The distance between Johannesburg and Mafikeng has been shortened by more than two hours. It now takes only 45 minutes to travel between the two towns following last December’s resuscitation of the air route linking the two cities.
The revival is funded with an investment of R5,8-million over a three-year period from the North West government.
Mafikeng airport had lost its operating license three years earlier, when South African Airways pulled out of the province, citing a traffic decline on the air route.
But Tourism North West — with back-up from the provincial transport department, South African Airlink and a private charter aircraft company, SabSahara — is determined to keep the route alive. The route now operates on a two-year renewable contract.
The CEO of North West Parks and Tourism Board, Charles Ndabeni, has proposed that all provincial ministers and senior executives of government departments use the route to travel to and from Johannesburg. Ndabeni says the provincial government needs to create balance between driving and flying.
“We need to look at a combination of both road and air travel. There should be a limit on road travel and anything beyond that will be air travel,” he says.
But Thandiwe Mhlongo, director of land and air transport services in the North West transport department, says government officials fly out of their own will.
“At present there is no policy to compel any government official to make use of the air service. Government is currently developing a guideline document for the support of the air service by government officials,” says Mhlongo.
Abbey Chikane, executive chairperson of SubSahara, says it is the responsibility of the government to look at its policies and determine ways to make its officials fly more often.
“Driving consumes a lot of time and officials tend to be less productive when they reach their destiny because they are tired from a long trip,” says Chikane. He says flying will also decrease money spent on accommodation for government officials.
“After long meetings they either have to drive back or book into a hotel. That needs more money.”
He says before the collapse of Mafikeng airport, government officials were using the route, but that came to an end when car allowance schemes were introduced.
“The scheme was introduced and that reduced the use of the air route.”
Mhlongo says her department has not yet established ways to balance road and air travel.
“The maximum financial exposure to government would therefore be the number of seats guaranteed by government in case no government booking is made for that specific flight.”
She was unable to provide the Mail & Guardian Online with budget implications of having government officials driving when seats have been bought on an aircraft.
Chikane believes there is a possibility of the number of flights being increased once people know the route has been reopened.
“We fly a 29-seater. On normal days we fly 15 people.”
He says the government of the North West province has undertaken to buy 16 seats per aircraft every day.
“What is required of the government is to see that they have 16 people flying every day,” says Chikane.
Mhlongo confirmed that the government is buying seats on the aircraft.
“Government will guarantee minimum utilisation of 29% of available seats for a two-year period, whereafter the project analysis confirmed that a sufficient customer basis would have been established to ensure full viability of a scheduled air service without any government guarantees.”
It costs between R800 and R900 for a single trip to Mafikeng.
Mhlongo says the reintroduction of the air transport services is also meant to create income that can boost the rural and less developed parts of the province, especially those surrounding Mafikeng.