MEC for Transport and Human Settlement Siboniso Duma has called for a “review” of the closure of the Virginia Airport in Durban, saying the airport could play a crucial role in developing pilots.
Duma said instead of the airport losing its licence and being turned into a development, other options should have been considered, including turning it into an academy for up-and-coming pilots.
The MEC, who is also the provincial chairperson of the ANC, addressed the issue as he spoke about the shortage of African pilots in the country and the difficult barriers of entry into this field for those who do not have financial means.
He made the remarks during a visit to the Independent Newspapers office on Tuesday, where he spoke to the company’s management and editorial staff about the province’s governance priorities. He spoke on a variety of issues including the state of politics and the work of his department.
The plans to redevelop the Virginia Airport site go as far back as 2015. The eThekwini Municipality wants to see the site redeveloped into a viable mixed-use node, which would include high-end residential, tourism and leisure elements.
The City has been involved in an acrimonious battle with the businesses that had been operating on the site and even threatened them with eviction.
Those who operate at the airport had initially fought it and said Virginia Airport provided a range of services not found at a commercial airport, and the closure of the airport would affect the operation of other services.
It had been reported previously that the tenants argued there was no successful city in the world that exists without a general aviation airport because of the services it offers.
They said this was demonstrated during the riots in July 2021, when emergency services teams – including the Red Cross and the SAPS – made use of Virginia Airport.
They said other services, including pilot training programmes, had benefited many people who had acquired their licences over the years, as a demonstration of the importance of the airport.
Speaking on the importance of the work of his department, Duma said maritime and aviation fell under his purview.
“There is one thing that is less known about the Department of Transport – maritime falls under our scope, we have 600 kilometres of coastline in the province and we have recently discovered oil in the Indian Ocean and KwaZulu-Natal should benefit.”
Touching on the issue of developing black pilots, Duma said losing the airport to another development would have a detrimental effect on the opportunity that would otherwise be offered to them.
Duma said the country has many airports but it has a shortage of African pilots.
“We have many airports in KwaZulu-Natal but it does take a toll on the state that we don’t have Africans who are pilots.”
He said the road for many Africans to qualify as pilots was an extremely cumbersome process.
“It is so expensive (to train and qualify), and before that, there is a technicality that you must accumulate so many hours of flying time. So if you don’t have a friend with a plan, it will be difficult.”
He said they are working with the private sector to try to address this.
“You cannot have so many airports and our kids are not benefiting in the process ... Just imagine, Virginia airport is on the verge of losing that licence to another development, and then what is going to happen? Why not convert it to an academy for local schools,” said Duma.
IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi said the site was still being used as an airport and pilot training was continuing.
DA councillor Thabani Mthethwa said the party’s position had always been that there must be thorough consultation with different stakeholders, especially the tenants.
“The municipality cannot afford to be reckless in this regard, especially since the revenue stream of the municipality keeps shrinking. That site must bring in the necessary revenue to the city,” he said.
The Mercury