MEMBERS of eThekwini Municipality as well as KwaZulu-Natal premier, Sihle Zikalala and his cabinet visited King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) on Wednesday morning to inspect the airport’s compliance with adhering to lockdown regulations.
Zikalala was briefed by the senior leadership of the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA), the South African Police, and the Department of Health.
In his address to the members of the media, the premier said he was pleased at how the airport and passengers had adhered to the health and safety regulations.
Read also: King Shaka International Airport ready to welcome travellers back
“The KZN economy has contracted by R30-billion and the tourism sector has been the hardest hit due to the lockdown regulations because of the Covid-19 pandemic. King Shaka is the heartbeat of the provincial economy, and it is in the national interest to be fully operational.
“We have observed the implementation of measures at security checkpoints aimed at reducing congestion and containment of possible Covid-19 outbreaks. We pay tribute, in particular, to the many passengers who are heeding ACSA’s call to arrive earlier than before, say at least two hours before departure, to avoid long queues and the risk of getting closer to other passengers as it often happens when people are running late and in a rush,” said Zikalala.
He added the opening of KSIA offers hope in the revival of the provincial economy and employment creation.
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