Five top South African Airways “personnel” will be given R10,500-a-day bodyguards as the airline prepares to announce massive job cuts.

A two-year deal with security company Control Risks will cost the airline — which lost R5.6-billion in the 2017 financial year — up to R35-million.

It is also spending tens of millions on restructuring.

The bodyguard deal with Control Risks, which was implemented on March 1, was negotiated outside normal procurement processes by new SAA CEO Vuyani Jarana.

Jarana’s attempt to hire other consultants from Bain & Co was rejected by the SAA board because they would come at a cost of R149-million, which was R90-million more than the second-placed bidder.

Jarana and his team, in an attempt to return the airline to profitability, are planning to cut routes, sell part of the business and retire the airline’s inefficient aircraft.