DUMISANE LUBISI, Nelspruit | Wednesday 12.10pm.
MPUMALANGA’S provincial government conceded for the first time on Wednesday that its attempts to establish the province’s first international airport may have been fundamentally flawed.
Provincial transport MEC, Jackson Mthembu, said a decision to allow developers to choose their own competing sites for the airport had effectively stalled the process by three years.
The approach has resulted in a standoff between German-based Daimler Benz Aerospace which is punting a site near Hazyview and Primkop International Airport consortium which has pegged its hopes a site nearer Nelspruit.
“I have therefore tabled a cabinet memo suggesting that we scrap the current process and instead choose a single site ourselves,” Mthembu said. “We’ll then let developers tender for the site and simply choose the best proposal.”
He conceded the new approach would cost Mpumalanga at least R3-million if approved by the provincial executive council. The province will, Mthembu said, have to conduct all the necessary groundwork and environmental impact assessments for its proposed site before putting the project out to tender.
Mthembu wants to reclaim the provincial costs from the tender winner.
Detailed development plans from both Primkop International and Daimler Benz, which has dubbed its project as the “Kruger International Airport”, are being reviewed by the Mpumalanga Development Tribunal. — African Eye News