Pietermaritzburg - Renovations at the Pietermaritzburg airport are far from being complete despite a multimillion-rand grant being approved for upgrades.
With ailing infrastructure and no coffee shop or water dispenser, the airport has also become a home for a flock of roosters and hens. The chickens were usually seen roaming the parking lot in the mornings but their cock-a-doodle-doos were often heard throughout the day.
Although some found their presence inappropriate, others felt that the chickens added to the ambience of the airport. But it was the condition of the airport’s infrastructure and the lack of refreshment vendors that have frustrated travellers.
“Our City of Choice airport had a rooster and chickens strutting their stuff in front of the departures and arrivals section. This is after we were assured that the leaking roof in the building and the absence of a restaurant or even a vending machine were being attended to by the municipality,” said traveller Andre Grobler.
The airport was owned and managed by the Msunduzi municipality with SA Airlink being the main carrier. More than 500 travellers from Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, George and Cape Town are able to fly to the capital city daily.
But when they were at the airport they were also unable to purchase refreshments as there was no vending machine. With King Shaka International more than 100km away from Pietermaritzburg, some travellers have no option but to endure the current conditions of the airport with hopes that the municipality would fix what is broken and spruce up the airport.
Municipal spokesperson Nontobeko Mkhize said apologised to travellers for any inconvenience caused. She said holes in the airport ceiling and the leaking roof were a result of a recent hailstorm but processes for repairs and renovations were underway. A coffee shop would be operational soon as the supply chain management processes had been concluded.
Mkhize said as part of the plans to redevelop the airport, the management had engaged CemAir and Fastjet airlines to join SA Airlink at the airport. She confirmed that a R3-million grant for renovations had been received from the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs but would not reveal when. With this money, the citty planned to repair the drainage system as the runway and taxiway often had standing water during wet weather.
The money would also be utilised in a water backup system to ensure an uninterrupted water supply to the terminal building. To enhance security, the perimeter fence would be illuminated. “The airport is now fully fenced with a fence that meets the regulatory requirements of the South African Civil Aviation Authority. This addresses two critical components at the airport, which are safety and security.”
Mkhize said the airport’s equipment bay had already been extended and the apron marking repainted. “New parking line drawings were submitted and approved by the South African Civil Aviation Authority and this has enabled medium aircraft to park and taxi out at the same time. The new lines have increased the apron capacity from three to five aircraft parked at any given time.”
SUNDAY TRIBUNE