Appeals process underway after Polokwane airport downgrade
The downgrade followed inspection findings that point to among others, the non-availability of rescue or fire-fighting services.
POLOKWANE – The Polokwane International Airport has lost its operating licence for commercial flights after the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) earlier this week downgraded the Gateway Airports Authority Limited (Gaal) Aerodrome to level two. This level does not allow for commercial flights.
The downgrade follows safety non-compliance findings from inspections conducted between August 2020 and February 2021, which among others, pointed to the non-availability of rescue or fire-fighting services at the airport.
On Wednesday, the Limpopo Department of Transport confirmed that an appeals process into the findings was underway.
“The department will give its full support to the new board of Gaal, which was appointed on 1 February. The board has immediately started a process to appeal the decision. We feel the issues can be sorted out so that we can get back to normalcy,” Transport Spokesperson, Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala said in a statement.
Following a meeting with Gaal on Thursday afternoon, Transport confirmed that interventions are underway.
Listen here to the outcome of this meeting:
The downgrading of the airport this week has, however, resulted in the loss of revenue for the region and role players in both the DA and EFF have called for accountability in this regard. The DA wants the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, Mosebenzi Zwane, to summon SACAA to appear before parliament to explain what negligence led to the downgrade findings.
“The Polokwane airport, despite its size, is a key air transport connection for business travellers and people who are based in Limpopo. The airport is also a vital source of revenue for the region as it provides much-needed job opportunities. The de-categorisation will, without a doubt, have an immediate, and severe impact on the revenue of businesses that are related to air connectivity, furthering the blows of South Africa’s current economic crisis,” said MP Chris Hunsinger, the DA Shadow Minister for Transport.
EFF’s Provincial Chairperson, Jossey Buthane has blamed the incompetence of the parties involved for the de-categorisation of GAAL.
“The downgrading is the direct result of incompetence on the part of the Transport Department, particularly that of Gaal, whose main responsibility it was to oversee that the aerodrome complies with civil aviation regulations. Gaal’s failure to meet the requirements means that the agency has outlived its usefulness,” Buthane commented.
The EFF has demanded that GAAL be dissolved and the airport be handed over to the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA.)
Read more: ‘Little emergency back-up’: Airlink suspends Polokwane airport flights
Earlier this week, Airlink suspended all its flights from the airport with immediate effect.
The CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster in a statement apologised to customers for any inconvenience and confirmed that customers holding confirmed tickets on the cancelled flights should contact their booking agents, tour operators or Airlink Reservations on (011) 451 7300 for a refund.
