Programme Director
Superintendent-General and management of the Department of Transport
CEO of 43 Air School Mr Niemann
Traditional leaders
Representatives of the business fraternity
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed a great honour for me to host you in this newly-refurbished Bhisho Airport, which is our New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) project that recently received the Premier’s Balasela Award for its socio-economic impact, which involved job creation especially for local people in security, cleaning and catering services.
I hope that we are going to have a fruitful session, which will concretise the way forward in ensuring the implementation of our Blue Skyway Aviation Strategy.
This strategy seeks to bring new life to the Bhisho and Mthatha airports and to revitalise the rural airstrips within the province.
Its main objective is to ensure adherence to the National Policy (White Paper on Civil Aviation of March 2005), where it is stated that government should not be involved in operating airports, but should encourage private sector involvement. Government, however, remains responsible for ensuring that airports contribute to the socio-economic development of the area.
We know that, historically, entry into the aviation sector has been a challenge and we want to encourage more people, especially the previously disadvantaged groups to participate actively.
Government has further introduced the Integrated Transport Sector Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Charter, which seeks to ensure maximum participation of the previously disadvantaged individuals in this sector, especially in civil aviation and maritime, which have not been effectively transformed since the dawn of our freedom and democracy.
Hence today we are opening our doors to potential investors, both big business and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), to come forward and contribute in making this facility a “hub of economic activity”.
There is no significant International Aviation Node in the province. East London, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth regional airports are currently unable to accommodate big aircraft like the Boeing 747.
Eastern Cape is currently struggling economically, but has one of the best facilities – the Bhisho Airport, which can facilitate economic growth and development as it is:
- strategic in terms of improving access to tourism destinations
- accessible to various manufacturing industries
- likely to be utilised during the 2010 FIFA World Cup for parking of aircraft.
This airport has one of the longest and strongest runaways in South Africa.
It is:
- a technically advanced airport situated less than 10 kilometers from King William’s Town and is close to the improved road network (N2) leading to all directions
- a stone’s throw away from the Capital of the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, close to the East London port, historic places such as the University of Fort Hare, tourist destinations such as the Wild Coast, Sunshine Coast and the Amatole Mountains
- currently housing the South African Police Service (SAPS) Air Wing and the internationally-renowned 43 Air School.
As we speak, this airport is accommodating 80 student pilots, who are undergoing training, which makes it the second largest aviation training centre in Africa. These students are from Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, India, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Airways, and privately sponsored students from around South Africa.
It is gratifying to notice the attendance of representatives from the East London Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) as we intend to also pursue an option of turning this Airport into a logistics hub that supports both IDZs of our province, including Coega, and the automotive industry.
We further want to make sure that the envisaged economic activity translates into opportunities for SMMEs wishing to participate in freight logistics handling business and to support the Dimbaza Industrial Node.
We strongly believe that investors and traders are only going to develop an appetite for such an initiative if a pilot could be launched successfully. In this regard it becomes important to use what the province already has. The IDZs must come on board as co-partners in this integrated development initiative
We are prepared to ensure that we facilitate the process of building more hangers in order to accommodate a cargo service.
Discussions are underway with various airlines to ensure that the airport becomes economically active.
The Department intends to have an airline between Cape Town and Mthatha via Bhisho.
An important goal is to link Port Elizabeth to Mthatha via Bhisho with the service geared for faster movement between these three areas.
It is gratifying to notice the number of companies that are interested in various airside operations such as vehicle hire, shuttle services, catering services and other opportunities.
This clearly shows that aviation is not solely restricted to flying aircraft, but in essence, to provide a broad band of careers and business opportunities.
One of the key advantages of investing in this airport is that the land belongs to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, which makes it easy for investors in property development to participate in this development initiative.
Already, we have a challenge of limited accommodation for 43 Air School students as we expect more students to come.
In conclusion, I would like to once more express my sincere gratitude to all of your for attending this important session.
I strongly believe that working together we can be able to make maximum utilisation of our resources as government and the private sector for the benefit of all our people.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
30 July 2009
