Cape Town, South Africa: A crisis is unfolding in South Africa’s skies. Experts such as Aaron Munetsi, CEO of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), have been sounding the alarms about problems in the provision and maintenance of the infrastructure provided by the South African government for the aviation industry. A power outage at Cape Town International Airport on 28 July 2024 caused numerous local and foreign flights to and from the airport to be delayed and diverted, inconveniencing travellers and burdening carriers with additional costs. Following this and other mishaps, Munetsi called on Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to intervene and ensure that these avoidable failures are resolved fast. Issues at the state-owned enterprise (SOE) Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) prompted the Minister to establish a committee on 12 December 2024, to investigate the challenges facing the SOE, which led to a spike in flight delays and cancellations observed in airports such as Cape Town International Airport, George Airport and King Phalo Airport in 2024. Domestic airlines FlySafair and Airlink laid the blame for these delays directly on ATNS. The committee formed by the Minister consists of aviation experts Wrenelle Stander, Sibusiso Nkabinde, and Peter Marais, and will advise the ATNS board and executive. Their preliminary diagnostic report of January 2025 suggested that at the heart of ATNS’s troubles are ‘critical staff shortages’, gaps in safety governance and practices, repeated missed regulatory deadlines, and a lack of maintenance of their communications, navigation, and surveillance systems. The repeated missed regulatory deadlines culminated in the suspension of 326 Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) in 2024.
On 12 March 2025, Collen Msibi, the National Spokesperson of the Department of Transport, issued these updates on the status of the implementation of the recommendations that were contained in the preliminary diagnostic report.
- Accelerated recruitment of critical staff.
The training pipeline is in the process of being re-established with ongoing recruitment of air traffic controllers for both the ATNS and the Aviation Training Academy.
- Upgrade of communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems.
The upgrade is already underway, focusing on communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) systems. Original Equipment Manufacturers have been engaged, and procurement processes are underway to upgrade the national air traffic management system, the arrivals manager, and the air traffic flow management system. Progress has also been made with datalink implementation to support ground-to-air communication. - Maintenance of instrument flight procedures.
The current alternative means of compliance (AMOC) at key airports will expire in early April 2025. ATNS was required to maintain these procedures and ensure that they are flight-ready before this expiry date. These procedures are crucial for efficient airport access in all weather conditions. It is unlikely that these flight procedures will be ready before April 2025. Consequently, urgent steps are being taken to prioritise procedures for minimal impact at major airports such as OR Tambo International, Cape Town International, King Shaka International, Chief Dawid Stuurman International, and George airports. The focus will be on accelerating contracts with international flight procedure designers and charting specialists. Other airports may face access impacts during poor visibility or bad weather. These procedures will be maintained after completing work at the key airports with domestic and international scheduled operations.
- Prioritise and improve governance processes for safety accountability.
The independence of safety oversight is being re-established across the company. Safety audit findings and recommendations are being addressed and closed out. The safety governance structures have also been established, and have started work.
- Management changes
The Minister issued an order in terms of section 10(1) of the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Act 45 of 1993. Section 10(1) of this Act confers upon her powers to compel ATNS to do or not to do what is mentioned in the order, if she considers it necessary in the interest of national security or to discharge or facilitate the discharge of South Africa’s international obligation under the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). In terms of the order, the CEO of ATNS, Ms. Nosipho Mdawe, was placed on precautionary suspension pending the investigation outcome of the fulfilment of her duties and responsibilities as the CEO, which will be conducted by an independent law firm. The order also appointed Mr Matome Moholola as the acting CEO of ATNS.
Most recently, Gateway Airports Authority Limited (GAAL) issued a media statement on Sunday 6 April 2025, addressing the recent disruption at Polokwane International Airport and confirming operational setbacks. The statement attributed delays and cancellations to the nationwide suspension of prescribed navigation procedures by ATNS, with the most significant impact felt during early morning, night, or adverse weather operations. In the media statement, GAAL apologized in advance to any customers who were inconvenienced by this development, which it stated was beyond its control. GAAL added that it was coordinating closely with airlines to minimize passenger disruption. Furthermore, on Tuesday 8 April 2025, flights to Richards Bay Airport, Upington Airport, and Bram Fischer International Airport in Bloemfontein also suspended IFPs and will, in the interim, only be possible under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) as these procedures are critical for aircraft navigation during low visibility or adverse weather. These flights are expected to remain suspended until maintenance is complete. A final regulatory extension granted to ATNS by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) expired on Thursday 10April 2025.
The State Capture Commission, led by former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, found that a lack of accountability, compliance, and transparency, as well as the appointment of unqualified people, contributed to a decline in the operational and financial performance of many SOEs. SOEs play a significant role in many economies, particularly in developing countries. While governments often view well-managed SOEs as drivers of economic growth and public welfare, empirical evidence generally suggests that SOEs underperform compared to private firms and can be a burden on national economies. This underperformance is often attributed to inefficiencies stemming from ownership effects and lack of competition. Despite these challenges, SOEs continue to be prominent in various sectors, such as energy and transport, and in some cases, they have shown resilience and adaptability. The aviation industry’s importance lies in its substantial economic contributions, its role in facilitating domestic and global connectivity, and its potential for driving technological innovations. While the task of improving the issues at ATNS will take time, we hope to see it happen soon because the aviation industry is crucial in growing an inclusive economy and improving the lives of ordinary South Africans.
Vuyolwethu Siyolise Musoke
Correspondent
