South African Cabin Crew Association took the practitioners to court last month to halt the layoff of workers.
Numsa and Sacca have been vehemently opposed to layoffs at SAA, but after a meeting with the Public Enterprises Department, the unions believe it’s the best decision for members who prefer the voluntary severance packages.
The unions say they are exploring their legal option to stop the liquidation of troubled the national airline and SA Express, following the Finance Minister's statement that there will be no more bailouts for SAA.
The South African government wants creditors to back a restructuring plan for SAA but did not allocate new bailouts for the loss-making state airline in an emergency budget last week.
The department said it had given everything it could to the voluntary severance packages and would not consider the union’s demands, which it called unreasonable.
In a statement on Thursday morning, the Department of Public Enterprises stresses that if SAA was to be liquidated, it would potentially lead to even more financial implications for employees.
The practitioners said that due to a lack of cash flow for SAA and with no cash injection coming from government or potential investors, the whole rescue process would fail.
The department announced on Sunday that it was pulling out of the leadership consultative forum established to find a way to work with unions to try to save the embattled airline.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni on Wednesday tabled a supplementary Budget as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SA Airlink brought the matter to the court on an urgent basis ahead of the business rescue practitioners, creditors and others who were expected to meet on Thursday.
Minister of Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel and Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan are answering questions Parliament on Tuesday.
