INKZN
This manipulated image shows what the old Durban International Airport site would look like after its transformation to a dig-out port in the South Durban Industrial Basin.
A secondary airport operating alongside Durban’s proposed dig-out port in south Durban is what city officials are hoping for if their plan to move Virginia Airport from its current site to the old Durban International Airport site is realised.
The “new” airport would accommodate both the Virginia Airport operations and the SA Air Force.
Calling the issue of accommodating both operations “urgent”, city manager S’bu Sithole said in an exclusive interview with The Mercury yesterday that “some sort” of secondary airport was required for general aviation in the city.
If ever there was a “disaster” and flights could not use King Shaka International Airport, such an airport could be used, he said.
“Transnet have not finalised their plans yet in terms of what the port will look like and whether they need all the space… There is generous space and we can, maybe, look at the runway of the old airport… and see if they will use all of it or maybe leave some of it,” he said.
“We have so many ideas from different people and we need to look at them. What are the ideas and can they accommodate our needs?”
However, it was not just the city that would be involved with the decision as it would need to go through the provincial planning commission, Sithole said.
“We need to look at how we deal with the needs of the SA Air Force because these needs may not be able to be accommodated at King Shaka. If they can be, what else can be accommodated there?”
He said the King Shaka model could not accommodate some planes and types of aviation.
Whatever the plan decided on for the SAAF and Virginia, it needed to be a solution that would be relevant in 30 to 40 years time, he stressed.
At some point he wanted to meet the Virginia Airport operators and role-players to enable them to contribute “on how to move forward”. Apart from not wanting to affect their industry, Sithole did not want to jeopardise employment and job-creation.
“We really want to meet with them so that they don’t read about this stuff in the newspaper.”
Earlier this week, Virginia Airport operators and the airport manager indicated that moving to the old airport site would be a good move. However, one said the move could never happen as Acsa’s management agreement with King Shaka did not allow for the old airport site to operate again as an airport.
Acsa spokesman Colin Naidoo said yesterday he could not reveal the details of the contract. All he could say was that the runway at the old airport had been decommissioned.
“We have not been engaged on this issue; it is between the municipality and Virginia… When the environmental impact assessment was done for the new airport, Virginia was not included.”
Naidoo said Acsa was in the process of handing over the site to Transnet.
Andrew Layman, CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he believed a move would be a good interim measure, but did not think there was long-term space for the airport in Transnet’s plans.
“It might be a good interim measure. The old site is sitting idle and the dig-out port cannot be effected for the next four years, so it may as well be utilised.”
Layman said this would allow the city to find another site for its secondary airport. “The current Virginia Airport is too small and the land may be more valuable for other uses.”
Should Transnet be able to adjust its plans to accommodate the airport there could be a strong “constructive synergy” as the site was close to businesses south of Durban and the airport could also be used for transporting freight, he said.
Transnet said it had not discussed using the site for aviation purposes with anyone.
